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Bryson, Bill - On big brains
Identifier
018649
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Bill Bryson - A Short History of Nearly Everything
No persuasive reason has ever been adduced for why hominid brains suddenly began to grow 2 million years ago.
For a long time, it was assumed that big brains and upright walking were directly related – that the movement out of the forests necessitated cunning new strategies that fed off or promoted braininess – so it was something of a surprise, after the repeated discoveries of so many bipedal dullards, to realise that there was no apparent connection at all.
‘There is simply no compelling reason we know of to explain why human brains got large’ says Tattershall.
Huge brains are demanding organs, they make up only 2% of the body’s mass but devour 20% of its energy… a big brain needs more food and more food means increased risk