Scientists Reconstruct a Dinosaur’s Pea-Sized Brain

A boy looks on at the skull of a dinosaur fossil in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying / AP
A boy looks on at the skull of a dinosaur fossil in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying / AP
TT
20

Scientists Reconstruct a Dinosaur’s Pea-Sized Brain

A boy looks on at the skull of a dinosaur fossil in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying / AP
A boy looks on at the skull of a dinosaur fossil in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying / AP

The study of the brain of extinct organisms and speies sheds light on their behaviors. However, soft tissues, like the brain, are not usually preserved for long periods. Hence, researchers reconstruct the brains of dinosaurs by analyzing the cranial cavities under computed tomography. It demands well-preserved braincases (the upper back part of the skull), only discovered in 2015. In that year, a Brazilian paleontologist from the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Dr. Rodrigo Temp Müller unearthed an exceptionally well-preserved skeleton from a fossiliferous locality in southern Brazil.

The skeleton, approximately 233 million years old (Triassic period), belongs to a small carnivorous dinosaur named Buriolestes schultzi. Its well preserved entire braincase helped researchers reconstruct the first complete brain of one of the oldest dinosaurs worldwide- whose size was similar to a hunting dog. The study was published in in the latest issue of the Journal Nature of Anatomy.

According to a report published on the university's website, the brain of Buriolestes schultzi is relatively small and weighs approximately 1.5 grams, which is slightly lighter than a pea. The shape resembles the general morphology of a crocodile brain. In addition, the researchers found well-developed structures in the cerebellum that indicate the capability to track moving prey. Conversely, the olfactory sense was not high; therefore, it is more likely that dinosaur hunted and tracked prey based on optical capability rather than its olfactory sense.

Despite the carnivorous feeding behavior of this dinosaur, it belongs to the lineage of giant, long-necked, herbivorous sauropods, the largest land animals that ever lived. However, Buriolestes schultzi is considered the earliest member of this lineage. So, the new brain reconstruction allows researchers to analyze the brain evolution of this impressive lineage.



Elizabeth Strout, Miranda July are Among Finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
TT
20

Elizabeth Strout, Miranda July are Among Finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)

American authors Elizabeth Strout and Miranda July are among finalists announced Wednesday for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, alongside four debut novelists exploring the search for freedom in different countries and cultures.

Pulitzer Prize winner Strout’s Maine-set mystery novel “Tell Me Everything” and writer'-filmmaker July’s “All Fours,” in which a “semi-famous artist” seeks a new life, are shortlisted for the 30,000 pound ($39,000) prize. It's open to female English-language writers from any country.

The contenders also include Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden’s postwar story “The Safekeep” and German-born poet Aria Aber’s novel “Good Girl,” about a teenager exploring her dual German-Afghan heritage.

Also on the list are Iran-born writer Sanam Mahloudji’s intergenerational family saga “The Persians,” and “Fundamentally” by Britain's Nussaibah Younis, about an academic trying to rehabilitate women caught up with ISIS, The AP news reported.

Author Kit de Waal, who is chairing the panel of judges, said that the six books were “classics of the future” that explored “the importance of human connection.”

“What is surprising and refreshing is to see so much humor, nuance and lightness employed by these novelists to shed light on challenging concepts,” she said.

Previous winners of the fiction prize, founded in 1996, include Zadie Smith, Tayari Jones and Barbara Kingsolver.

Last year, award organizers launched a companion Women’s Prize for Nonfiction to help rectify an imbalance in publishing. In 2022, only 26.5% of nonfiction books reviewed in Britain’s newspapers were by women, and male writers dominated established nonfiction writing prizes.

Winners of both nonfiction and fiction prizes will be announced on June 12 at a ceremony in London.