Decoding the gray cells
Another knowledge seeking lesson at the library. I start with a book I
have been meaning to study. I do not literally start studying as I
happen to cast a glare upon a insignificant seeming palm sized magazine.
I am intrigued by the cover page and the title which reads 'The Human
Brain' It's time to decipher the true engine of creation. The picture is
very vivid too, half showing a walnut like image we always picture the
brain to be like and the other half a PCB with a chip and an intricate
network of connection. Truly there couldn't be a better way to depict
the powerhouse of human bodies. Very true to the essence of the
dictum,'A picture speaks a thousand words'.
Now actually opening the leaflet a picture of the brain materializes before my eyes.Nothing out of the ordinary. A diagram with labelled parts and their functions, as we all have been doing for a majority of out school and college lives. Although I find a few areas I never knew existed. A part called the Broca's area for transforming thoughts into words.Temporal lobe for processing sound and storing memories(so that's how we remember songs!). The brain after all has quite a lot aces up its sleeves!
The next chapter is one of the brain myth busters( I have others listed towards the end of this article)
,as it turns out the unparalleled genius Einstein never had any size anomalies in his brain.On the another hand the region responsible for math and spatial perception was about 35% larger. Wonder if there were studies conducted on the brains of Indian mega minds,mathematicians and scientists.What was that made their minds tick? Was it pure hard work and diligence or nature choose to alter their brains to render them superior? Who knows..
Few years back when the Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai-Bachhan pledged to donate her eyes,questions were raised if Lataji would do the same.But she declined, stating that her voice box would turn to ashes as would her body. Celebrities and their lives not being the gist of this piece.I just think would the voice box of singers also be designed by nature in the same fashion as it did to brains? Another unanswered question. But since I haven't pledged to resolve any queries I am at my free will to ask you some(as goes my inherent inquisitive nature) now I start to think what region is associated with inquisitiveness? Maybe I have a larger one.Maybe children have too, and the onslaught of time dissolves their queries.
If you thought that was the cheeky end to this torturous article, you are wrong.As I am about to indulge in some more calorie burning.Yes you heard it right calorie burning.Not that I am sprinting on a treadmill while writing this.I am speaking about your calorie burn.Let me explain. As goes another chapter in the mini magazine 'Dmystify'' ( didn't have the patience to mention it earlier). At any given moment there are billions of neurons firing away inside your head,silently creating thoughts,memories and shaping personalities.At the same time the brain is also busy running base level sub-routines to control vital functions like breathing..This 1.5 kg super complex machine in your head does all this while consuming about 20 watts of energy.When you compare this to conventional machines this seems like a pretty small amount considering it's lesser than the energy requirements of a regular ceiling fan. In the process,the brain burns 300 of a resting body's calorie requirements,all this while the brain amounts to only 2.5% of the total body mass.Scientists have long known that about 6 calories per billion neurons ( on average) are what is required for any brain.We pack in 86 billion so we need about 500 calories just to keep our brains running smoothly. So now you know why we are tired,after a day at work.Even though our desk job hardly requires us to perform any physical activity. The brain had been working so hard it got tired and in effect we got tired. The brain needs energy or calories to keep going so is that also why we are unable to think clearly when hungry ?
So how many calories did you burn today? I bet this article has had a significant contribution!
Common Myths busted:
1. We use only 10% of our brain throughout our lives.
2. Alcohol kills brain cells.
3. Doing crossword puzzles improves memory
4. Coma is just like sleep.
5. Left Half= Logic,Right Half= creativity.
6.Male brains can do this,female brains can do that.
7. Classical music makes infants smarter.
8. Your brain works better under pressure.
Note: The facts mentioned above are attributed to the Jan,2016 issue of Digit,Dmystify.I have made an effort to bring the facts together along with some analyses, to help understand the powerhouse of human beings,the brain. I have assumed that the allegation of Lata Mangeshkar donating/ not donating her voice box is probably true.So if you happen to read this ,just give the critic in you a break.
Now actually opening the leaflet a picture of the brain materializes before my eyes.Nothing out of the ordinary. A diagram with labelled parts and their functions, as we all have been doing for a majority of out school and college lives. Although I find a few areas I never knew existed. A part called the Broca's area for transforming thoughts into words.Temporal lobe for processing sound and storing memories(so that's how we remember songs!). The brain after all has quite a lot aces up its sleeves!
The next chapter is one of the brain myth busters( I have others listed towards the end of this article)
,as it turns out the unparalleled genius Einstein never had any size anomalies in his brain.On the another hand the region responsible for math and spatial perception was about 35% larger. Wonder if there were studies conducted on the brains of Indian mega minds,mathematicians and scientists.What was that made their minds tick? Was it pure hard work and diligence or nature choose to alter their brains to render them superior? Who knows..
Few years back when the Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai-Bachhan pledged to donate her eyes,questions were raised if Lataji would do the same.But she declined, stating that her voice box would turn to ashes as would her body. Celebrities and their lives not being the gist of this piece.I just think would the voice box of singers also be designed by nature in the same fashion as it did to brains? Another unanswered question. But since I haven't pledged to resolve any queries I am at my free will to ask you some(as goes my inherent inquisitive nature) now I start to think what region is associated with inquisitiveness? Maybe I have a larger one.Maybe children have too, and the onslaught of time dissolves their queries.
If you thought that was the cheeky end to this torturous article, you are wrong.As I am about to indulge in some more calorie burning.Yes you heard it right calorie burning.Not that I am sprinting on a treadmill while writing this.I am speaking about your calorie burn.Let me explain. As goes another chapter in the mini magazine 'Dmystify'' ( didn't have the patience to mention it earlier). At any given moment there are billions of neurons firing away inside your head,silently creating thoughts,memories and shaping personalities.At the same time the brain is also busy running base level sub-routines to control vital functions like breathing..This 1.5 kg super complex machine in your head does all this while consuming about 20 watts of energy.When you compare this to conventional machines this seems like a pretty small amount considering it's lesser than the energy requirements of a regular ceiling fan. In the process,the brain burns 300 of a resting body's calorie requirements,all this while the brain amounts to only 2.5% of the total body mass.Scientists have long known that about 6 calories per billion neurons ( on average) are what is required for any brain.We pack in 86 billion so we need about 500 calories just to keep our brains running smoothly. So now you know why we are tired,after a day at work.Even though our desk job hardly requires us to perform any physical activity. The brain had been working so hard it got tired and in effect we got tired. The brain needs energy or calories to keep going so is that also why we are unable to think clearly when hungry ?
So how many calories did you burn today? I bet this article has had a significant contribution!
Common Myths busted:
1. We use only 10% of our brain throughout our lives.
2. Alcohol kills brain cells.
3. Doing crossword puzzles improves memory
4. Coma is just like sleep.
5. Left Half= Logic,Right Half= creativity.
6.Male brains can do this,female brains can do that.
7. Classical music makes infants smarter.
8. Your brain works better under pressure.
Note: The facts mentioned above are attributed to the Jan,2016 issue of Digit,Dmystify.I have made an effort to bring the facts together along with some analyses, to help understand the powerhouse of human beings,the brain. I have assumed that the allegation of Lata Mangeshkar donating/ not donating her voice box is probably true.So if you happen to read this ,just give the critic in you a break.
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