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Lesser Apes - by Mario Gabriele - The Generalist

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“I think your Substack contains simply the best writings about venture out there. You provide a kind of storytelling and thoroughness that no one else does. Thanks :)” — David, a paying member A species’ intelligence does not always increase. Many parasites have evolved to become simpler than their ancestors, shedding neural complexity over generations. It has long been observed that domesticated animals like sheep, pigs, and dogs have smaller brains than their wild ancestors. As their environment changed and they no longer faced the same existential threats, their cognitive capabilities atrophied (though some meta-studies suggest the matter is more complicated). Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior found that cultivated mink had 25% smaller brains than their wild counterparts. Remarkably, once they were returned to the wild, they were able to regain their brain size within fifty generations. Our brains are not static, but dynamic, both within the course of our in

Lesser Apes As AI gets smarter, will we get dumber? Mario Gabriele Oct 16, 2025 ∙ Paid 158 24 Share “I think your Substack contains simply the best writings about venture out there. You provide a kind of storytelling and thoroughness that no one else does. Thanks :)” — David, a paying member Subscribe Illustration by Edmon de Haro A species’ intelligence does not always increase. Many parasites have evolved to become simpler than their ancestors, shedding neural … This post is for paid subscribers Subscribe Already a paid subscriber? Sign in Previous Next

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