Brain As you might imagine, larger animals have larger brains. However, this does not mean that animals with larger brains are smarter than animals with smaller brains. For example, a larger brain is necessary to control larger muscles in larger animals and a larger brain is necessary to process more sensory information from the skin in larger animals - this has nothing to do with intelligence. Possible human ancestor lived 3 million years ago.. Female, little under 4 feet, apelike head, protruding jaw, uneven teeth, Skull held brain roughly 1/3 the size of modern day humans 1/2 million years ago…Homo erectus (man, upright) brain size doubled that of Lucy’s. HomoSapien: Wise Human Our species began about 400,000 years ago. Two possible explanations for brain size change. Accidental changes in gentic instructions and natural selection which means that only those best fitted to their environments will survive. Braintastic!

Pseudoscience-based on false assumptions. Just as I Thought, low self esteem Why can’t my skull bumps be prettier? Phrenology Franz Gall-(1758-1828) Why so popular? Individual ability to change and develop Improved treatment of the disordered (organic) Encouraged people to think scientifically These bumps and indentations on the skull, according to Gall, reflect specific areas of the brain that determine a person's emotional and intellectual functions. Gall called the study of these cranial hills and valleys "cranioscopy." It is difficult to explain the early popularity of phrenology among scientists, since the empirical evidence for a direct relationship between the brain and character was scant. An unplanned experiment provided some solid evidence for such a relationship in 1848 when Phineas Gage's moral character changed dramatically after an explosion blew a tamping iron through his head Pseudoscience-based on false assumptions.

Neuron A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system Neurons perform three basic tasks Receive Carry Pass Receive information Carry the information Pass the information on to the next neuron

Parts of the Neuron

Parts of the Neuron - Dendrites Dendrite – The branching extensions of a neuron that receive information and conduct impulses toward the cell body

Parts of the Neuron - Soma Soma – The cell body of a neuron, which contains the nucleus and other parts that keep the cell healthy

Parts of the Neuron - Axon Axon – The extension of a neuron through which neural impulses are sent

Parts of the Neuron – Myelin Sheath

Parts of the Neuron - Terminals Axon terminals – The endpoint of a neuron where neurotransmitters are stored