What percentage of our brain do we use? Detailed answer

Free technical library

BIG ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
Free library / Directory / Big encyclopedia for children and adults

What percentage of our brain do we use? Detailed answer

Big encyclopedia for children and adults

Directory / Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education

Comments on the article

Did you know?

What percentage of our brain do we use?

100%.

Or 3%.

It is generally accepted that a person uses only 10% of his brain. Which invariably leads to discussions about what each of us would achieve if he managed to use the remaining 90%.

In fact, at one time or another, a person uses his entire brain. On the other hand, recently published work by Peter Penny of the Neural Science Center at New York University indicates that, ideally, the human brain should not "fire" more than three percent of neurons at the same time - otherwise the energy needed to "recharge" each of the neurons after the "volley", it turns out to be so powerful that our brain is simply not able to cope with it.

The human central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain and is represented by two types of cells: neurons and glial cells.

Neurons are the main processors of information: they receive input signals and send output signals. The input signal enters the neuron through tree-like dendrites; the output signal is sent along cable-like axons.

Each neuron contains up to 10 dendrites, but only one axon. An axon can be thousands of times longer than the tiny cell body of a neuron. The longest axons are in giraffes: their length can reach 000 m.

The area of contact between axons and dendrites is called the synapse. This is where electrical impulses are converted into chemical signals. Synapses are something like toggle switches that connect neurons to each other and turn our brain into an interconnected network.

Glial cells, or gliocytes, provide the scaffolding of the brain: they control neurons and act as brain cleaners, "sweeping" debris after neurons die. There are fifty times more gliocytes in the human brain than neurons.

In total, one human brain contains five million kilometers of axons, one quadrillion (1) synapses, and up to 000 billion neurons. If neurons could be arranged side by side, they would cover an area of 000 square meters. m, or four football fields. The number of ways in which information is exchanged in the human brain is greater than in the universe of atoms. With such astonishing potential - no matter what percentage of the brain you and I use - all of us, no doubt, could be a little more useful.

Author: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

Where is the largest airport in the world located?

The largest airport in the world is located in Saudi Arabia and is named after King Khaled. Its area is 225 square kilometers. But in terms of the volume of traffic and the intensity of the movement of aircraft through it, it is not even included in the first hundred airports in the world.

The largest airport in terms of the average annual number of takeoffs and landings of aircraft is the Chicago O'Hare Airport (USA). The total number of takeoffs and landings of aircraft in it in 2002 amounted to 923, while 555 passengers were served.

Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta (USA) is the leader in terms of the average annual number of passengers served. The total number of passengers arriving and departing from it in the same 2002 was 76, with a total number of takeoffs and landings for the same period of 876.

Test your knowledge! Did you know...

▪ How did Achilles, the greatest Greek hero of the Trojan War, die?

▪ What are trans fats?

▪ Who and when managed to live for 10 years on counterfeit one-dollar bills?

See other articles Section Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education.

Read and write useful comments on this article.

<< Back

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Machine for thinning flowers in gardens 02.05.2024

In modern agriculture, technological progress is developing aimed at increasing the efficiency of plant care processes. The innovative Florix flower thinning machine was presented in Italy, designed to optimize the harvesting stage. This tool is equipped with mobile arms, allowing it to be easily adapted to the needs of the garden. The operator can adjust the speed of the thin wires by controlling them from the tractor cab using a joystick. This approach significantly increases the efficiency of the flower thinning process, providing the possibility of individual adjustment to the specific conditions of the garden, as well as the variety and type of fruit grown in it. After testing the Florix machine for two years on various types of fruit, the results were very encouraging. Farmers such as Filiberto Montanari, who has used a Florix machine for several years, have reported a significant reduction in the time and labor required to thin flowers. ... >>

Advanced Infrared Microscope 02.05.2024

Microscopes play an important role in scientific research, allowing scientists to delve into structures and processes invisible to the eye. However, various microscopy methods have their limitations, and among them was the limitation of resolution when using the infrared range. But the latest achievements of Japanese researchers from the University of Tokyo open up new prospects for studying the microworld. Scientists from the University of Tokyo have unveiled a new microscope that will revolutionize the capabilities of infrared microscopy. This advanced instrument allows you to see the internal structures of living bacteria with amazing clarity on the nanometer scale. Typically, mid-infrared microscopes are limited by low resolution, but the latest development from Japanese researchers overcomes these limitations. According to scientists, the developed microscope allows creating images with a resolution of up to 120 nanometers, which is 30 times higher than the resolution of traditional microscopes. ... >>

Air trap for insects 01.05.2024

Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the economy, and pest control is an integral part of this process. A team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI), Shimla, has come up with an innovative solution to this problem - a wind-powered insect air trap. This device addresses the shortcomings of traditional pest control methods by providing real-time insect population data. The trap is powered entirely by wind energy, making it an environmentally friendly solution that requires no power. Its unique design allows monitoring of both harmful and beneficial insects, providing a complete overview of the population in any agricultural area. “By assessing target pests at the right time, we can take necessary measures to control both pests and diseases,” says Kapil ... >>

Random news from the Archive

New wireless data record 28.05.2016

A team of researchers from the University of Stuttgart and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits set a record by transmitting data over a distance of 37 km at a speed of 6 Gbps. This is 10 times faster than modern equipment.

The data was transmitted between two antennas, the first of which was in Cologne, the second - in Wachtberg, located at a specified distance from Cologne. In Cologne, the antenna was installed on a 45-storey building, and in the second city - on the dome of the observatory.

This record speed was achieved using highly efficient transmitters and receivers in the 71-76 GHz band, intended for terrestrial and satellite broadcasting. The problem of signal attenuation during the passage of such a large distance was solved by using monolithically integrated millimeter wave circuits.

These circuits are based on gallium nitride transistors developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits. Thanks to them, the signal was amplified to a relatively high power of 1 watt. In addition, a highly directional parabolic antenna was used to transmit the signal.

Finally, the receiving antenna was connected to a low self-interference amplifier based on high-performance transistors with indium-gallium-arsenic semiconductor layers for high electron mobility. Such an amplifier made it possible to receive a weakened signal that had traveled such a long distance.

Other interesting news:

▪ Battery ZMI 20 25000 mAh

▪ Zyxel 802.11ax Outdoor Access Point (Wi-Fi 6)

▪ South Korea will abandon the nuclear power plant

▪ 100mW UV LED 200-280nm range

▪ Two-channel DC/DC converter for powering screens of portable devices

News feed of science and technology, new electronics

Interesting materials of the Free Technical Library:

▪ section of the site Funny puzzles. Article selection

▪ article by Edith Piaf. Famous aphorisms

▪ article When Did Bhutanese Know You Can Smoke Marijuana? Detailed answer

▪ article Exploitation of wells equipped with rod pumping units. Standard instruction on labor protection

▪ article Oxidation and bronzing of metals. Simple recipes and tips

▪ article Charger on trinistor. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

Leave your comment on this article:

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews