Scientists have long debated the relationship between brain size and body mass.

Larger brains relative to body size are linked to intelligence, social behavior, and complex actions.

For centuries, scientists believed brain size increased proportionally with body size.

New research reveals a surprising twist: the relationship is actually a curve.

A collage of images featuring humans and other rule-breaking mammals (e.g., bat, dolphin)

Humans, with our exceptionally large brains, are the most prominent rule breakers.

Illustration showcasing diverse mammals with varying brain sizes

The study reveals a limit on brain size in larger animals, possibly due to energy constraints.

Three mammal groups (primates, rodents, carnivores) show a trend of increasing relative brain size over time.

A comparison between a bird brain and a mammal brain