Journey into the most complex structure in the known universe—the human brain—as we explore Chapter Two of "A Most Interesting Problem" with renowned neuroscientist Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel.

Darwin believed our mental powers evolved gradually from those of other animals, but he could never have imagined the quantitative revolution that would prove him right.

Discover why counting neurons matters more than brain size, how cooking may have fuelled our cognitive evolution, and why elephant brains with 257 billion neurons don't make elephants smarter than humans.

Through groundbreaking research that literally dissolves brains into "neuron soup," we'll uncover what makes human cognition special—and surprisingly ordinary. From the metabolic costs of thinking to the evolutionary trade-offs that shaped our minds, this episode reveals how Darwin's 150-year-old insights about mental continuity between humans and animals have been spectacularly confirmed by modern neuroscience. Perfect for anyone curious about consciousness, intelligence, and what it truly means to think.

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