Why are humans vastly more intelligent than even animals with vastly larger brains like elephants or whales?
The volume of the brain doesn't matter. The number of folding is what matters. Imagine having a 100 meter square sheet, versus a 10 meters square sheet.
The Short Answer
The volume of the brain doesn't matter. The number of folding is what matters. Imagine having a 100 meter square sheet, versus a 10 meters square sheet. Now take the large one and cram it into a human skull. Do the same with the 10 m2 sheet and push it down into the elephant skull. The 100 m2 sheet has obviously more neurons, and a much bigger number of foldings when the fabric is crammed into such a relatively small volume. This allows neurons from any part of the sheet to be in close contact with other neurons that are normally far away when the sheet is flat, this creates obviously far more contact between all the neurons and thus more intelligence. Brain to body ratio is another factor to intelligence. But folding is what matters more when a bird like a crow, with a much smaller skull shows to be able to solve problem like an ape. I advise you to check pictures of an elephant brain, a dolphin brain and a human brain, and you'll understand what I'm talking about.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Sheet, brain, neurons
This explanation focuses on sheet, brain, neurons and spans 178 words across 10 sentences. At 162% above the average Animals explanation (68 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “The volume of the brain doesn't matter.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 10 connected points.
How This Compares in Animals
Ranked #5 of 500 Animals questions by answer depth (top 2%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why humans vastly more intelligent than even animals with vastly larger brains like elephants or whales?
The volume of the brain doesn't matter. The number of folding is what matters. Imagine having a 100 meter square sheet, versus a 10 meters square sheet. Now take the large one and cram it into a human skull. Do the same with the 10 m2 sheet and push…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Animals questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 178 words, ranked #5 of 500 Animals questions by depth. The key concepts covered are sheet, brain, neurons.
What approach does this answer take to explain humans vastly more intelligent than even animals with vastly?
The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 178 words. It is categorized under Animals and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.