The idea that the larger the brain, the higher the intelligence is an old one, but it's pretty much utterly false. Modern investigation into how the brain works suggests there's a lot more to take into account when comparing brain biology to intellect.
AI Summary
# Stuff You Should Know Episode Summary
Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating and surprisingly complicated question of whether brain size actually determines intelligence. They explore the genetics behind brain growth, examine conflicting research about brain size and smarts, and discover that the answer is way more nuanced than you might think—touching on everything from sperm whale brains to the untethered neuron hypothesis to some pretty questionable studies that make headlines for all the wrong reasons. It's a brain-bending journey through what we know, don't know, and probably got wrong about how our skulls' supercomputers actually work.
Beetlejuice
1988
1h 32m
★ 7.4
"You don't look like the African safari guy from Beetlejuice. No. He's not proportionately strong. — Chuck references a character from Beetlejuice when describing how someone with microcephaly wouldn't look, contrasting it with the proportions in the film."
— Chuck
"We're huge nerds and Dr. Who fans. So that was lost on me. Some Dr. Who reference, I guess. — The listener mention being fans of Doctor Who, which Josh acknowledges but says he doesn't understand the reference."
"I think that's the deal. I think you have like normal size, nose and ears and eyes, but your actual head and skull and brain are smaller. — Josh references the 1932 film 'Freaks' when discussing microcephaly and how the condition appears in people, comparing it to the film's depiction."
— Josh
Idiocracy
2006
1h 24m
★ 6.4
"Like in Idiocracy. Again. That movie. There's probably been no other movie that's made more of a legitimate appearance in our episodes than that movie. — Chuck references the Mike Judge film 'Idiocracy' when discussing pornography and brain size reduction, noting it's a frequently cited film in their episodes."
— Chuck
Silicon Valley
2014
★ 8.1
"Do you watch Silicon Valley? I haven't. It's good. I know Kamal Nanjiani's in it though. — Josh and Chuck discuss the HBO series 'Silicon Valley' as an example of satirical comedy about the tech industry by Mike Judge."
The Natural
1984
2h 17m
★ 6.9
"Like Robert Redford. Exactly. Yeah. Man, he really gave those lights a wallop. Yeah. He's the natural. — Josh references Robert Redford in 'The Natural' as an example of someone with natural baseball talent determined by genetics."
— Josh
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