Most people are noticing the larger size and increased surface area; the explanation for why the average intelligence of dolphins is lower than the average human intelligence is also interesting as fuck.
If dolphins become unconscious, they suffocate. Unlike land based mammals, they don't have a breathing reflex. You'll notice the lack of connecting tissue between the two hemispheres; that's because they operate functionally independent of each other.
A dolphin keeps it's brain healthy by alternating which hemisphere it is using while the other half goes to "sleep" or at least does all the rejuvenating processes that mammals usually do while they sleep. They need twice as much cerebrum for the same level of intelligence because they are conscious all 24 hours of every day of their life. A dolphin always has at least one eye open, corresponding to which side of the cerebrum is currently in use.
ArboroUrsus on January 1st, 2021 at 11:10 UTC »
If dolphins are supposed to be so smart why aren't they destroying our habitat?
Take that, science!
trevb75 on January 1st, 2021 at 11:19 UTC »
All that extra brain power and no opposable thumbs to do jack shit with it
ty5on on January 1st, 2021 at 14:30 UTC »
Most people are noticing the larger size and increased surface area; the explanation for why the average intelligence of dolphins is lower than the average human intelligence is also interesting as fuck.
If dolphins become unconscious, they suffocate. Unlike land based mammals, they don't have a breathing reflex. You'll notice the lack of connecting tissue between the two hemispheres; that's because they operate functionally independent of each other.
A dolphin keeps it's brain healthy by alternating which hemisphere it is using while the other half goes to "sleep" or at least does all the rejuvenating processes that mammals usually do while they sleep. They need twice as much cerebrum for the same level of intelligence because they are conscious all 24 hours of every day of their life. A dolphin always has at least one eye open, corresponding to which side of the cerebrum is currently in use.