The Evolution of Animal Cognition

Explore the fascinating world of animal cognition in this 15-minute TEDxLeuvenSalon talk by Gilles De Meester, a FWO fellow and PhD student at the University of Antwerp. Delve into the variations in cognitive abilities among different species and discover why, how, and when cognition evolves within the animal kingdom. Examine the costs and benefits of having a large brain, the potential advantages of learning abilities, and the attractiveness of intelligent animals. Investigate the emergence of large brains across various animal species and gain insights into the essential questions surrounding the evolution of animal cognition. Learn about De Meester's research on cognitive abilities in relation to environmental complexity, focusing on lizards as a study system to understand the link between cognition and individual fitness in different environments.