In a tally of nerve cells in the outer wrinkles of the brain, a dog wins

Comparing neuron numbers across species could provide clues to animals’ smarts

composite image of various animals

BRAIN GAME  Despite being relatively large, a brown bear’s brain is sorely lacking in nerve cells, while a raccoon’s cat-sized brain is packed full, finds a new study that tallies these neurons in carnivores.

Jeremy Teaford/Vanderbilt University

If more nerve cells mean more smarts, then dogs beat cats, paws down, a new study on carnivores shows.