CANADA: A new study published in Nature Communications journal, reported that the oldest known monkey has a small, complex brain.
Researchers from Duke University analyzed the 15-million-year-old fossil of Victoriapithecus, an ancient old world monkey, using 3-D computer imaging.
The ancient skull was unearthed on an island in Lake Victoria, Kenya in 1997.
After careful investigation on brain’s structure, it revealed that the primitive monkey’s brain is filled with more wrinkles compare to the brain of present monkeys.
According to the common theory: the more wrinkled and folded the brain is, the more it can perform complicated neuron processes.
Lauren Gonzales, co-author of the study, commented: “In the part of the primate family tree that includes apes and humans, the thinking is that brains got bigger and then they get more folded and complex.”
However, in the case of Victoriapithecus, it is smaller, but it can do more complicated neuron processes.
The researchers noticed that the primitive monkey have more sensitive sense of smell, suggesting that their olfactory senses were more useful during their era.
It is believe that as the sense of smell become stronger, the vision becomes weaker. But in the case of ancient apes, it is equipped with stronger sense of smell and clearer vision.
The scientists were amazed at the size of the brain of the monkey of as it only measures 36 cubic centimeters–which is only half the size of primates these days.
The research further proves that the size of the brain is not proportional to the living organism’s intellect.
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