Given the figures (1 in 50 women has an abortion, per year, CDC figures), yes, I would find it very hard to believe that humans killed more dogs (whether in Nor

Given the figures (1 in 50 women has an abortion, per year, CDC figures), yes, I would find it very hard to believe that humans killed more dogs (whether in North America or the world) than they abort human fetuses. I doubt vets put down 1 dog per 200 people per year. The shape of the container of the neurons does not really influence whether they fire or not. 18 days is simply the earliest that I've seen neural activity reported (actual firing neurons, after receiving signals). It's actually more of a "at the latest" figure, not a lower bound. There is no even a compelling theory going either way as to whether these signals are random (I assume that's what you mean by "spontaneous depolarisations of action potential", otherwise it'd make no sense : that happens in fetuses, you and me, and granddads. For that matter, it happens in corpses weeks after death. They are neither an indication of consciousness, nor an indicator of it's absence). Given how neural cells work, and that there are actual living animals that have shapes very similar to fetuses in this stage of development whose movements are definitely not random, my guess would be that these signals are anything but random. I would even say that it's extremely likely that these neurons are capable of sensing their environment in some way and attempting to come to grips with it, because in the animals they are. Here's a picture of the human embryo at 18(-21) days after conception : http://mybrainnotes.com/human-embryo-brain.jpg http://mybrainnotes.com/human-embryo-brain.jpg Is it really so hard to believe that an animal that complex has functioning senses and a working brain, and is contemplating, maybe not it's existence, but definitely it's environment ?