| Whales Like Us |
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| Written by Suzann Kale | |
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Spindle cells, found in the human brain, are thought to be responsible in part for our emotions, our ability to love, and many "right-brained" skills: social, intuitive, communicative, empathic. These cells also are involved in our feelings of well-being. When we suffer emotionally, many researchers say, spindle cells are responsible.
 Spindle cells, it has been discovered, are also found in whales. Scientists Patrick Hof and Estel van der Gucht* have confirmed that not only do whales have these "human" brain cells, they may have a greater concentration of them in areas of the brain that regulate visceral reactions, such as fear and compassion.
Whales' "potential for high-level brain function, clearly demonstrated already at the behavioural level, is confirmed by the existence of neuronal types once thought unique to humans and our closest relatives," says Dr. Hof in an article by Andy Coghlan appearing in NewScientist.com (Nov.27, 2006), and reported in KurzweilAI.net.
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posted Nov.29, 2006
* Patrick Hof and Estel van der Gucht are co-discoverers of the whale spindle cells. Dr. Hof is from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and Dr. van de Gucht is from the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology.
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It's long been known that whales are intelligent. And many of us "knew" that whales also had emotions. Feelings, if you will. Now, it's been proven scientifically. | < Prev |
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