5 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Brain

Many scientists have claimed that the human brain is one of the magnificent creations in the entire universe. We use our brains for everything yet know so little about it.

The human brain certainly deserves more study, as the more we learn about it, the more fascinating and mesmerizing it becomes. There is much known about the brain, but the following are some things you probably didn’t know about your brain: 

1. Your Brain Stem Controls Your Physical Movements

When most people think about physical movements, they think of muscles. The truth is that your brain is mainly responsible for most of your movements, particularly your brain stem.

Your brain stem is one of the most critical parts of the brain and nervous system, if not the most vital. The brain stem has a strong connection to the spine and is responsible for sending messages to every other body part.

Moreover, every physical movement in the human body in some way starts in the brain stem, including breathing and your heartbeat. Though the brain stem is a relatively simple organ, its importance cannot be understated. 

2. Your Brain Has Unlimited Storage Capacity

Research shows that the human brain has about 86 billion neurons or brain cells. Each neuron has numerous connections to other neurons, adding up to over a trillion connections in the human brain.

The brain’s storage capacity depends on the neural connections, and given how many they are, it means that your brain has unlimited storage capacity. Unfortunately, we cannot explore all the connections in the brain hence our limited capacity.

Someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s has damaged neurons and neural connections, thus their short memory and reduced cognitive function. 

3. Information Travels In Your Brain At 120 Meters Per Second

The brain and its neurons are a store of data, and neural connections allow us to access that data. The brain also includes neurotransmitters that are chemical transmitters responsible for carrying messages from the brain to other body areas.

You might not know that these neurotransmitters can transmit information at a speed of 120 meters per second or 268 miles per hour.

Therefore, pain in your foot is felt instantaneously, but only because the neurotransmitters move so fast, sending the message from the foot and back. If the transmission of messages to and from the brain is interrupted, it can lead to a seizure. 

4. You Use All Of Your Brain

A popular misconception is that we don’t use 100 percent of our brains. Most people only use around 10 percent, and the high functioning individuals use 20 percent.

You should know that those numbers only pertain to certain forms of brain activity. We use all of our brainpower though most of it might not yet be apparent to scientific observation methods.

We use our brains even when we are asleep for many purposes, including physiological processes that we are unaware of. Users of psychedelic drugs prove that our brains can tune in to various vibrational frequencies that we are often unaware of with our ordinary consciousness. 

5. Your Brain Consumes A Lot Of Oxygen

When you think of oxygen consumption by the body, many people think of muscles. They think that large muscles in body parts like the legs and the back use up most of the oxygen we inhale.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The brain consumes up to 20 percent of the oxygen in our bodies. Hence, you can continue being conscious if you constrict a limb, but you become unconscious when you do the same to your brain. 

There is much known about the brain, but there is a lot more unknown. Things you might know about the brain are that it is the largest oxygen consumer.

It sends out messages at 268mph. Your brain stem controls physical movement. It has essentially unlimited storage capacity, and we use all of our brains. Keep learning more about this intriguing organ.