Magnetic resonance imaging scans showing healthy human brains
SIMON FRASER/SCIENTIFIC PHOTO LIBRARY
The human brain has greater energy requirements than any other animal, particularly in certain important regions, which may have been key to the evolution of our complex cognition. Knowing how energy consumption differs in the brain could also help us better understand and treat certain conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
Some mammals have larger brains and more nerve cells, or neurons, than humans, making it unclear how we developed a particularly advanced ability to think critically…