Suzana Herculano-Houzel Brazilian scientist, neuroscientist. Country: Brazil

Content:

1. Biography of Suzana Herculano-Houzel
2. The Discovery of Cooking and the Increase in Brain Size
3. Differences in Human Brain
4. The Unusual Brain Size
5. The Role of Cooking in Brain Development
6. Current Research and Future Work

Biography of Suzana Herculano-Houzel

Suzana Herculano-Houzel is a Brazilian scientist and neurobiologist. She is known for her groundbreaking research on the evolution of the human brain and the concept of cooking as a key factor in the development of human intelligence.

The Discovery of Cooking and the Increase in Brain Size

According to Herculano-Houzel, the discovery of cooking played a crucial role in transforming our distant ancestors from clever primates into truly intelligent beings. She conducted her own experiment to estimate the number of neurons in the human brain, as previous estimates had varied. Herculano-Houzel mixed the brains of four human donors to create a homogeneous mass, and then counted the neurons in a sample of this mass.

The results of her experiment were interesting in two ways. First, she found that there are approximately 86 billion neurons in the human brain, which is about 1/6 less than previously believed. Second, even with this revised estimate, the human brain still surpasses the neuronal count of other animals, accounting for the relative difference in brain size. This discovery confirmed that the human brain is not as densely packed with neurons as previously thought.

Differences in Human Brain

Herculano-Houzel's research went beyond neuronal density, revealing several other distinct features of the human brain. For instance, the cortex of the human brain is much larger than expected based on body size, and it consumes a disproportionately high percentage of the body's energy, approximately 25% of the total calories. These findings raised further questions about the evolutionary development of our brain.

The Unusual Brain Size

To understand why our ancestors' brains became disproportionately large compared to their bodies, Herculano-Houzel investigated the limitations on brain size imposed by the body's resources. She found that the brain's extraordinary energy demands would make unlimited growth unsustainable, as the body would not be able to support such a metabolically demanding organ.

The Role of Cooking in Brain Development

Herculano-Houzel proposed that the discovery of cooking by our distant ancestors played a pivotal role in the development of our brains. Cooking food, even through primitive methods, made it more easily digestible and provided the body with more energy. In addition to the additional energy from food, the brain began to receive resources previously allocated to the complex process of processing raw food.

Current Research and Future Work

While Herculano-Houzel's theory has not been fully proven, she continues her research by studying the brains of elephants and whales, comparing their results with expectations. Through her pioneering work, Suzana Herculano-Houzel has shed light on the unique characteristics and evolution of the human brain. Her research has challenged previous assumptions and opened up new avenues of exploration in the field of neuroscience.

Neurosurgery