25 Interesting Facts About the Brain

1. It has a storage capacity of 2,500,000 gigabytes.

The human brain can hold an estimated 2,500,000 gigabytes, according to Paul Reber, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University. That's the equivalent of 300 years of television. [Scientific American] 

2. A goldfish's attention span is shorter than a human's.

According to studies, the average attention span has shrunk by 12 minutes in the last ten years. Human attention spans are now shorter than that of a goldfish. [Time] According to some research, computer multitasking — such as scrolling through social media when watching TV — is related to decreased attention spans.

3. The average adult human brain weighs three pounds.

The adult brain weighs about three pounds on average. This is roughly equivalent to the weight of a cantaloupe. [National Geographic]

4. Memories are simultaneously processed for both short- and long-term use.

The hippocampus has long been believed to store short-term memories, according to neuroscientists. However, a recent study showed that while short-term memories are created in the hippocampus, long-term memories are stored in a separate region of the brain.

5. Vitamin B1 may aid in the improvement of both short and long-term memory.

Vitamin B1 is needed for the production of acetylcholine, a brain chemical required for concentration and memory storage. According to an Australian study, people who took B1 supplements and folic acid for two years enhanced their long and short-term memory. [Source: Huffington Post]

6. Having easy access to knowledge will make it more difficult to remember items.

Having instant access to information—as we have with our borderline invincible Internet—makes it more difficult to recall. The more effort we put in to gain access to information, the more likely we are to remember it. [Source: Huffington Post]

7. In the womb, memories begin to develop.

Since this is a crucial phase for brain growth, memories begin to form in the womb. As early as four months into pregnancy, memory recall can occur. [ABC] 

8. It consumes 20% of the body's overall oxygen and energy supply.

The brain consumes 20% of the body's total oxygen and energy, which is delivered to it through blood vessels. Nerve cells in the brain need a lot of energy; if the central nervous system tissue does not receive enough oxygen and energy, it will suffer from compromised brain functions and neurological disorders. [Scientific American] 

9. It is made up of 73 percent water.

Water makes up 73 percent of the brain. Dehydration can affect your concentration and memory in as little as 2%. [Daily Mail] 

10. Sweating causes the brain to shrink momentarily.

Sweating for an hour and a half shrinks the brain size as much as a year of aging does. [Daily Mail] 

11. A lack of oxygen for five minutes will result in brain damage.

Without oxygen for five minutes, brain cells die, resulting in brain damage. [Daily Medical]

12. It produces 12-15 watts of power.

The brain produces between 12 and 25 watts of electricity, which is sufficient to power a low-wattage light bulb. National Geographic [National Geographic]

13. Neurons in the brain fly at 150 miles per hour.

In the brain, neurons fly at 150 mph. Different types of neurons move at different speeds; pain signals, for example, move much more slowly than others. [National Geographic]

14. Those who take a quiz twice are 65 percent more likely to recall what they learned the first time.

Those who take a quiz after it has been updated have a 65 percent higher chance of remembering the details. [BBC]

15. Expanding your knowledge increases the brain's gray matter

When we learn something new, our brain establishes new links between neurons, which increases the amount of gray matter noticeable in our brain. [BBC]

16. Emotion takes precedence over memory.

Emotion takes precedence over memory. However, this means that many of our "memories" are unintentionally faulty fiction. [ New Yorker]

17. Emotions have the ability to change our brain chemistry.

Emotions, like the reality mentioned above, have a significant impact on our brains. Feelings induce chemical reactions in the brain that can be seen in brain scans and gray matter studies. [Huffington Post]

18. It has 50,000-70,000 thoughts a day on average.

The average person's brain has 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day. Surprisingly, the bulk of the thoughts (roughly 60-70 percent) are negative. [Huffington Post]

19. Every second, the brain undergoes over 100,000 chemical reactions.

More than 100,000 chemical reactions occur every second in the brain, which has about 100 billion cells. [National Geographic]

20. It is unable to form memories when intoxicated.

The brain is unable to form memories when intoxicated. No, you didn't "forget" what happened the night before. Simply put, the memory was never created. [Daily Mail] 

21. Memory exercises can help with PTSD.

Recollection practice can help with PTSD. Mental health care services use a range of clinical recovery approaches to help people with PTSD effectively confront and deal with stressful events. [Smithsonian]

22. It has a texture and consistency similar to tofu.

Tofu has a similar texture and consistency to the human brain. Given that it's mainly made up of gray and white matter, as well as water, this isn't surprising. National Geographic [National Geographic]

23. About the age of 24, it begins to slow down.

According to research, the brain's processing speed begins to slow down about the age of 24 [Time]

24. 95% of all choices are made without conscious thought.

The subconscious mind is where 95% of all decisions are made. This suggests that the vast majority of our acts and activities are the product of brain activity that goes unnoticed by us. [Scientific American]

25. The brain is incapable of sensing pain.

Despite the fact that the brain processes pain, the organ cannot feel it. This is why brain surgery can be performed when the patient is conscious and without pain. [Time]

The list could go on forever. More research is being done, and we are learning more about the capacities of the human brain. We are also learning how to keep our minds sharp. Learn how we remember things and how the brain evolves as we learn.

Even though the brain is great at transforming short-term memories to long-term memories, it is always important to retain those memories for future generations. That's why Legacybox is here to help you digitize your memories, whether they're tapes, video, pictures, or audio recordings.

Related: What Is Mindfulness?