What can vi learn from sponges or other primitive animals who have no brain. at all? What are the advantage of spending a lot of energy on maintaining a brain and what can the study of animals with none or very primitive brains teach us about evolution of complex animals with large brains.

Professor Dr. Detlev Arendt is explaining to science journalist Jens Degett the advantage of having a small brain for some animals, and circadian rhythms studied in a small worm has evolved into a very special circadian control mechanism found in advanced animals.

This podcast is supported by a Maria Leptin / EMBO Science Journalism Fellowship.

Photo credit: Jens Degett, © Science Stories ApS.