Newfound brain structure helps scientists explain bird's intelligence

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Never before has "bird brain" been such a compliment: In recent years, birds have been found to make tools, understand abstract concepts, and even recognize paintings by Monet and Picasso. But their lack of a neocortex—the area of the mammalian brain where working memory, planning, and problem solving happen—has long puzzled scientists. Now, researchers have found a previously unknown arrangement of microcircuits in the avian brain that may be analogous to the mammalian neocortex. 

The two papers are already being hailed as groundbreaking. "It's often assumed that birds' alien brain architecture limits thought, consciousness, and most advanced cognition," says John Marzluff, a wildlife biologist.

The scientists compared the images of the birds' pallia with those of rat, monkey, and human cortices. Their analysis revealed the fibers in the birds' pallia are organized in a manner strikingly similar to those of fibers in mammal cortexes.

"This research confirms the old adage that looks can be deceiving," Marzluff says. Although bird and mammalian brains "look very different, this study shows us they are actually wired in very complementary ways."

Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/newfound-brain-structure-explains-why-some-birds-are-so-smart-and-maybe-even-self-aware

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This is fascinating! 

[Bling 31,683]

We evolved from birds

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On 10/18/2021 at 12:33 PM, WheresMy911Alice said:

We evolved from birds

Scientists say humans evolved from mammals that separated from reptiles before the dinosaurs (and thus, birds).

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On 10/18/2021 at 4:24 AM, FfFfFfFF said:

"This research confirms the old adage that looks can be deceiving," Marzluff says. Although bird and mammalian brains "look very different, this study shows us they are actually wired in very complementary ways."

Semi-convergent evolution says hi

I'd be interested in reading about mollusks' intelligence too. Octopi are arguably up there with apes, birds, orcas, etc as intelligent animals but they diverged so far back on the fossil record.

Nine brains, three hearts, copper based blood (as opposed to iron), tag me when there's a thread about them

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11 hours ago, PartySick said:

Nine brains, three hearts, copper based blood (as opposed to iron), tag me when there's a thread about them

Noted!