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Do humans use only 10 percent of their brain?

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Yes
54% 1015 votes Total: 1897 votes
No
46% 882 votes

by Author Name Withheld 48

Created on: June 16, 2008

Humans definitely do not use ten percent of their brain. I mean, not for actual thought processing, anyhow. But that does not mean that the whole brain is not useful.

It is my understanding from something I read once in National Geographic that humans use one percent of their brains and the rest of the brain is mainly padding.

Let me explain it to you, as well as I can remember. It's been, like, fourteen or fifteen years since I read this article, so give me a break if I can't quite pin down all the details.

The tiny processing capsule, which, as I said, represents one percent of the brain's mass, is shaped like a small speck of macaroni. I do not remember the macaroni's technical term, but it's like a tiny computer. I think I read that it is even smaller than your pinky finger. Or perhaps it is smaller than the head of a pin. I admit, that is one detail that escapes me. I know for sure, though, that its funnel shape helps knowledge propel extra, extra fast.

Okay, so knowledge forms in the part of brain above your right eyebrow. This area is important, but not as important as the macaroni part. It is called the Thought Generator, or TG for short. This may explain to some of you why you get those pounding headaches right there: Too Much Thinking.

By the way, the Thought Generator runs at its most efficient if you have a diet high in Amino Acids and Omega-3s. I use this little saying to help me remember to take care of it: A TABLESPOON OF FLAX OIL AND MY THOUGHT GENERATOR WILL NOT SPOIL. I don't care if you borrow that for yourself.

Once a thought has developed, it shoots down the macaroni tube and ends up in the other important area of your brain called the Thought Processing Cell, or TPC. This is where it "matures" and becomes readable by the cells in the macaroni.

As you can see, this is a very complex system. This is why we need all the padding around the macaroni, TG, and TPC. To protect them from damage. Because if they get damaged, that's it for us. I'm pretty sure from what I read it's a similar story for animals. Mammals, anyway. I'm not sure about reptiles and amphibians. They are a whole different story, probably.

Well, now that we've cleared up that we humans do not use ten percent of our brains, but a mere one percent, I hope we can all rest easier. Ten percent would wear out anyone. That would be like having a power plant running in your brain all them time. Whew.

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