Curious Kids: why didn't other creatures evolve the intelligence humans have?

By Barry Bogin, Professor of Biological Anthropology (Emeritus), Loughborough University

If humans and other animals were living in the same environment, why didn’t other animals evolve like us? – Sami, aged 13, London, UK

This is a brilliant question. Humans have evolved differently to other animals. We have much bigger brains relative to body size and in absolute size than other mammals, and have a level of intelligence that other animals don’t.

There are many advantages to intelligence, such as the ability to plan and cooperate, innovate new techniques and share information about what works.

The reason that living things evolve…

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