BRAINPICKER
Michio Kaku
"The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe."
THE BRAIN
The brain is the most complicated and advanced organ in the body. The outermost part of the brain, the cerebral cortex, is the part that has all of the folds and wrinkles. It covers the cerebrum, which is split into two halves.
FUN FACT: Usually, when you move your left arm, leg, etc., it's the right side of your brain that controls it.
THE BRAIN IS SPLIT INTO FOURÂ MAIN LOBES
THE FRONTAL LOBES
This section controls thinking, planning, organizing, problem solving, short-term memory and movement.
THE PARIETAL LOBES
These interpret sensory information, such as taste, temperature and touch.
THE OCCIPITAL LOBES
These lobes process images from your eyes and link that information with images stored in memory.
THE TEMPORAL LOBES
The lobes that process information from your senses of smell, taste and sound. They also play a role in memory storage.
THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES
Each part of this system is duplicated on either half.
HIPPOCAMPUS
The hippocampus collects and stores memories for later recollection.
HYPOTHALAMUS
The hypothalamus controls emotions, regulates your body’s temperature, and controls certain crucial urges, such as eating and sleeping.
CASE STUDY
Phineas Gage
Gage survived a rail from a railway going through his skull. However, the rail destroyed his frontal lobe, causing him to experience personality changes. Since his frontal lobe (which controlled his reasoning) was gone, he was left with his amygdala (which controlled his emotions). He went off his emotions instead of being able to reason with anything.