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The Developing Brain

Resource for Grades 9-12

| Citation

Media Type:
Video

Running Time: 0m 59s
Size: 5.7 MB

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Source: The Human Spark: "Becoming Us"

Learn more about The Human Spark.

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Collection Developed by:

Collection Credits

Collection Funded by:

Major funding for The Human Spark is provided by the National Science Foundation, and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the John Templeton Foundation, the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, and The Winston Foundation.

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Due to the limitations of the human body, babies are born with immature brains. This means that most of the growth of the brain will occur after birth as the baby develops from infant to young adult. This video from The Human Spark examines the growth of the brain of the modern day child from birth to adulthood, with most of the growth taking place in the brain case. In contrast, the early ancestors of human beings experienced growth in the face and jaw.

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Discussion Questions

Why are human beings born with immature brains?
How does a modern infant’s brain grow? Describe the skull growth of our ancestors. What is major difference between the two?
According to the video, ‘the brains of today’s children are literally created out in the world.’ What do you think this statement means?
Why might the long childhood mentioned in the video be important?

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Transcript

ALAN ALDA: We’re born with immature brains – in part because human anatomy limits the size of a newborn’s head.

As a result, much of the brain’s growth takes place after birth.

Here’s how a modern infant’s skull enlarges from birth to adulthood, with most of the growth in the brain case.

In contrast the skull of one of our early ape-like ancestors grew mainly in the face and jaw.

So the brains of today’s children are literally created out in the world; they have 17 or 18 years to mature and absorb the culture and language of the people around them. This long childhood could be a vital component of the Human Spark, of what makes us unique.