Comments on: Head of the Class http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/ A collection of Damn Interesting things Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:45:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: teatime musings http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-26529 teatime musings Wed, 25 May 2011 06:07:28 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-26529 Interesting article. Does that mean the swelled head of my colleague is indicative of a larger brain ? Interesting article.
Does that mean the swelled head of my colleague is indicative of a larger brain ?

]]> By: Scharneeigh http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-9565 Scharneeigh Thu, 26 Oct 2006 03:51:52 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-9565 <p>Giving hope to large-headed individuals everywhere!</p> Giving hope to large-headed individuals everywhere!

]]> By: Hayley http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-5593 Hayley Thu, 25 May 2006 02:47:32 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-5593 <p><span class='quote'>needles said: " those who survived to reproduce passed on desirable genes, maybe at a certain point mankind will de-evolve. Because life gets so easy that anyone can survive, even those with weak and undesirable traits. Thoughts?"</span></p><p> Seems reasonable enough. I don't know if we'll exactly de-evolve, but maybe remain stagnant, or get slightly less advantaged (I mean in general, not over other animals). I wonder if they have measured precent increase of cranial size in proportion to body size. Also, have they checked if the plague affects brain size in any way, maybe swelling or shrinking a skull slightly? Doesn't seem incredibly plausible, but if half the data is from skulls that may possibly have been morphed by disease, it could seriously flaw the data.</p> needles said: ” those who survived to reproduce passed on desirable genes, maybe at a certain point mankind will de-evolve. Because life gets so easy that anyone can survive, even those with weak and undesirable traits. Thoughts?”

Seems reasonable enough. I don’t know if we’ll exactly de-evolve, but maybe remain stagnant, or get slightly less advantaged (I mean in general, not over other animals).

I wonder if they have measured precent increase of cranial size in proportion to body size.

Also, have they checked if the plague affects brain size in any way, maybe swelling or shrinking a skull slightly? Doesn’t seem incredibly plausible, but if half the data is from skulls that may possibly have been morphed by disease, it could seriously flaw the data.

]]> By: needles http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-5586 needles Thu, 25 May 2006 00:49:06 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-5586 <p>It's like those aliens you see in old science-fiction movies, with the huge heads and tiny bodies. Also, if they say evolution (and I don't want to start a fight about evolution) happened because of natural selection, i.e. those who survived to reproduce passed on desirable genes, maybe at a certain point mankind will de-evolve. Because life gets so easy that anyone can survive, even those with weak and undesirable traits. Thoughts?</p> It’s like those aliens you see in old science-fiction movies, with the huge heads and tiny bodies. Also, if they say evolution (and I don’t want to start a fight about evolution) happened because of natural selection, i.e. those who survived to reproduce passed on desirable genes, maybe at a certain point mankind will de-evolve. Because life gets so easy that anyone can survive, even those with weak and undesirable traits. Thoughts?

]]> By: Vriesea http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-4279 Vriesea Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:37:54 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-4279 <p>Well, it has never been easy to give birth to big headed babies... even a C-section isn't much fun... but yes, maybe more big headed babies survive!</p> Well, it has never been easy to give birth to big headed babies… even a C-section isn’t much fun… but yes, maybe more big headed babies survive!

]]> By: dewdrop http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-3360 dewdrop Thu, 06 Apr 2006 21:17:24 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-3360 <p>One angle to look at... With the advent of cesarian sections and painkillers, maybe its just easier to give birth to big-headed babies. So more of those survive, and their mothers survive to pop out more of them. </p><p>Something to consider at least.</p> One angle to look at… With the advent of cesarian sections and painkillers, maybe its just easier to give birth to big-headed babies. So more of those survive, and their mothers survive to pop out more of them.

Something to consider at least.

]]> By: The_Smurf_Strangler http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-3269 The_Smurf_Strangler Mon, 03 Apr 2006 19:31:00 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-3269 <p>Did they do this in porportion to body size. People used to be alot smaller even as recently as 80ish years ago because of crappy nutrition and childhood diseases. ...im sorry i can't spell diseases.</p> Did they do this in porportion to body size. People used to be alot smaller even as recently as 80ish years ago because of crappy nutrition and childhood diseases. …im sorry i can’t spell diseases.

]]> By: gamesecretary.com http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-2932 gamesecretary.com Sat, 25 Mar 2006 08:50:22 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-2932 <p>Interesting article. I remember reading once about an individual with an abnormally large skull. They eventually discovered that while this individual demonstrated excellent intelligence there was only a very small brain, the rest of his skull being filled with fluid. Are you familiar with this case?</p> Interesting article. I remember reading once about an individual with an abnormally large skull. They eventually discovered that while this individual demonstrated excellent intelligence there was only a very small brain, the rest of his skull being filled with fluid. Are you familiar with this case?

]]> By: indra c http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-2001 indra c Wed, 15 Feb 2006 10:22:24 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-2001 <p>love and hate, freedom and slavery, where's the difference these days anyways ?</p> love and hate, freedom and slavery, where’s the difference these days anyways ?

]]> By: htid http://www.damninteresting.com/head-of-the-class/#comment-1730 htid Mon, 06 Feb 2006 01:16:21 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=388#comment-1730 <p>Geourge... never ceases to amaze me. I love that guy, or is that hate ? </p> Geourge… never ceases to amaze me. I love that guy, or is that hate ?

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