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NeuroscienceWe May Owe Our Intelligence to Our Unique Neurons<br>Our cortical neurons may hold the key to our clever brains
JC
By Jake Currie
4:00 PM CDT on July 9, 2026<br>Share on Facebook<br>Share on X (formerly Twitter)<br>Share on Reddit<br>Share on Email<br>Share on Bluesky
The fact that you’re able to read this right now is a true marvel of evolution. And being able to translate abstract marks into cogent thoughts is just one of the magnificent functions our brains perform for us on a daily basis. But what exactly makes our brains so uniquely capable of these wonders?<br>Featured Video
Considering the spectrum of brain sizes the animal kingdom offers, ours aren’t especially large (although they’re big relative to our bodies). They do pack in a lot of neurons, but not orders of magnitude more than our distant great ape cousins. In fact, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we might owe our marvelous brains to the unique structure of our individual neurons.<br>Read more: “The Neuron’s Secret Partner”<br>In a kind of simulated John Henry-type experiment, neuroscientists from Hebrew University compared the computational power of an artificial neural network and a single brain cell using advanced computer models and artificial intelligence. Their results showed that even a single neuron from the human cortex was surprisingly powerful, capable of carrying out complex computations on its own.<br>Advertisement
The researchers say our neurons’ cognitive potency comes from its unique structure. Compared to those of other mammals, human neurons have a higher number of branches, splitting off into more sophisticated patterns, which gives the cells a much greater surface area. Taken together, these features allow our brain cells to compartmentalize processing, essentially making them capable little computers all on their own. “People often think of a neuron as a simple switch that either turns on or off,” study author Idan Segev explained in a statement. “What we show is that a single human neuron is itself an extraordinarily sophisticated computing device.”<br>Multiply that by 86 billion, and you’ve got the kind of biological computer that can solve the Wordle in three guesses.<br>Enjoying Nautilus? Subscribe to our free newsletter.<br>Lead image: onimate / Adobe Stock<br>Advertisement
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Jake Currie<br>Jake Currie is a writer based in Brooklyn, NY.
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