--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A large brain-to-body size ratio is often…" description: "\"“A large brain-to-body size ratio is often considered a hallmark of intelligence, although it’s not the only factor. But it is something we humans cele..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/virginia-morell-41308_human-intelligence_a-large-brain-to-body-size-ratio-is-ofte_713793.jpg" --- # A large brain-to-body size ratio is often considered a… ![“A large brain-to-body size ratio is often considered a hallmark of intelligence, although it’s not the only factor. But it is something we humans celebrate in ourselves and regard as key to the flowering of human intelligence. So it’s easy to imagine scientists’ eyebrows arching in surprise when…” quote by Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/virginia-morell-41308_human-intelligence_a-large-brain-to-body-size-ratio-is-ofte_713793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/virginia-morell-41308_human-intelligence_a-large-brain-to-body-size-ratio-is-ofte_713793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/virginia-morell-41308_human-intelligence_a-large-brain-to-body-size-ratio-is-ofte_713793.jpg) > ““A large brain-to-body size ratio is often considered a hallmark of intelligence, although it’s not the only factor. But it is something we humans celebrate in ourselves and regard as key to the flowering of human intelligence. So it’s easy to imagine scientists’ eyebrows arching in surprise when dolphins—and not chimpanzees—were discovered in the 1950s and 1960s to have a brain nearly as large as our own on this scale.”” [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence is often linked to brain size, but other factors matter; surprising findings in dolphins challenge human‑centric views. **In simple terms:** Brain size isn’t the sole sign of intelligence. Key Takeaway Consider multiple traits when judging intelligence. Themes intelligence comparative biology human exceptionalism Mood curious thoughtful Type scientific informative When to use this quote - education - science communication - wildlife conservation - public policy Key Concepts neuroanatomy evolutionary psychology species comparison Questions to Reflect On - How do we define intelligence beyond anatomy? - What other traits indicate advanced cognition? A Different Perspective Brain size alone can mislead assessments of cognitive ability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brain Nearly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-nearly-5624862/) [Human intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-intelligence/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Large Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-brain-1373226/) ## Related quotes > [“Dolphins have one of the highest ratios of brain size to body mass in the animal kingdom. Measured in this way, a dolphin’s brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/dolphins-have-one-of-the-highest-ratios-of-brain-size-to-body-mass-in/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [A man with so large a brain must have something in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/a-man-with-so-large-a-brain-must-have-something-in-it/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Working out the social politics of who you can trust and why is, quite literally, what a very large part of our brain has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/working-out-the-social-politics-of-who-you-can-trust-and-why-is-quite/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [It is the large brain capacity which allows man to live as a human being, enjoy taxes, canned salmon, television, and the atomic bomb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinrich-ralph-von-koenigswald/it-is-the-large-brain-capacity-which-allows-man-to-live-as-a-human/) [Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinrich-ralph-von-koenigswald/) > [“It is a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a brain must have something in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-a-question-of-cubic-capacity-said-he-a-man-with-so-large-a/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Knowledge fills a large brain; it merely inflates a small one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/knowledge-fills-a-large-brain-it-merely-inflates-a-small-one/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Thou large-brain'd woman and large-hearted man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/thou-large-brain-d-woman-and-large-hearted-man/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [For those who would joyously march in rank and file, they have already earned my contempt, for they were given a large brain by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/for-those-who-would-joyously-march-in-rank-and-file-they-have-already/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“I’ve never had someone loom so large in my brain that the rest of the stuff gets crowded out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-buxbaum/i-ve-never-had-someone-loom-so-large-in-my-brain-that-the-rest-of-the/) [Julie Buxbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-buxbaum/) > [The very large brain that humans have, plus the things that go along with it - language, art, science - seemed to have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-very-large-brain-that-humans-have-plus-the-things-that-go-along/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [A large brain, like large government, may not be able to do simple things in a simple way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-hebb/a-large-brain-like-large-government-may-not-be-able-to-do-simple/) [Donald O. Hebb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-hebb/) > [If you look up 'Intelligence' in the new volumes of the Encyclopeadia Britannica, you'll find it classified under the following three heads: Intelligence, Human;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/if-you-look-up-intelligence-in-the-new-volumes-of-the-encyclopeadia/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The techniques of artificial intelligence are to the mind what bureaucracy is to human social interaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-winograd/the-techniques-of-artificial-intelligence-are-to-the-mind-what/) [Terry Winograd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-winograd/) > [“...genius, having the widest experience of the human intelligence, can best understand the ideas most directly in opposition to those which form the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/genius-having-the-widest-experience-of-the-human-intelligence-can/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [It is impossible to underrate human intelligence - beginning with one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-impossible-to-underrate-human-intelligence-beginning-with-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Virginia Morell > [“Fish are unable, of course, to speak for themselves about how we treat them. They have ways of communicating with each other and, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/fish-are-unable-of-course-to-speak-for-themselves-about-how-we-treat/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“When poachers target the matriarchs or older females—as they often do, because older elephants usually have larger tusks—they also destroy that lifetime of learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/when-poachers-target-the-matriarchs-or-older-females-as-they-often-do/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“Researches still don't have an explanation for the differnece between the sizes of dogs' and wolves' brains - or for why every species of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/researches-still-don-t-have-an-explanation-for-the-differnece-between/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“Often, when an elephant has just died, other elephants will back up to touch its carcass gently with their hind feet, then cover the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/often-when-an-elephant-has-just-died-other-elephants-will-back-up-to/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“Elephants also have the necessary neural anatomy for long-term memories—their brains have especially large and complex frontal lobes, which are important for storing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/elephants-also-have-the-necessary-neural-anatomy-for-long-term/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“Dolphins have one of the highest ratios of brain size to body mass in the animal kingdom. Measured in this way, a dolphin’s brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/dolphins-have-one-of-the-highest-ratios-of-brain-size-to-body-mass-in/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“In the very earliest times, when both people and animals lived on earth, a person could become an animal if he wanted to, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/in-the-very-earliest-times-when-both-people-and-animals-lived-on/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“The greatest threat to all wild animals is the loss of habitat—the destruction of the areas and resources they need to survive. Climate change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/the-greatest-threat-to-all-wild-animals-is-the-loss-of-habitat-the/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [“But for the moment, she said, her previous studies with trout suggest that fish in pain will not behave normally, that they will either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/but-for-the-moment-she-said-her-previous-studies-with-trout-suggest/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) [Explore all 10 Virginia Morell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A large brain-to-body size ratio is often considered a hallmark of intelligence, although it’s not the only factor. But it is something we humans celebrate in ourselves and regard as key to the flowering of human intelligence. 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