MadSci Network: Neuroscience
Query:

Re: We often hear that humans use only 10% of our brain. True?

Date: Sun Oct 17 17:08:59 1999
Posted By: Lynna Tsou, Grad student, Education/Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
Area of science: Neuroscience
ID: 937932762.Ns
Message:

Hi Steven,

Thanks for addressing an 'urban myth' that rarely gets questioned.

I, too, was curious about the origins of this misinformation and found a 
website that I believe answers your question better than I would be able 
to. My guess would have been that over the years, people misinterpreted 
the fact that people use about 10% of their brains for basic functioning 
(senses, movement) and extrapolated that to mean *all* functioning. To my 
knowledge, there has not been one scientific study that documents or 
supports this assertion. 
http://eslvcr.fireplug.net/bcskeptics/ratenq/Re3.2-Brain10.html

I apologize for referring you to a website. Feel free to email me if you 
have further questions after reading its contents.

Lynna Tsou
lynna@uclink4.berkeley.edu


[Moderator Note:  Another excellent website that debunks this myth (and 
provides wonderful information and tutorials on all matters neurological) is 
the Neuroscience for Kids site. -- RJS]





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