What does the hunting theory propose as a factor in brain development?

• A. Abundance of plants in the diet
• B. Meat nutrition enabling brain growth
• C. Brain growth independent of diet
• D. Water access and hydration

Answer: (B)

Meat provided the high-quality, energy-dense nutrients needed to support a larger, more expensive brain. The brain uses a large portion of daily energy, so access to calorie- and nutrient-rich meat allowed early humans to divert energy toward brain tissue growth rather than other demands. This is the idea behind the hunting theory: meat intake supplied the calories and essential nutrients that facilitated brain development, more so than plant-based diets alone. Water access isn’t the driving factor, and brain growth isn’t explained by diet-independent processes, nor solely by plants, which don’t offer the same energy density and key nutrients for neural development.