Is it possible to be too clever? Could it be that a big brain is actually a dangerous asset?
有可能太聪明吗？大脑袋其实是一个危险的资产？
Whilst the brainy human species goes from strength to strength,a study suggests that having an abundance of grey matter directly increases the risk of extinction in our mammal cousins.
当聪明的人类变得越来越强大的时候，一项研究提出，高智商会直接增加哺乳动物灭绝的风险。
Biologist Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez, from the University of Reading, says that big brains come with a clear downside.
雷丁大学生物学家冈萨雷斯-苏亚雷斯更，说大脑袋有明显的缺点。
"The cost is too high," she told BBC Future. They require a lot of energy to grow and maintain. Large-brained animals also have longer gestational periods,meaning they produce fewer offspring.And their young need greater parental attention until they become independent.
她在BBC未来节目采访时说：“成本太高”，他们需要更多的能量发展和维护，大脑袋动物有更长的妊娠期，这意味着他们产生更少的后代，他们的年幼期需要更多的家长关照，直到独立。
These traits mean "populations cannot grow fast, or quickly compensate for additional mortality," she says.
她说，这种特征意味着“人口不能快速增长，或者快速弥补额外的死亡率”。
In short, big brains are an investment not all animals can afford. And this precarious situation is made worse by the fact that many large mammals are themselves the target of poaching or live in threatened habitats.
简而言之，大脑袋是一种投资，不是所有动物都可以消费得起，这种危险的情况变得越来越糟，主要是因为许多大的哺乳动物是被捕猎的目标或者他们生活在受威胁的栖息地。
Some animals have long since decided that brains weren’t necessary. BBC Future suggests that sponges evolved to lose their brains over time, as they offered no tangible benefits.
有些动物很久前就认为大脑没有必要，BBC未来表明：随着时间的推移，海绵进化逐渐失去了大脑，因为他们没有提供实质的利益。
But what about humans? We are the most intelligent species on Earth. We have tamed the natural environment, developed incredible technologies, and settled across almost every corner of the planet. But all this may be exacerbating the problem for other species.
但是人类呢？我们是地球上最聪明的物种，我们驾驭自然环境，我们开发了难以置信的科学技术，并定居在地球上几乎每个角落，但是这一切可能加剧了其他物种的这个问题。
Gonzalez-Suarez says: "It is our collective responsibility as scientists who study megafauna to act to prevent their decline." Time to put our big brains to good use.
冈萨雷斯苏亚雷斯说：“对于研究巨型动物群的科学家们来说，我们共同的责任是采取行动阻止他们的衰落。”时间使我们的大脑更好的利用。
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