Backward evolution

Recent news (1) that brainless jellyfish is quite effective using their eyes and bundles of nerves to learn and make decisions, pose questions on the design of mammals. Centralized processing and control have always been shown to be more risky and likely less effective. Distributed processing appears to be more flexible and scalable.

Evolution always prefers better designs. However, there are so many uncertain factors that lead to progression and the observable designs. If distributed processing is indeed more efficient and less risky, one would imagine that existing biological systems will move toward that over time. There has been some evidence (2) that cells engage in decision-making, and this could be the right evolutionary tangent. If so, we should see (not in human timescales, unfortunately) the human brain shrinking, and decisions delegated to cells and assembly of them. Such a process will also allow higher level of specialization, and presumably higher efficiency.

If humans survive impending bottlenecks, an unlikely outcome, they will ultimately end up with smaller heads and distributed decision-making at the cellular level.

(1) These brainless jellyfish use their eyes and bundles of nerves to learn (sciencenews.org)

(2) Cellular Decision-Making and Biological Noise: From Microbes to Mammals — PMC (nih.gov)