Dinosaurs had a lot of neurons and were much smarter than previously thought, more on par with monkeys. However, a new study by an international team of researchers has found that dinosaurs actually had brain sizes and structures similar to those of crocodiles and lizards, indicating that they were likely as smart as reptiles, but not as intelligent as monkeys. This re-examination of dinosaur brains contradicts the previous study’s claims about their intelligence.The article discusses how the high neuron counts in the brain of T. rex could provide insight into its intelligence, metabolism, and life history, suggesting that the dinosaur had some monkey-like habits. The study, published in The Anatomical Record, examines the cognitive traits of T. rex, including cultural transmission of knowledge and tool use, and is led by Dr. Kai Caspar with a team of researchers from the University of Bristol, University of Southampton, University of Alberta, and Royal Ontario Museum.The team used techniques to forecast the brain size and neuron numbers in dinosaur brains. They discovered that previous assumptions about dinosaur brain size and neuron count were not trustworthy. The research builds on years of analysis by paleontologists and biologists who have studied dinosaur brain size and anatomy to make inferences about their behavior and lifestyle. Information on dinosaur brains comes from mineral infillings of the brain cavity, known as endocasts, as well as the shapes of the cavities themselves. The team found that the brain size of dinosaurs had been overestimated, especially that of the neuron count.The team’s study found that estimates of the number of neurons in the forebrain, which is linked to intelligence, can vary greatly. This suggests that relying on neuron count estimates alone is not a reliable way to gauge intelligence. To accurately understand the biology of extinct species, the researchers recommend looking at multiple sources of evidence such as skeletal anatomy, bone histology, the behavior of living relatives, and trace fossils. Hady from Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences emphasized the importance of considering various lines of evidence, from gross anatomy to fossil footprints, when determining the intelligence of dinosaurs and other extinct animals.
According to Dr Kai Caspar, it is not advisable to try and predict the intelligence of extinct species based solely on neuron counts reconstructed from endocasts.
Dr Ornella Bertrand from the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont added that neuron counts are not reliable indicators of cognitive performance and using them to predict the intelligence of long-extinct species can result in misleading interpretations.
Dr Darren Naish concluded that the possibility of T. rex being as intelligent as a baboon is both fascinating and terrifying, and has the potential to change our understanding of the past.
A study has demonstrated that all the available data contradicts this concept. The researchers described the dinosaurs as more akin to intelligent, enormous crocodiles, which is equally intriguing. The research was published in The Anatomical Record and can be found at http://dxThe article can be accessed at .doi.org/10.1002/ar.25459 and is available for reading and referencing.