Ten myths about the brain

November 28, 2011 - Science - Tagged:

brainLaura Helmuth looks at some common misconceptions about the human brain. What do – and don’t – we know when it comes to possibly our most complex organ?

  1. We use only 10 percent of our brains
  2. “Flashbulb memories” are precise, detailed and persistent
  3. It’s all downhill after 40 (or 50 or 60 or 70)
  4. We have five senses
  5. Brains are like computers
  6. The brain is hard-wired
  7. A conk on the head can cause amnesia
  8. We know what will make us happy
  9. We see the world as it is
  10. Men are from Mars, women are from Venus

Smithsonian Magazine: Top Ten Myths About the Brain