They compared that model with the brains of chimps, a female Homo erectus, a contemporary woman, a pygmy and a European specimen of a person with a small-brain syndrome known as microcephaly.

Scientists say its brain shape is most closely associated with that of Homo erectus. However, it also reflects some features of modern humans, including:

A fissure near the back of the brain known as the lunate sulcus, similarly found in the modern human brain. "I almost fell over seeing this feature in something so small," Falk said.

A swollen temporal lobe, the mid-brain area between the ears where hearing, memory, image identification and emotions are processed.

A part of the frontal lobe near the eyes that is thought to be involved in planning and initiative-taking.

Such advanced brain features were especially surprising because the rest of the skeleton has more primitive traits like coarse teeth and an apelike pelvis similar to human ancestors that emerged in Africa some 4 million years ago.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 9:08 AM  |