I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws for artificial neural nets (Baidu in 2017). Human intelligence is likely a scale thing, not an algorithmic thing https://t.co/TDvXtoPM0N
The remarkable, yet not extraordinary, human brain as a scaled-up primate brain and its associated cost.
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Aug 2018 – Sep 2025Where it's discussed
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What people are saying
The discussions include references to specific studies, such as comments on neuron counts and cognitive implications, with many users drawing connections to artificial intelligence or the evolution of mammalian brains. Phrases like 'not extraordinary' and 'strongly related' indicate a thoughtful, yet critical examination of the publication's insights, emphasizing the significance of the research within broader scientific debates.
Most discussions show a moderate level of agreement with the article's conclusions, acknowledging the human brain's characteristics without labeling it extraordinary.
The topic has generated strong curiosity, as evidenced by multiple users referencing related studies and engaging with scientific concepts.
While discussions range from casual to critical, there is evidence of detailed engagement with related literature, reflecting a varied depth of analysis.
There is a consensus among participants that the findings of the article possess significant implications for our understanding of cognitive evolution.
Abstract in brief
- The human brain has 100 billion neurons and a high number of glial cells, making it larger than expected for its body size among primates, which contributes to its advanced cognitive abilities.
- Despite its impressive characteristics, such as consuming 20% of the body's energy, the notion of it being extraordinary is challenged by recent evidence.
- New methods reveal that the human brain functions as a scaled-up version of a primate brain, sharing similar cellular composition and metabolic costs, highlighting its remarkable cognitive abilities without having an unusually high number of neurons.
Top posts
Most liked on X and Blueskyhttps://t.co/8cxa03gTlP
Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain remarkably similar scaling laws. We use the same cells in the same proportions, but dedicate an enormous energy cost to just running more of them. https://t.co/VoKeAySGJe
Coincidence that the human brain has 86B neurons and a 'capable of decently impressive reasoning' LLM has 50B-150B weights? I'm pretty long on semicon since apparently scale is what it takes to create artificial intelligence. Source: https://t.co/8KsO1DR4tX https://t.co/BQgPxV7Cy2
หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล" กูเกิ้ล2วินาทีก็รู้แล้วไม่ต้องใช้เวลาหาข้อมูลเป็นปีๆ แก้มือยังไงให้ดูแย่กว่าเดิม #อภิปรายไม่ไว้วางใจ #อภิปรายไม่ไว้วางใจ65
@cxldworld @robertwiblin That's why the post has so many links. https://t.co/QKXJT01yKo
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@Tastypawszoo @yosh1miru @Narugit https://t.co/55y2yMJaLS https://t.co/5HZk24Jt19 https://t.co/zgoPzPXamq https://t.co/GKOOzqDX4m
@dwarkesh_sp Also note that https://t.co/eZhzgAEEmu estimates Homo erectus had about 62 billion neurons, discussion under table 2 in the "scaled-up primate brain paper" suggests human figure of 19% of neurons in cortex not unusual, would give estimate of 11.8 billion for H erectus...closer to
RT @architectonyx: @lu_sichu @indiraschka @sudoredj idk what intelligence means here are several papers on topics that might relate to wha…
@lu_sichu @indiraschka @sudoredj idk what intelligence means here are several papers on topics that might relate to what you mean (idk good books tbh, tho Principles of Neural Design is good) https://t.co/QeBLQuoH3g https://t.co/FLt1mfIByB https://t.co/8zpv4OzIhK https://t.co/VIThNRS0Oa
In terms of actually reading papers, I found this review article from 2012 a good read: https://t.co/YQcprvc1EK
From https://t.co/quFp0ricSD
@emollick https://t.co/lBxZWIoVxu
RT @RickLamers: Coincidence that the human brain has 86B neurons and a 'capable of decently impressive reasoning' LLM has 50B-150B weights?…
Coincidence that the human brain has 86B neurons and a 'capable of decently impressive reasoning' LLM has 50B-150B weights? I'm pretty long on semicon since apparently scale is what it takes to create artificial intelligence. Source: https://t.co/8KsO1DR4tX https://t.co/BQgPxV7Cy2
@DavidPinsof @robertwiblin What do you mean "no citation"? There are dozens of citations including this one. https://t.co/QKXJT01yKo
@cxldworld @robertwiblin That's why the post has so many links. https://t.co/QKXJT01yKo
https://t.co/aUdBuAOPsW
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
RT @norabelrose: I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws…
I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws for artificial neural nets (Baidu in 2017). Human intelligence is likely a scale thing, not an algorithmic thing https://t.co/TDvXtoPM0N
I had heard of this paper but I didn't realize until now that it came out in 2012, way before anyone proposed scaling laws for artificial neural nets (Baidu in 2017) https://t.co/TDvXtoPM0N
@yacineMTB Unironically https://t.co/UEBImB7pwx
RT @NPCollapse: https://t.co/8cxa03gTlP
https://t.co/8cxa03gTlP
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
RT @ToughSf: Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain re…
Is the human brain special? No: https://t.co/YsDoMds9p3 Mammalian brains have evolved to 10^5 size differences but maintain remarkably similar scaling laws. We use the same cells in the same proportions, but dedicate an enormous energy cost to just running more of them. https://t.co/VoKeAySGJe
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
RT @fluffynongten: FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m
FYI : the human brain have 86 billion neurons https://t.co/UcJfmrwn8m https://t.co/Flsq8uMV03
@raphaelmilliere @sleepinyourhat @rgblong Yes, the argument goes through if one makes enough restrictions on what counts as inspiration and what count as LLM work, etc., but then it's not a good accounting of these ideas. As for scaling, we could have looked to neuroscience for insights: https://t.co/k3w3yPq2Vb
@SilverVVulpes this study is older, but is in the same vein: https://t.co/QeBLQuoH3g it was quite important when it came out (also was notable for refining the old estimate of 100 billion neurons in the human brain to 86 billion)
Este nuevo paper aporta evidencia de que el cerebro humano no tiene nada de especial en comparación con los de otros mamíferos y que sus sorprendentes habilidades cognitivas serían las esperadas dado su tamaño en relación el cuerpo y su consumo energético https://t.co/CSWY8y7Iu5
Brain Fact! Did you know the brain was originally thought to have 100 billion neurons? This number has been narrowed down to eighty six billion neurons! Check out this article for more information: https://t.co/MUHzV0h9Jf https://t.co/pbTzAkioWI
The remarkable, yet not extraordinary, human brain as a scaled-up primate brain and its associated cost | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences https://t.co/xAfCNR8dMN
@falsalem76 A related review article that lays out the current debates and questions regarding the number of neurons and cognitive abilities (slightly different from intelligence but nvm) https://t.co/9OIq8Mf06w
Curious about how we got this statement?
RT @chicao_lobo: Large brains evolved many times in mammalians, including in our lineage From: https://t.co/dkPXsmIP9B #brain #Mammalia…
RT @chicao_lobo: Large brains evolved many times in mammalians, including in our lineage From: https://t.co/dkPXsmIP9B #brain #Mammalia…
RT @chicao_lobo: Large brains evolved many times in mammalians, including in our lineage From: https://t.co/dkPXsmIP9B #brain #Mammalia…
RT @chicao_lobo: Large brains evolved many times in mammalians, including in our lineage From: https://t.co/dkPXsmIP9B #brain #Mammalia…
Large brains evolved many times in mammalians, including in our lineage From: https://t.co/dkPXsmIP9B #brain #Mammalia #Biology #evolution https://t.co/JBcn0EvUc0
@chrost_hugo Yes, 86 billion. And a similar number of glial cells (not 10x as many, as traditionally taught) https://t.co/1hhOOEH86N
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
RT @DrBorisutH: หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล"…
หายไปเป็นปี เพื่อจะกลับมาแก้ตัวว่า มี840,000เซล มนุษย์มีเซลสมอง"เซลประสาท86พันล้านเซล+เซลsupport 85พันล้านเซล" กูเกิ้ล2วินาทีก็รู้แล้วไม่ต้องใช้เวลาหาข้อมูลเป็นปีๆ แก้มือยังไงให้ดูแย่กว่าเดิม #อภิปรายไม่ไว้วางใจ #อภิปรายไม่ไว้วางใจ65
@EvaSmartAI 86 billion on average* https://t.co/Fhf63iMsMW
mOaR lAyErz is the same fundamental as what Richard Granger and others have been saying for primate evolution: https://t.co/IanT0jXMoj https://t.co/wHXy7rHLow
@AlaskarAbdullh عدد الخلايا العصبية في الدماغ ٨٦ مليار خلية وليس كما قال https://t.co/05g8WA8UfB
@TLOU_FanBoy @Aella_Girl https://t.co/8epxg4I2e2 https://t.co/9y0aGD4ms5
PNAS June 26, 2012 109 (Supplement 1) 10661-10668; first published June 20, 2012; https://t.co/FnYTYOH7a0 Edited by Francisco J. Ayala, University of California, Irvine, CA, and approved April 12, 2012 (received for review February 29, 2012)
#Neuroscience, by Hopcroft & Ullman: The number of brain cells or /neurons/ is limited, probably 2^35 at most. (uncited) Me: Seems unlikely this was known in 1979. Neuroscientists, 2012: It has 100 billion neurons and 10- to 50-fold more glial cells. https://t.co/bHpMjZdWvX
#Neuroscience, by Hopcroft & Ullman: The number of brain cells or /neurons/ is limited, probably 2^35 at most. (uncited) Me: Seems unlikely this was known in 1979. Neuroscientists, 2012: It has 100 billion neurons and 10- to 50-fold more glial cells. (https://t.co/bHpMjZdWvX)