March 29, 2024
The study found that some dinosaurs were as intelligent as modern primates

The study found that some dinosaurs were as intelligent as modern primates

It’s very complicated for experts to compare the intelligence of species, especially those we know so little about. However, new data has emerged regarding Tyrannosaurus Rex, as it has been proven that the nerve density between baboon and rex was quite similar, which surprised many researchers. After all, that would argue that the species was more intelligent than he had imagined. Read and understand more about intelligence dinosaurs!

Tyrannosaurus Rex and Baboon have similar intelligence

The study is still premature, but it was surprising enough Scientistswho previously thought that this species had a much lower neural capacity.

However, with this new data contradicting the same neural density between the two species, it is possible to believe that Tyrannosaurus Rex was actually highly intelligent and could even use tools, as well as humans and some other animals today.

The discovery was published in the Journal of Comparative Neuroscience and generated heated debate among experts. This is because one part praises progress in the search for dinosaur intelligence, while the other believes the data is too flawed and sparse to question the intelligence of species.

Is it possible to measure the intelligence of dinosaurs?

Figuring out the cognitive ability of dinosaurs has long been a challenge for researchers, who historically used the brain quotient, that is, they measured the size of dinosaurs’ brains relative to their body size. Thus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, for example, has an encephalization quotient of 2.4.

However, the method is completely flawed, as many animals grow regardless of the size of their brains. Still, paleontologist Ashley Moorhart says how complicated it is to measure this quotient, especially if the species is already extinct.

For this reason, Susana Herculano Hozel sought a more reliable solution, and for that, she began measuring intelligence by neural density in the cortex. For this, I used the brain of the species, dissolved it in a solution and from there, counted the neurons.

Susanna Herculano Hozel’s style is not possible with dinosaurs

Although it wasn’t possible to do the same with a dinosaur brain, Herculano Hozelle found an opportunity in a database that showed birds and mammals had higher cortical densities than reptiles.

Birds are associated with the group that included T-Rex dinosaurs, so Herculano Hozel decided to test the tricks of comparative anatomy to find out the T-Rex’s density.

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Based on brain masses from tomography of dinosaur skulls and access to the aforementioned database, an equation was developed based on brain mass and number of neurons. And so I discovered the nerve density of many species of dinosaurs.