For all of us wondering about the possibility of intelligent
extraterrestrials, there's an interesting article in today's NY Times.
(Sorry, but I think you have to be registered to read the whole thing.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/science/06dumb.html
Dr. Tadeusz Kawecki and other evolutionary biologists ask why so many
animals have remained dumb, if smart is so valuable. And, of course,
they find that intelligence has its drawbacks. Interestingly, they find
that even microscopic worms, with just 302 neurons, can learn. So can
fruit flies. In fact, young male fruit flies have to learn how to court
females.
They can produce more intelligent flies in the laboratory, but they
discover that these flies are out-competed in a mixed group. I don't
find this quite as significant as they do (at least, according to this
article), since selecting for one feature - any feature - is likely to
produce a fly which is less effective overall. More interesting, to me,
are the costs associated with higher brainpower and with the use of
learning, rather than instinct, in general.
Take Carolyn Gulley, she looks human, but is dumber than a doornail.
She can't write in her own name, because she cant spell it. so she
uses sock puppets.
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