Short Wave

How Nature Makes A Complex Brain

Apr 16, 2025 · 12 min · Episode 1257 · 12.5 MB
0:00-12:58

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A recent series of studies suggests that the brains of birds, reptiles and mammals all evolved independently — even though they share a common ancestor. That means evolution has found more than one way to make a complex brain, and human brains may not be quite as special as we think. To learn more about this, we talk to Fernando García-Moreno about this series of studies he co-authored that came out in Science in February.

Want to hear more about the complex road of evolution? Send us an email at shortwave@npr.org.

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