Many people believe in the notion that humans only use 10% of their brains, but in reality, even when resting or sleeping, the majority of the brain remains active.
Scientific and technological advancements are progressing rapidly around the world. Humanity has begun to explore the core of the Earth, traveled to Antarctica and the Arctic, and even set foot on other planets in the universe. However, our understanding of our own bodies is still not profound enough. According to scientists, the brain is the most mysterious part of the human body that needs further exploration. Why do they assert this?
According to scientists, the brain is the most mysterious part of the human body. (Image: Baidu)
Can Humans Use More Than 10% of Their Brains?
The brain is one of the most complex organs and has the greatest potential for development in the human body. According to research by Jean Pierre Flourens, the scientist who invented anesthesia and also demonstrated that the brain retains consciousness for a short time after the heart stops, humans only use 10% of their brain’s capacity.
However, many people argue that Jean Pierre Flourens’ view is flawed. If humans only used 10% of their brains, we would be no different from animals. In fact, if humans utilized more of their brain’s capacity, they might possess supernatural abilities. So, do those recognized by experts as having the “strongest” brains in the world use the remaining 90% of their brains?
Many believe that if humans use 100% of their brains, they will become superhuman. (Image: Baidu)
In China, there was a television show called “Super Brain” (English title: Super Brain), which gathered contestants with exceptional intelligence for thrilling challenges. Among the participants, Zheng Tian Cai surprised everyone with his extraordinary abilities.
In just 2 hours, Zheng Tian Cai could memorize the content of a book containing thousands of characters. His memory was so impressive that he was blacklisted by casinos. Rumor has it that Zheng Tian Cai exploited his superhuman memory to win hundreds of millions in just 10 minutes.
Similarly, Dominic O’Brien, a British memory expert, is renowned for having the best memory in the world. He won the World Memory Championship 8 times in 10 years. Dominic O’Brien broke the record for remembering the order of 6 decks of cards. In 2002, he made it into the Guinness World Records by remembering the random order of 52 decks of cards (equivalent to 2808 cards) after seeing their order just once. He later wrote books on memory enhancement techniques and became a speaker on the benefits of memory improvement for life and brain development.
Many geniuses with extraordinary memories have trained for years rather than merely using more than 10% of their brain’s capacity. (Image: Baidu)
However, contrary to popular belief, the aforementioned geniuses do not entirely use more than 10% of their brain’s capacity. In fact, their exceptional memory abilities come from training. Dominic O’Brien reported that he struggled with significant attention issues as a child and often found it hard to listen to others. By chance, in 1987, O’Brien watched a television program featuring a man demonstrating his memory skills. From that point on, he began training in his own way, gradually honing his memory skills and achieving success.
Thus, it appears that even those with the strongest brains in the world do not utilize 90% of their brain’s capacity. So, how much of our brain are we actually using?
The 10% Brain Myth Debunked
The truth is that the 10% brain myth has been “debunked” in a study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity in individuals performing various tasks. The results showed that most of our brains are using a significant portion of their capacity, even when performing simple tasks. We can also understand that every region of the brain has a specific function.
Experts conducted fMRI to measure brain activity in individuals performing various actions. (Image: Baidu)
The percentage of brain usage varies from person to person and depends on what the individual is doing. Many brains remain active even when a person is resting or sleeping.
Moreover, the human brain makes up 1/40 of the total body mass but consumes 1/5 of the calories needed to sustain the body. Therefore, a brain that uses 20% of the body’s energy while only operating at 10% efficiency seems illogical.
So is the 10% referring to the number of brain cells? This too is inaccurate, according to the BBC. When any neuron becomes redundant, it degenerates and dies or is invaded by nearby areas. The human body does not allow brain cells to wander around uselessly.
Thus, the figure of 10% is meaningless, according to neuroscientist Amy Reichelt. The brain only accounts for 2% of body mass but uses 20% of the energy. Therefore, there is no reason to waste a large amount of body resources and energy on only 10% of the brain.
According to a study from Washington University, if humans were to lose 90% of their brains, the remaining size would only be equivalent to that of a sheep’s brain. Obviously, a sheep’s brain is not large, but it has all the necessary functions for survival.
If a person’s brain suffers even a minor injury, it can significantly affect their functions. (Image: Baidu)
Additionally, we know that even a minor injury to the brain can impact human functions. Such damage can lead to neurological decline, paralysis, or stroke.
If the brain loses 90%, it also means that a person loses the ability to think, remember, learn, or communicate. Furthermore, we would face many difficulties in movement and mobility. Even those unable to adapt to a sheep-like existence might face life-threatening situations.
