Cetacean intelligence - Wikipedia
They are considered one of the most intelligent cetaceans. Cetacean intelligence is the overall intelligence and derived cognitive ability of aquatic mammals belonging in the infraorder Cetacea (cetaceans), including baleen whales, porpoises, and dolphins.
How intelligent are whales and dolphins?
Whale and dolphin brains contain specialized brain cells called spindle neurons. These are associated with advanced abilities such as recognising, remembering, reasoning, communicating, perceiving, adapting to change, problem-solving and understanding.
How Big is a Blue Whale’s Brain? - American Oceans
Researchers have found that blue whales have a highly developed cerebral cortex, which is responsible for complex thought processes and decision-making. Blue whales have the largest brains of any animal, weighing in at around 15 pounds.
Sperm Whales Have the Biggest Brains, but How Smart Are They?
Nov 19, 2022 · Perhaps most fantastically, the sperm whale’s brain weighs in at a whopping 20 pounds — the biggest of any species on Earth. To put it in perspective, that’s about five times the size of a human brain. But when it comes to brains, is size all that matters?
The Blue Whale Brain – Size and Cognitive Functions
Spindle neurons in the brains of blue whales are indicative of advanced cognitive functions such as emotion processing and social interaction, underscoring a sophisticated intelligence within these giants. The wisdom of the oceans is embodied in blue whales.
Cetaceans Have Complex Brains for Complex Cognition - PMC
They examine behavioural, anatomical and evolutionary data to conclude that the large brain of cetaceans evolved to support complex cognitive abilities. The brain of a sperm whale is about 60% larger in absolute mass than that of an elephant.
Cetaceans Have Complex Brains for Complex Cognition
May 15, 2007 · The brain of a sperm whale is about 60% larger in absolute mass than that of an elephant. Furthermore, the brains of toothed whales and dolphins are significantly larger than those of any nonhuman primates and are second only to human brains when measured with respect to body size . How and why did such large brains evolve in these modern ...
Whale Brains Provide Clues to Cognition - BrainFacts
Mar 17, 2015 · Whale brains provide interesting insight into the possible functions of the cerebellum beyond its important role in regulating movement. A comparison of cetacean brains supports the growing body of research indicating that the cerebellum contributes to higher level cognitive function.
How smart are killer whales? Orcas have 2nd-biggest brains of all ...
Mar 8, 2010 · Neuroscientist Lori Marino and a team of researchers explored the brain of a dead killer whale with an MRI and found an astounding potential for intelligence. Killer whales, or orcas, have...
The social and cultural roots of whale and dolphin brains
Oct 16, 2017 · We show that cetacean encephalization is predicted by both social structure and by a quadratic relationship with group size. Moreover, brain size predicts the breadth of social and cultural...