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Another brain question

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geoffb | 23:39 Thu 11th Jan 2007 | Science
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Does anyone know what percentage of the brain is actually used
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Yep all of it

That old "we only use 10% of our brain" thing is an urban myth

See snoopes the urban myth site here
http://www.snopes.com/science/stats/10percnt.h tm

Sorry!
That was a very interesting answer - but makes me think what happens to input into somebodys brain when it is "full up" - do you just forget more as you learn more - or do you compress what you know?


and to think I was only going to write that Charlton and Millwall fans use less than 1/2 % of theirs.
And another brain question to answer!

Jake is right. That 10% saying is a load of rubbish.

The brain never gets full-up. Memory is usually divided into sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory.

Sensory memory are memories that last for up to about two seconds. Sensory memories usually confine themselves to memories of our perceptions such as getting a fleeting glance of a stranger walking across a field in the distance when we are travelling on a train. Trying to recall a meaningful description of that person minutes later is virtually impossible.

Short-term memory include such memories as remembering the location of a moving vehicle when you're looking both ways alternately while crossing the street. Within minutes of crossing the street safely, the memory is erased.

Long-term memory is usually what we mean when we refer to memory. This will include information and knowledge we have learnt in our lives, practical skills we have learnt such as the ability to drive and the meaning of words. Long-term memory unfortunately, is fragile and is susceptible to changes as we grow older leading to unreliability although the most of us retain the majority of it unmodified.

Some authorities subdivide long-term memory into a number of sub-divisions depending on the the type of memory concerned. From then on, it becomes quite complex to understand and not all workers are in agreement. Furthermore, I've provided details of how memory is classified based on duration, but there are other methods as well.

(continued)
So at the end of the day, it depends on the nature of the memory as to how long it's retained. The capacity of the brain is huge although I can't remember the exact number of Terrabytes it's said to be able to retain although I do recall the figure has been subjected to much debate. The brain capacity is so large that there's no need to compress the knowledge it holds.

You don't push previous knowledge out as you learn more although it's an interesting idea - if I thought I could push out all the stuff I've learnt over the years in academia, I could go back to infant's school next week and end up with another job. School uniform could be a problem though.

I'd better not comment on Charlton and Millwall fans.
Rumor has it that this guy uses 100% of his brain.
Question Author
lol mibn
Lol @ Mibn

So just to ask another brain related question... hope you don't mind Geoff but it seems silly to start another thread... why are brain cells the only cell in your body that don't regenerate? Or have I got this completely wrong?

(It's China Doll by the way, been zapped by someone who I think may hold using 10% of their brain as something of an outstanding accomplishment).
I am puzzled
How did you get that link to work as a Google Search ?
sarah_louise, First take note, if you will, the following information:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Science/Questio n348154.html#top�

Now find the same information as it appears at the top of this page.
This is like an address that can direct your (or anyone else�s who so desires) internet browser to that specific page. Let�s call it a �link

By copying this link and pasting it in your answer (or question)
you can make it easy for someone else to go to the same page that you copied the link from, even a Google search page!
Here�s how! this is soooo cool

Copy:
From the web page you wish to provide a link to,
with your mouse (or touch pad)
move your cursor (arrow) and
position it anywhere over the �link
(the wide bar near the top of that page that begins with �http://www�)

Locate your right-click button (that�s the other button next to the normal click button)
Now wait . . . I didn�t tell you what to do next yet . . .
While watching the �link� that your cursor is positioned on,
press the right click button . . . now . . . and watch
the �link� changes colours just as a menu drops down below it!
sorry, no crisps or chips on this menu
But, there is a word that says �Copy� . . . Go ahead . . . copy . . . what are you waiting for! (I�m getting excited now, how about you?)

Ah, I heard that! Any way, now go back to the page where you want to post the link that is now stowed away in your mouse. Can you here it squeeking in there? Say, �Its OK mousy mousy, we will deliver the �link� very soon.� Say it in a soothing voice for reassurance, no, not for the mouse, it doesn�t really hear you, its just to help keep

Paste:

Position your cursor where you want the link to appear and
right-click / Paste!
This will paste the link that has been hiding in your mouse
to your answer/question . . . mouse says, �Ahhh, what a relief!�

Test:

When you�ve finished composing your reply
click on where it says [preview]

When a new page appears, click on your link (now underlined and in red) to verify that it links (that�s why we call it a link) to the correct page.

Click on the arrow at the top left of your screen to return to your post and [edit] or [submit] your answer/question when all is as you want it to be.

Now, go check it out! Wasn�t that easy? I can�t wait to see all the neat stuff you�ll be copy/paste/ing in the answerbank!


Would you like to know how I disguised it as
"take your pick"?
Thanks. Yes carry on !
geoffb, My sincerest apologies for the extra answers!

sarah_louise,

This is where it gets tricky because when I post the form for replacing the link�s text with your own caption some extra stuff is automatically added that is not part of the actual form for creating a captioned link. This is fairly simple to work around if you just substitute it with a space.

The form you use to caption your link is like this:
<atarget='_blank' href=paste link here> put caption here
except that, instead of typing out this part . . .
target='_blank'
. . . you just press the space bar once.
don't forget the ( < ) and the ( a ) at the beginning.

If you want to add something after your captioned link you need to put this ( /a ) between these ( <> ) at the end of your caption to terminate the captioning of the link. (I have to explain it that way because if I put them together they disappear just as they will when you post them)

I believe that if you give it a try you will find that it is not as difficult as it looks. Just be sure to get all the arrows ( < > ) and slashes ( / ) pointing in the right (or left) direction and don�t forget where the space ( ) and equal sign ( = ) go then you should have no trouble at all.

Note: There are no (parentheses) used in the actual form, (unless you choose to use them as part of your caption).

Scroll down below the heading "The Anchor Tag and the Href Attribute" at the bottom of this page to see two examples in blue.

Still not working? Here�s another explanation along with an optional method for you to try.
Thank you mibn2cweus
Also apologies geoffb for hijacking this thread.
I will try it out
Question Author
mibn
no problem mate I find it fascinating reading yours and everyone else's posts long may it continue
thank you
Question Author
sorry sarah Ithought I had mentioned you also but when I read the reply I saw I hadn't but the same message applies to all keep posting

cheers

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