The Evolution of Intelligence: Insights from Systems Biology and SETI | Dante Lauretta
This talk explores the origins and evolution of intelligence, drawing parallels between biological and extraterrestrial systems. By examining intelligence from molecular to neural levels, we uncover how adaptive behavior, learning, and problem-solving have shaped life on Earth and how these principles might apply to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). From prokaryotic cognition to the emergence of nervous systems in early animals, we will discuss the fundamental principles underlying intelligence and their implications for detecting and recognizing intelligence beyond Earth. How do animals process information and make decisions? What can the evolution of intelligence on Earth tell us about the likelihood of intelligence elsewhere in the universe? Listen in on this talk where we bridge the gap between evolutionary biology and SETI to better understand cognition across species—both terrestrial and potentially extraterrestrial.
This talk was given during the AI for Animals 2025 Conference where over 200 people gathered from March 1-2 in Berkeley, CA.
00:00 Introduction
03:07 Vision for Accessible Science
06:03 Origins of Bilateral Organisms
08:59 Microorganisms and Early Structures
11:58 Nutrient Flow and Adaptations
14:57 Biodiversity of Known Life
17:56 Sensing and Primitive Intelligence
20:53 Bilaterals and Body Plans
23:50 Repetition and Appendage Development
26:46 Sensory Systems and Brain Load
29:44 Segmented Body and Nervous System
32:44 Evolution of Decision-Making
35:44 Memory and Model-Building in Brains
38:43 Cognition in Octopuses and Vertebrates
41:42 The OSIRIS-REx Mission Overview
44:41 Sampling Asteroid Bennu
47:41 Return to Earth and Challenges
50:40 What We Can Learn from Bennu
53:39 Closing Thoughts and Future Missions
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