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Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.
Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber.  A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past.  Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons -  our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.
On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers.  They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systems—an indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.
This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.
The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution.  A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making – connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons.  The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose.  Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making.  With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessor’s processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the
  brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.
The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:
  • a)
    It has more transistors and fewer wires.
  • b)
    It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.
  • c)
    It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.
  • d)
    Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.
  • e)
    The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain...
Efficiency of Modern Microprocessors
The passage highlights the evolution of microprocessors, emphasizing their increasing efficiency over time. The correct answer, option 'D', asserts that the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for the tasks that microprocessors commonly perform. Here's a detailed explanation:
Optimization of Architecture
- Task-Specific Design: Early microprocessors were designed with simple architectures that could perform a variety of functions but lacked specialization. As technology advanced, microprocessors evolved to be more finely tuned for specific tasks.
- Reduction of Wiring: With improvements in design, the amount of wiring needed to connect transistors decreased significantly. This reduction in wiring leads to less power loss and increased efficiency in processing.
Impact on Performance
- Increased Processing Speed: With better organization of transistors and wiring, modern microprocessors can process information more quickly. The passage mentions a tenfold increase in processing speed while reducing wiring by a factor of three.
- Energy Efficiency: By optimizing the architecture, modern microprocessors consume less energy while performing tasks more effectively, akin to how a smaller, efficiently wired brain could theoretically yield higher intelligence.
Conclusion
Overall, option 'D' encapsulates the essence of the evolutionary improvements in microprocessor design. The focus on task optimization and efficient organization of components explains why modern microprocessors are more efficient, paralleling the discussion about the evolution of the human brain.
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Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.Which of the following if true would weaken the assertion that humans are getting dumber with the erosion of brain volume?

Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.In paragraph 4 - lines 1 and 2, the author talks about the brain being a glutton forfuel to

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Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2024 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for GMAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for GMAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Over the past 20,000 years, the average volume of the human male brain has decreased from 1,500 cubic centimeters to 1,350 cc, losing a chunk the size of a tennis ball. The female brain has shrunk by about the same proportion. If our brain keeps dwindling at this rate over the next 20,000 years, it will start to approach the size of the brain found in Homo erectus, a relative that lived half a million years ago and had a brain volume of only 1,100 cc.Some believe the erosion of our gray matter means that modern humans are indeed getting dumber. A common measure of intelligence - the encephalization quotient or EQ, defined as the ratio of brain volume to body mass - has been found to be decreasing in the recent past. Recent studies of human fossils suggest the brain shrank more quickly than the body in near-modern times. More importantly, analysis of the genome casts doubt on the notion that modern humans are simply daintier but otherwise identical versions of our ancestors, right down to how we think and feel. Another study concluded that our present EQ is the same as that of the Cro-Magnons - our ancestors who lived 30,000 years ago in Europe and were known more for brawniness rather than brilliance.On the other hand, other anthropologists such as Hawks believe that as the brain shrank, its wiring became more efficient, transforming us into quicker, more agile thinkers. They explain the shrinking by arguing that over the very period that the brain shrank, our DNA accumulated numerous adaptive mutations related to brain development and neurotransmitter systemsan indication that even as the organ got smaller, its inner workings changed.This explanation may be plausible, considering that the brain is such a glutton for fuel that it globs up to 20% of all the calories. To optimize this, the evolution may be moving towards a more efficient smaller brain that yields the most intelligence for the least energy. A boom in the human population in the last 20,000 years ago greatly improved the odds of such a fortuitous development since the more the individuals, the bigger the gene pool, and the greater the chance for an unusual advantageous mutation to happen.The man-made product that is closest to the brain, the microprocessor, has seen similar evolution. A microprocessor consists of transistors- the human equivalent of neuron that participates in decision making connected with wires that act as messengers between neurons. The first microprocessors had extremely simple architectures and were not optimized for a certain set of tasks but were more general purpose. Consequently, a lot of the power they consumed was dissipated in internal wiring and not in decision making. With refinements, the architectures became more and more attuned to the tasks that the microprocessor most commonly needed to do. Consequently, for the same number of transistors the amount of wiring decreased by a factor of 3 while the microprocessors processing speed increased by a factor of 10. While active research is still to conclude whether the same holds true in case of the brain, one can only hope that the results are along the lines of the microprocessor.The passage suggests that the modern microprocessor is more efficient because:a)It has more transistors and fewer wires.b)It contains transistors that are smaller in size and consume less power.c)It contains transistors that became faster with the evolution of technology.d)Over the years, the organization of wiring and transistors has been better optimized for tasks that the microprocessor is most commonly required to perform.e)The prevalence of precision manufacturing has allowed more transistors to be added to the microprocessor.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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