What percentage of your brain do you use? - Richard E. Cytowic
4,197,098 Views
26,391 Questions Answered
TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
Two thirds of the population believes a myth that has been propagated for over a century: that we use only 10% of our brains. Hardly! Our neuron-dense brains have evolved to use the least amount of energy while carrying the most information possible -- a feat that requires the entire brain. Richard E. Cytowic debunks this neurological myth (and explains why we aren’t so good at multitasking).
Dolphins, whales, and elephants have much larger brains than we do. They are also documented to have complex societies. Elephants even seem to mourn their dead, implying that we are not alone in being able to sense other minds and infer their states. What would it take to understand the mind of another species?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Richard E. Cytowic
- Director Hector Herrera
- Producer Pazit Cahlon
- Narrator Addison Anderson
