The term “big brained” is a common phrase in digital conversations and pop culture, often carrying a dual meaning. It can be used as a genuine commendation, recognizing a clever or insightful idea. However, the phrase is more frequently employed with a sarcastic tone, pointing out an overly convoluted or foolish plan disguised as brilliance.
The “Big Brain” Meme Explained
The phrase “big brain” gained widespread popularity through internet culture, particularly evolving from the “Expanding Brain” meme format. This multi-panel meme, which began circulating on Reddit in January 2017, visually depicts increasing levels of “intelligence” or “enlightenment” through progressively larger and more luminescent brain images. Each panel is paired with a concept or idea, ranging from simple to increasingly absurd or profound. The meme’s initial iterations often involved humorous derivations of the word “who,” like “whomst,” to mock overly formal or pretentious language.
The “Expanding Brain” meme, also known as “Galaxy Brain” in its more extreme, cosmic iterations, quickly became versatile for general humorous observations, satire, and social commentary. Its widespread use allowed internet users to apply the escalating brain imagery to various topics, from video games to politics, making any opinion seem comically over-the-top. While sometimes used sincerely to highlight a genuinely clever thought, its most common application is ironic, where the “big brain” solution is often silly, convoluted, or even nonsensical, underscoring the absurdity of a situation.
The Science of Brain Size and Intelligence
The scientific relationship between brain size and intelligence in humans is more nuanced than simply “bigger is smarter.” Research indicates a modest positive correlation between brain volume and cognitive performance, with studies reporting correlations ranging from 0.24 to 0.40. This means that, on average, individuals with larger brains may perform slightly better on cognitive tests, but brain size alone accounts for a small portion of the variation in intelligence, perhaps around 2% to 12%. Other factors are more influential in determining a person’s cognitive abilities.
Beyond overall volume, other elements of brain architecture play a significant role in intelligence. Neuron packing density, the number of cortical neurons, and the efficiency of neural connections are considered more indicative of processing capacity. For instance, some research suggests that higher intelligence can be associated with fewer, but more efficient, neural connections in the cerebral cortex, leading to high mental performance with less neuronal activity. Brain structure, including the volume of specific regions like the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes, as well as the integrity of white matter tracts, are also linked to intelligence, highlighting the importance of how the brain is organized and communicates.
Brain Size Across the Animal Kingdom
When comparing intelligence across different species, absolute brain size can be misleading. For example, the sperm whale possesses the largest brain of any animal, weighing approximately 18 pounds (8 kilograms), which is about five times larger than a human brain. However, this large size does not automatically equate to superior intelligence compared to humans or other highly cognitive animals, as its brain-to-body mass ratio is relatively low, around 1:5,100, compared to humans’ 1:40. The brain’s internal structure and the distribution of its mass also matter; for instance, the sperm whale’s cerebellum is a smaller percentage of its total brain mass compared to a killer whale.
To better compare cognitive abilities across species with vastly different body sizes, scientists often use the Encephalization Quotient (EQ). The EQ is a more refined measure that accounts for the allometric effects of body size by comparing an animal’s actual brain mass to the expected brain mass for an animal of its particular body size. Humans have one of the highest EQs, ranging from around 5 to 8, while animals like shrews, despite having a high brain-to-body mass ratio (around 1:10), have a lower EQ compared to humans. Conversely, crows, despite their brains being roughly the size of a human thumb, exhibit significant intelligence, including tool use and problem-solving, with a high neuron density in their pallium, a region analogous to the mammalian neocortex. This illustrates that brain complexity, neuron count, and the efficiency of neural networks are more significant indicators of intelligence than sheer size across the diverse animal kingdom.