Our brain, the “crown” that sits on top of our heads is one of the most difficult things to understand and yet it’s a part of us. Its development greatly varies as in order to understand it, we need to understand how living creatures like us came to be. Our brain became the way it is based on natural selection. It is a fact that it’s the most complex object in existence as of right now. It’s the center of our nervous system (Nervous system is made up of the spinal cord and the obviously the brain). Your brain has neuron which are responsive cells that process and transmit information by an electrochemical method called signalling. Imagine having 10 to the eleventh power in number of these cells! Also for some of those who use computers very often, the fastest computer in the world isn’t IBM’s Blue-Gene or any other PC, it’s your brain. With over 100 trillion calculations per second, your brain is always alert to keep your body safe and make sure you stay alive and be able to process the information you want. But this leads to questions: Why is our brain so complex? Why did we learn to speak? Why did we become this intelligent? Imagine in your womb, 100 billion cells (brain cells) know where to go and connect. So not only is the brain itself a mystery, but how it develops. Of course we all know that the brain is made up of 2 parts: Cerebrum and cerebellum. But your brain isn’t like anything you can imagine. The brain uses every method to solve a problem, to see the world and to save your life. Scientists have always wondered if reconstructing the brain, you gain new abilities and a different way of understanding. As interesting as that sounds, we don’t know what happens to the brain when you learn a new fact but we do know that some physical changes occur. The brain always fascinated me in so many ways. The brain is always better than a computer and is capable of great unknown potential. There is the theory that we use 10% of our brain. False. We fully use our brain everyday but in the “same way” everyday. That means some of us don’t seek or experiment on what other functions the brain is capable of. The sixth sense is possible but activating it is a major challenge. Telekinesis is seemingly possible too.
Aside from its functions, religion plays a role as well. In some recent studies done by researchers, the brain appeared to be very sensitive when it comes to religious beliefs. There is what you call a “God spot” which is a neural responsible for controlling religious beliefs. This is due to surviving hardships. If you are religious, you are not blame. According to the theory of natural selection, humans were chosen to receive a premium like believing in God or other supernatural forces to make them feel safe to be able to adapt and survive. However, both atheists and theists tend to think in the same way. But now as a modern society, we are dominant. Complex yet simple, the more we learn about it the more questions are raised. The brain has some interesting connections with the cosmos. For example: stars in the universe die. But remnants they leave behind (stardust, and materials) are organized like that of the ways the neurons are connected in our brain. 1000 of scientists are discovering new things about our brain but these discoveries will change along with the brain depending on what happens to us and how we change. To me, in order to better understand the brain we need to understand the environment(s) that we inhabit because they affect our brain by 98% and as you are reading this, changes are happening to your brain. In truth, the brain’s functions are not always specific. But as amazing as the brain is, it can be wasted faster than it fully functions. Alcohol and drugs are a primary cause and accidents are a secondary cause. But I don’t understand why our brain is this delicate yet incredible. “A Mind is a terrible thing to waste”-U.N.C.F.
