Gresham College Lectures

Does having a big brain make your smarter? - Alain Goriely


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Watch the Q&A session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFCDvsq6N5g

For centuries scientists have tried to identify what is special about the human brain. How do we approach this problem from a mathematical standpoint? The first hypothesis is that bigger is better, in some sense. 

In this introductory lecture, scaling laws and simple ideas from statistics will be used to study this problem, both in humans and animals, as well as uncover some basic principles that govern brain size and test hypotheses connecting intelligence to size in humans and animals..

This lecture was recorded by Alain Goriely on 17th September 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London

Alain is Gresham Professor of Geometry.

He is currently the Director of the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2022.

The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/big-brain

Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/

Website:  https://gresham.ac.uk
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