Our brains are amazing organs that control everything we do, from thinking to breathing. Here are some fascinating brain facts that may surprise you:
The human brain is usually compared to the most advanced technology of the day. According to research performed at the University of Cambridge, the order of letters in a written word doesn’t matter much to the brain. Brain freeze sure feels like pain in the brain, but it’s an example of referred pain emanating from the roof of the mouth. This explains how brain surgery can be performed while the patient is awake, with no pain or discomfort.
The Brain is More Active at Night
Learning a foreign language, solving a maths problem in our mind without any paper and pen is a good brain exercise. The human brain is made of mainly three parts i.e. Cerebrum, Cerebellum, and Brain Stem (upper part of Brainstem is pons and the lower part is the medulla). It is protected by the skull, which is made up of 22 bones. The skull is divided into two parts – a) Cranium ( made of 8 bones), where the brain is located. The brain is one of the three parts of our nervous system including Nerve Cells and Spinal Cord.
While you sleep, your brain is actually more active than when you are awake. It uses this time to consolidate memories and process information from the day.
But your brain continues developing throughout your 20s. The second-largest part of the brain is the cerebellum, which sits beneath the back of the cerebrum. It plays an important role in coordinating movement, posture, and balance. Do the things it likes—sleeping, learning, exercising—and avoid stress and behaviors that might harm it.
Your Brain Weighs About 3 Pounds
Dolphins have values higher than those of primates other than humans,[66] but nearly all other mammals have EQ values that are substantially lower. Sometimes called the “master gland,” the pituitary gland is a pea-sized structure found deep in the brain behind the bridge of the nose. The pituitary gland governs the function of other glands in the body, regulating the flow of hormones from the thyroid, adrenals, ovaries and testicles. It receives chemical signals from the hypothalamus through its stalk and blood supply.
Despite its relatively small size, the brain accounts for about 2% of your total body weight. It may be small, but it’s a powerhouse of activity!
Even if you’re not majoring in the biological sciences, learning more about the brain can just be incredibly interesting and perhaps even entertaining. Hopefully, these fascinating facts about your brain that might just motivate you to give it the respect and TLC it deserves. Throughout your life your experiences create patterns of activity that explain how our brains code our thoughts, memories, skills and sense of self. Brain also has the ability to read someone’s face.
The Brain Can’t Feel Pain
The brain’s cholesterol is much more stable than the cholesterol in other organs, but when it breaks down, it is recycled into new cholesterol right in the brain. Thus, it seems like there are two different consciousnesses in the same individual. While the human neocortex is much larger than that of any other animal, affording us unique mental capacities, its structure is more similar to primitive human ancestors and other primates than other regions of the brain are. Thinking takes place in the brain and specifically, in cells called neurons, which are connected to each other by branches. How the brain is integrated also seems to matter when it comes to intelligence. The brain also has four interconnected cavities, called ventricles, which produce what’s called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Although the brain processes pain signals, it does not have pain receptors itself. This is why surgeons can perform brain surgery on patients while they are awake.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Brain
- Can you grow new brain cells?
- Does size matter when it comes to brain power?
- How much energy does the brain consume?
Yes, a process called neurogenesis allows the brain to generate new neurons throughout life.
Not necessarily. The structure and connections within the brain are more important determinants of intelligence than sheer size.
Even though the brain makes up only 2% of the body’s weight, it uses about 20% of the body’s energy.
