Name: What is so special about the human brain?
Uploaded: 2013-11-26T15:59:51Z
Duration: 13 min 18 s
Description: The human brain is puzzling -- it is curiously large given the size of our bodies, uses a tremendous amount of energy for its weight and has a bizarrely dense cerebral cortex. But: why? Neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel puts on her detective's cap and leads us through this mystery. By making "brain soup," she arrives at a startling conclusion.

The human brain is puzzling -- it is curiously large given the size of our bodies, uses a tremendous amount of energy for its weight and has a bizarrely dense cerebral cortex. But: why? Neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel puts on her detective's cap and leads us through this mystery. By making "brain soup," she arrives at a startling conclusion.

Suzana Herculano-Houzel: What is so special about the human brain?

What is so special about the human brain?

Discover the counterintuitive insight that human cognitive prowess owes much to cooking, which unlocked energy for brain growth.

By challenging the notion that all brains are created equal, we unveil the human brain's extraordinary neuron count as key to our intellect.

Human brain's high neuron count, fueled by the energy-rich diet from cooked foods, explicates our exceptional cognitive prowess.