Magnetic resonance imaging scans showing healthy human brain
SIMON FRASER/SCIENTIFIC PHOTO LIBRARY
The human brain requires more energy than that of any other animal, especially in certain key regions, which may have been key to the evolution of our complex cognition. Knowing how energy use differs in the brain can 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 evolved a uniquely advanced ability to think critically…