Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence“A history of the human brain from the big bang, fifteen billion years ago, to the day before yesterday . . . It's a delight.”—The New York Times Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends—and their amazing links to recent discoveries. “How can I persuade every intelligent person to read this important and elegant book? . . . He talks about all kinds of things: the why of the pain of human childbirth . . . the reason for sleeping and dreaming . . . chimpanzees taught to communicate in deaf and dumb language . . . the definition of death . . . cloning . . . computers . . . intelligent life on other planets. . . . Fascinating . . . delightful.”—The Boston Globe “In some lost Eden where dragons ruled, the foundations of our intelligence were laid. . . . Carl Sagan takes us on a guided tour of that lost land. . . . Fascinating . . . entertaining . . . masterful.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
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ability able activity analytical ancestors animals Ann Druyan apes behavior bits body mass brain function brain mass brain to body brain volume called Carl Sagan cells cerebral cortex cerebral hemispheres chimpanzees cognitive complex components connection corpus callosum cosmic cubic centimeters cultural described dinosaurs dragons dream Earth electrical emotional evidence evolution evolutionary evolved example experiments forebrain fossil frontal lobes genetic gestural language gracile Australopithecines hand hindbrain Homo erectus Homo habilis human brain impairment intelligence intuitive invention learning least left hemisphere lesions limbic system mammalian mammals memory ment midbrain million years ago molecules monkeys mutation natural selection neocortex neocortical neural neurons olfactory organisms parietal lobe patient perhaps predators primates programs proteins R-complex ratio of brain recent remarkable reptiles reptilian right hemisphere ritual seems sense sexual significant sleep smell species survival synapses temporal lobe tion triune brain verbal visual Washoe word