How does the dolphin brain

• How does the dolphin brain is

For decades, scientists are trying to figure out exactly how the brain of a dolphin is arranged. Ability to learn, have their own social skills and a clear understanding human behavior, these mammals if came from another planet - they are so different from all other representatives of the animal world.

Over the last fifty million years dolphin brain has evolved to unprecedented dimensions. One of the latest published research, sponsored by marine biologist Lori Marino, claims that dolphins and whales are gone backward evolution, returning from the land into the ocean depths. Here are a few facts that fully confirm these bold conclusions.

Sleep

sleep deprivation kills any living creature - just as surely as a bullet wound. Just twelve days without rest enough highly organized brain to turn off the main functions. But dolphins have learned to cheat the system: these amazing mammals are able to be turned off at will, half of the brain, so that she could rest.

Language

Dolphins are the only creatures in the world (except for the people, of course), having its own language. They communicate using a complex combination of sounds and clicks. Moreover, the dolphin language is quite complicated to accurately coordinate the behavior of the entire pack. Researchers estimate lingvozapas usual Dolphin 8000 "words" - the average person it is only 14,000, despite the fact that in real life uses only about 1-2 thousand words.

Logical thinking

Scientists have found that dolphins possess the rudiments of logical thinking. This is the highest form of development of the mind, which no one expected to find in a mammal. Dolphins were able to solve different complex puzzles, find answers to complex questions, and even to adjust their behavior according to the new circumstances, given man.

The

The brain of the adult dolphin weighs more than the human brain - 1700 grams and 1400 respectively. In addition, the dolphins in the cerebral cortex is twice more convolutions than us.

Self-consciousness

Recent data obtained by scientists and in fact may indicate the presence of dolphins serious social structure. They have not only self-aware (that can boast of some other animals), but also the social consciousness, practiced in conjunction with emotional empathy.

Echolocation

The total number of nerve cells in the dolphin is higher than in man. This is partly explained by the ability of mammals to echolocation: they literally see the ears. the acoustic lens is located on the head focuses the ultrasound, which a dolphin "feels" underwater objects, defining their shape.

The magnetic sense of

Another surprising feature of the dolphin brain was the ability to sense the magnetic poles. Dolphins and whales showed special magnetic crystals in the brain that help these mammals rely on open spaces of the world's oceans. This same feature can be explained and the reasons why whales are beaching themselves: they simply do not notice the guided readings of his "GPS".