Northern Humans Had Bigger Brains, to Cope With the Low Light Levels

[Tank]

Northern Humans Had Bigger Brains, to Cope With the Low Light Levels, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Aug. 5, 2011) — The farther that human populations live from the equator, the bigger their brains, according to a new study by Oxford University. But it turns out that this is not because they are smarter, but because they need bigger vision areas in the brain to cope with the low light levels experienced at high latitudes.

Scientists have found that people living in countries with dull, grey, cloudy skies and long winters have evolved bigger eyes and brains so they can visually process what they see, reports the journal Biology Letters.

The researchers measured the eye socket and brain volumes of 55 skulls, dating from the 1800s, from museum collections. The skulls represented 12 different populations from across the globe. The volume of the eye sockets and brain cavities were then plotted against the latitude of the central point of each individual's country of origin. The researchers found that the size of both the brain and the eyes could be directly linked to the latitude of the country from which the individual came...

Interesting correlation between brian size and environment.

[OldGit]

A sample of 55 covering 12 populations, dating back only 200 years, seems a bit small.  One would like to know how large the effect is.

I would love to see a study on the brain sizes of supporters of certain soccer teams.

[Tank]

A sample of 55 covering 12 populations, dating back only 200 years, seems a bit small.  One would like to know how large the effect is.

I would love to see a study on the brain sizes of supporters of certain soccer teams.

They couldn't find their to the testing centre!

[xSilverPhinx]

Doesn't say whether it's from populations that migrated from those environments as children to another environment with more light...it would be interesting to see if that brain-size correlation is hereditary rather than due to brain plasticity. Though with the eyes...well.