Researchers Employ 3D imaging to Unravel Mystery of 15-Million-Year-Old Monkey Skull

The analysis of the 15-million-year-old monkey skull using 3D computer imaging has uncovered the secrets of superior brain complexity of these ancient primates. The study published on Friday in the journal Nature Communications claims that the revelation could help to answer unresolved questions concerning the evolution of brains in primates and in our species as well.

The study marks the first time, the brain analysis of the oldest known old world monkey skull has been visualized. The skull was found in 1997 on an island in Lake Victoria in Kenya.

The Scientists from Duke University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have studied the old monkey, scientifically known as Victoriapithecus, asserting that brain complexity can develop before brain size in the primate family tree.

Lauren Gonzales, co-author of the study, stated," In the part of the primate family tree that includes apes and humans, the thinking is that brains got bigger and then they get more folded and complex".

Gonzales asserted that this study offers the strongest evidence that in monkeys, the order of events was reversed such that complexity came first and bigger brains came later.

The high-resolution X-ray imaging has shown that though Victoriapithecus had a brain that was about half the size of what is found in modern monkeys, it had a surprising level of complexity. The researchers claim this higher brain complexity is related to numerous wrinkles and folds in the brain structure of this primate.

Furthermore, analysis showed that Victoriapithecus had an olfactory bulb that was about three times bigger than usual, signalling the much finer sense of smell that this old world monkey had as compared to present day monkeys.