A team of scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison has discovered a universal pattern in the evolution of the brain. The researchers analyzed the brain structures of 12 different species of mammals, ranging from mice to humans, and found that they all followed a similar trajectory of development.

The findings, published in the journal Nature, suggest that there may be a set of universal principles that govern the evolution of the brain. These principles could help to explain how the human brain evolved to become so complex and capable.

The researchers used a technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure the white matter tracts in the brains of the different species. White matter tracts are bundles of nerve fibers that connect different parts of the brain. The researchers found that the white matter tracts in all of the species followed a similar pattern of development.

Specifically, the researchers found that the white matter tracts in the brains of all of the species developed in a hierarchical fashion. The first white matter tracts to develop were those that connected the brainstem to the spinal cord. These tracts were followed by white matter tracts that connected the brainstem to the cerebellum and the forebrain. Finally, white matter tracts that connected the different parts of the forebrain developed.

The researchers also found that the white matter tracts in all of the species developed in a radial fashion. The first white matter tracts to develop were those that ran from the center of the brain to the periphery. These tracts were followed by white matter tracts that ran from the periphery of the brain to the center.

The findings of this study suggest that there may be a set of universal principles that govern the evolution of the brain. These principles could help to explain how the human brain evolved to become so complex and capable.