| If you were to step out into the street and ask the first | | | | three. The fourth lobe in the dolphin's brain actually |
| ten people you see whether or not they believed | | | | hosts all of the senses, whereas in a human, the |
| dolphins were creatures of intelligence, 8 of 10 would | | | | senses are split. Some believe that having all of the |
| probably say yes. If you ask two scientists the exact | | | | senses in one lobe allow the dolphin to make |
| same question, you just may be opening up a debate | | | | immediate and often complicated judgments that are |
| that could last for hours. | | | | well beyond the scope of a human ability. |
| Most scientists to-date have refused to take a firm | | | | When studying the neo-cortex, which is the outside |
| stand on the intelligence level of the dolphin, and | | | | surface of the brain that is responsible for forming |
| although many will admit that dolphins seem to be | | | | perceptions, memories and thoughts, dolphins have |
| intelligent creatures, it is not a proven fact. The biggest | | | | more convolution than the most intelligent humans. It is |
| problem researchers are running into seems to be the | | | | thought that dolphins may also be able to use the |
| actual definition of intelligence. | | | | hemispheres of their brain separately as they have |
| Darwin's theory bases intelligence on the ability of a | | | | separate blood supplies which is something that is |
| species to recognize what it needs to survive, while | | | | exclusive only to the dolphin. To add more weight to |
| other schools of thought believe the the size and | | | | this supposition, dolphins are also able to move their |
| architecture of the brain, the ability to communicate, or | | | | eyes independently which has lead some researchers |
| the ability to exhibit playfulness are the indicators. | | | | to suggest that the dolphin may actually be able to |
| Another reason that the research on dolphin | | | | sleep with one side of it's brain at a time. |
| intelligence is limited is because it's difficult and | | | | Some researchers have suggested that the size and |
| expensive to do in the wild. Dolphins in captivity, may | | | | complexity of the brain at birth is a better measure of |
| respond differently based on their surroundings and | | | | intelligence. If that research holds up, however, once |
| are therefore may not be representative of the wild | | | | more the dolphin comes out on top. The bottle-nose |
| dolphin. While the U.S. Navy has carried out extensive | | | | dolphin has a brain mass at birth that is 42.5% of that |
| research on the dolphin and have even trained them to | | | | of an adult humans brain mass. Humans at birth have |
| search and even tag mines, that information has not | | | | 25% of their adult counterparts. At 18 months, the brain |
| been released to the public. | | | | mass of the bottle-nose dolphin is 80% of the adult |
| While most of us outside the scientific realm know that | | | | human, who doesn't usually achieve this level until the |
| dolphins do communicate with each other and they're | | | | age of three or four. |
| one of the most playful animals in the universe, we've | | | | While the research that has been obtained certainly |
| never been exposed to the intricacies of the dolphin's | | | | makes it look like the dolphin may be the closest to our |
| brain. Consequently, you may surprised to know that | | | | own level of intelligence, it may be quite some time |
| the dolphin brain is actually much larger than the human | | | | before it's actually prove. Until then, they're true |
| brain. Dolphins have two hemispheres just like humans | | | | capabilities will remain a mystery. |
| however, theirs are split into four lobes instead of | | | | |