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At the beginning of the 20th century, the American philosopher and one of the fathers of psychology William James argued in his Energy of People (1909) that “we use only a small part of our mental resources.” These words inspired other authors, such as, for example, Lowell Thomas, who in the preface to the famous bestseller “How make friends and influence people “wrote that people use only 10 percent of your brain.
The birth of a myth
This opinion gained even more weight after the first brain research. It was assumed that most of the bark the brain remains “silent” or “inactive,” and this fact confirmed the first electroencephalograms that could “detect” only an insignificant part of the brain.
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All this helped form a myth (now widespread) that people use only 10 percent of their brain. it suggests that under certain conditions a person may take advantage of your unrealized 90 percent potential and significantly enhance mental abilities. Some people, those who study paranormal phenomena even claim that these 90% can be used to master telekinesis and development extrasensory perception.
Do we use only 10 percent of our brain’s resources
To the surprise of many, subsequent scientific studies have shown that in fact, people use all the capabilities of their brain, even when it comes to solving minor problems. When work the brain is observed using MRI, it is clearly visible that all its parts remain active – even during sleep, because then the brain performs important tasks such as strengthening memory and a number of others.
The very idea that 90% of our brain remains inactive absurd if you calculate the amount of energy required by the brain. IN while the brain of rodents and dogs consumes 5% of the total daily energy, and monkeys – 10%, the brain of a person who is an adult only 2% of its body weight (approximately one and a half kilograms) consumes 20% of daily energy.
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Spanish neuropsychologist Jose Ramon Gamo in an interview with El País categorically stated: “It’s completely wrong that we use only 10% of our brain. Neuroscience has shown that when performed common tasks we use all 100%. Technologies like MRI, shed light on brain activity levels and showed to be inactive only those areas that were damaged. Also became it is obvious that during sleep all parts of our brain have a certain level of activity. ”
Scientists of the past confused the number of neurons in the brain with its the resources
Dr. Pablo Irimia, member of the Spanish Society of Neurologists, in An interview with La Vanguardia stated: All data indicates that the brain is fully operational for proper functioning mechanisms of thinking. Therefore, it is naive to think that we have hidden abilities that we could “wake up”. However, training the brain through intellectual activities such as reading, we can increase the number of neural connections that respond for the formation of memory, speed and quality of thinking.
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Imrimia concluded that the myth of using 10 percent our brain has spread due to a misconception about the number of brain cells. Neurons make up approximately 10% of their total number, and the rest – glial – cells support normal functioning of neurons and the brain as a whole. So Thus, it is possible that the percentage of neurons was confused with used brain capacity.
The myth is destroyed – mysteries remain
So, science has destroyed the myth of using the notorious 10 percent of the human brain. However, this amazing organ, allowing us to become the smartest and dominant biological view of the planet hides many more mysteries. For example, still it is unclear how people live without the brain or with a small part of it. (there are such cases) where the memory is “stored”, why the most intelligent people’s brain activity is below average, which is why some people after brain injuries suddenly acquire unique abilities in painting, music, math, others start talking, reading and writing in many languages, including the long-dead, and so on Further…
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