The neocortex is organized into six neuronal layers and numerous functional areas. They form the structural basis for the processing of sensorimotor stimuli and many of our intellectual abilities. In the course of evolution, the human brain has undergone various changes, which include, for example, a significant growth in size and a special folding of the neocortex. “This evolution is thought to have shaped our behavior and cognitive abilities and made our species so unique,” explains Tran Tuoc. The billions of neurons that contribute to this expansion are mainly generated by the so-called basal progenitors—BPs for short—located in the germinal zones of the developing brain.