Ecologists and evolutionary biologists are well aware that natural and sexual selection do
not operate on traits in isolation, but instead act on combinations of traits. This long …

The dramatic evolutionary expansion of the neocortex, together with a proliferation of
specialized cortical areas, is believed to underlie the emergence of human cognitive …

Relative brain size has long been considered a reflection of cognitive capacities and has
played a fundamental role in develo** core theories in the life sciences. Yet, the notion …

Reconstructing the evolution of brain information-processing capacity is paramount for
understanding the rise of complex cognition. Comparative studies of brain evolution typically …

Mammals are the most encephalized vertebrates, with the largest brains relative to body
size. Placental mammals have particularly enlarged brains, with expanded neocortices for …

Increasing body and brain size constitutes a key macro-evolutionary pattern in the hominin
lineage, yet the mechanisms behind these changes remain debated. Hypothesized drivers …

Relative brain sizes in birds can rival those of primates, but large-scale patterns and drivers
of avian brain evolution remain elusive. Here, we explore the evolution of the fundamental …

Parrots are the most traded birds internationally, mainly to be used as companion pets,
which threatens the global biodiversity. Using the large dataset derived from the Convention …

Cranial endocasts, or the internal molds of the braincase, are a crucial correlate for
investigating the neuroanatomy of extinct vertebrates and tracking brain evolution through …

Despite decades of comparative studies, puzzling aspects of the relationship between
mammalian brain and body mass continue to defy satisfactory explanation. Here we show …