Why the insect brain is so incredible - Anna Stöckl
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-the-insect-brain-is-so-incredible-anna-stockl The human brain is one of the most sophisticated organs in the world, a supercomputer made of...
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The human brain is one of the most sophisticated organs in the world, a supercomputer made of billions of neurons that processes and controls all of our senses, thoughts, and actions. But there was something Charles Darwin found even more impressive: the brain of an ant, which he called one of the most marvelous atoms of matter in the world. If you find it hard to believe that something so tiny could have a complex brain, you're not alone. In his project to classify and describe all living things, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus assumed insects had no brains at all. He was wrong, but understandably so. Insect brains are not only miniscule, but in many respects, they function differently than our own. One of the most noticeable differences is that a...
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The human brain is one of the most sophisticated organs in the world, a supercomputer made of billions of neurons that processes and controls all of our senses, thoughts, and actions. But there was something Charles Darwin found even more impressive: the brain of an ant, which he called one of the most marvelous atoms of matter in the world. If you find it hard to believe that something so tiny could have a complex brain, you're not alone. In his project to classify and describe all living things, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus assumed insects had no brains at all. He was wrong, but understandably so. Insect brains are not only miniscule, but in many respects, they function differently than our own. One of the most noticeable differences is that a...
