Transcript: The Developing Brain

ALAN ALDA: We’re born with immature brains – in part because human anatomy limits the size of a newborn’s head.

As a result, much of the brain’s growth takes place after birth.

Here’s how a modern infant’s skull enlarges from birth to adulthood, with most of the growth in the brain case.

In contrast the skull of one of our early ape-like ancestors grew mainly in the face and jaw.

So the brains of today’s children are literally created out in the world; they have 17 or 18 years to mature and absorb the culture and language of the people around them. This long childhood could be a vital component of the Human Spark, of what makes us unique.