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Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.

This web exhibit was first built in 2000 by Patricia Anne Kinser, Haverford College, under the direction of Paul Grobstein, Bryn Mawr College. The updated version of Comparative Neuroanatomy and Intelligence is now online at http://serendipstudio.org/exchange/brains. This old version has been archived in place, and will continue to be available for teachers and students who are using it.

Home Page

Compare Brains

Compare Brain and Body Sizes

Compare Brain Structures- Slices and Slides

The Neuron- Up Close and Personal

The Question of Intelligence

Links

Glossary

Bibliography

What is the relationship between brain and body size??

Evaluation of brain and body size is important in studies about intelligence. When comparing animals and their levels of intelligence, one method is to look at respective brain sizes.

On the next couple of pages will be a series of tables designed to help us visualize brain and body sizes and develop questions from them. The table below shows brains proportional to the size of the animal pictured. Click on the pictures of the animals to read specific information about the species.

human brain

approx Human brain length=15cm

approx brain weight=1400g

human
approx body length=100cm

approx body weight=62,000g

baboon brain

approx Baboon brain length= 8cm

approx brain weight=140g

baboon
approx body length=75cm

approx body weight=30,000g

monkey brain
approx Monkey brain length=5cm

approx brain weight=100g

monkey
approx body length=30cm

approx body weight=7,000g

camel brain
approx Camel brain length=15cm

approx brain weight=680g

camel
approx body length=200cm

approx body weight=529,000g

dolphin brain
approx brain weight=1700g
dolphin
approx body length=10 feet

approx body weight=160,000 g

kangaroo brain
approx Kangaroo brain length=5cm

approx brain weight=56g

kangaroo
approx body length=150cm

approx body weight=35,000g

cat brain
approx Cat brain length=5cm

approx brain weight=30g

cat
approx body length=60cm

approx body weight=3,300g

raccoon brain
approx Raccoon brain length=5.5cm

approx brain weight=39g

raccoon
approx body length=80cm

approx body weight=4,290g

rabbit brain
approx Rabbit brain length=5cm

approx brain weight=12g

rabbit
approx body length=30cm

approx body weight=2500g

squirrel brain
approx Squirrel brain length=3cm

approx brain weight=6g

squirrel
approx body length=20cm

approx body weight=900g

frog brain
approx Frog brain length=2cm

approx brain weight=0.1g


approx body length=10-12cm

approx body weight=18g

Now look at this chart to see the approximate values delineated above or go to . . .

How do the brains compare when the animal pictures are in proportion?

What if all these animals had the same body size?

What if all these animals had the same brain size?

Why should I care about this kind of comparison??

Huh? Can we start over?




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