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Re:Rats have an imagination, new research suggests by ahmedfromtunis on Saturday November 11, 2023 @11:44PM (#38237386)
Why does a cockroach have 4 times more neurons than a fruitfly? What tasks do the cockroach need to achieve that require more "intelligence" than that of a fruitfly?
Re:Rats have an imagination, new research suggests by GlickWick on Sunday November 12, 2023 @12:10AM (#38237518)
Cockroaches are pretty impressive and live a long time, at least as far as insects go. Fruit flies measure life in the order of hours, but roaches can live for a year or more. I suspect you need a more complex nervous system to assess and survive in an environment as a prey animal for long periods of time, whereas fruit flies can likely just brute force it.
Re:Rats have an imagination, new research suggests by Chaosvex on Sunday November 12, 2023 @03:13AM (#38238351)
Fruit flies can live for well over a month. The hours belief is a myth.
Re:Rats have an imagination, new research suggests by steve_adams_86 on Sunday November 12, 2023 @12:10AM (#38237511)
This question makes me wonder if larger bodies have more complex physical/mechanical dynamics to solve for. Do physical laws become harder to get along with as your body plan expands? I wonder if that’s a factor.
Re:Rats have an imagination, new research suggests by ethanbond on Sunday November 12, 2023 @12:08AM (#38237505)
That’s not how evolution works. A cockroach might have 4x neurons because it just does.
Re:Rats have an imagination, new research suggests by dwaltrip on Sunday November 12, 2023 @01:16AM (#38237793)
Brain size usually correlates with body size, and cockroaches are much bigger than fruit flies.

I believe it’s something to do with operating the larger body.