Why does the brain have two halves?

Answer 1

The facile answer to the question why the brain has two halves is because the body has two halves and that each half of the brain evolved to control the other half of the body. The more interesting question is why this bilateral symmetry developed in the first place, since nothing about life requires that multicellular organisms have this type of symmetry.

We have fossil evidence of bilateral life forms from the Ediacaran period 600 million years ago, but it was only during the Cambrian explosion of about 530 million years ago that we have the huge diversification of bilateral life forms, most notably the ancestors of today's arthropods.

Answer 2

The two halves of the brain, known as the left and right hemispheres, are responsible for different functions. They communicate and work together to process information and control various aspects of behavior and cognition. Each hemisphere specializes in certain tasks, with the left hemisphere being more analytical and the right hemisphere more creative.