阅读理解之聪明大脑所带来的问题_高中英语同步练习

阅读理解之聪明大脑所带来的问题

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词汇: 生物

Is it possible to be too clever? Could it be that a big brain is actually a dangerousasset?

Whilst the brainy human species goes from strength to strength, a study suggests that having an abundance of grey matter directly increases the risk of extinction in our mammal cousins.

Biologist Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez, from the University of Reading, says that big brains come with a clear downside.

"The cost is too high," she told BBC Future. They require a lot of energy to grow and maintain. Large-brained animals also have longer gestational periods, meaning they produce fewer offspring. And their young need greater parental attention until they become independent.

These traits mean "populations cannot grow fast, or quickly compensate for additional mortality," she says.

In short, big brains are an investment not all animals can afford. And thisprecarious situation is made worse by the fact that many large mammals are themselves the target of poaching or live in threatened habitats.

Some animals have long since decided that brains weren’t necessary. BBC Future suggests that sponges evolved to lose their brains over time, as they offered no tangible benefits.

But what about humans? We are the most intelligent species on Earth. We havetamed the natural environment, developed incredible technologies, and settled across almost every corner of the planet. But all this may be exacerbating the problem for other species.