The Brain
You use it to breathe, to dream, to smell your breakfast, and to catch a falling object! Join Bill Nye the Science Guy as we investigate the spectacular folding organ that controls every single thing you do.
Unlock Your Mind!
One hundred percent! It is a common myth that humans only use ten percent of their brains. You use your entire brain all day and all night, even when you are fast asleep!
No, we never grow new ones! Unlike a cut on your finger or a broken bone, brain cells cannot easily regenerate. This is exactly why it is so incredibly important to always wear a helmet!
Put Your Instincts to the Test
Think about how your mind and body communicate. Pick an answer for each question, then see if your instincts were right.
To fit massive amounts of information inside our skulls! Just like folding a massive newspaper allows it to fit neatly onto a small table, folding the brain gives it a massive surface area to store memories while still fitting inside your head.
The left side! The central nervous system connections cross over in the middle of your body. The left hemisphere controls the right side, and the right hemisphere controls the left side.
Tiny electrical and chemical signals! These microscopic sparks travel down the central nervous system at incredible speeds to tell your muscles exactly when to move.
Understanding the Science
Tap each card to uncover the biological regions and brilliant neural pathways that make up your central nervous system.
Key Concepts
Central Nervous System
Tap to learn moreThe vital network of nerve cells running down your spine that carries signals from your brain to the rest of your body.
Neurons
Tap to learn moreMicroscopic brain cells that communicate by sending tiny electrical and chemical signals to one another.
Cerebellum
Tap to learn moreThe specific region of the brain that coordinates your muscles and helps you maintain your physical balance.
Olfactory Cortex
Tap to learn moreThe sensory area responsible for processing information from your nose so you can smell your food.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Tap to learn moreA brilliant medical scanner that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to take detailed pictures of the brain.
Ancestral Memory
Tap to learn moreInstinctual knowledge that animals possess the moment they are born, like a bird knowing exactly how to build a nest.
Eidetic Memory
Tap to learn moreThe rare ability to perfectly recall visual information, often referred to as a photographic memory.
Optical Illusions
Tap to learn moreVisual tricks that occur when your brain tries its absolute best to interpret confusing visual signals sent from your eyes.
Try It: The Neural Network Lab
Step into the neurology clinic!
The Mission: You must test the reaction time of your digital patient. Click a button below to begin a trial. To catch the falling ruler, simply tap anywhere on the large laboratory screen. Watch the glowing electrical signals travel down the spinal cord and see how your neural pathway speeds up when you control the drop yourself!
Apply Your Knowledge
Let us see if you can correctly identify the different sections of the central nervous system and their vital jobs.
Match the Concepts
Click a neurological term to select it, then click the matching description to place it.
Real World Challenge
Bill Nye the Science Guy demonstrates that your reaction time is much faster if you drop a ruler through your own fingers rather than waiting for someone else to drop it. Trace the exact pathway the electrical signal takes in both scenarios to explain why this happens!
What Has Changed Since This Episode Aired
This episode originally aired in 1995. While the fundamental biology of the human nervous system remains accurate, the field of neuroscience has experienced explosive technological breakthroughs!
Updated: Yes! Thanks to incredible advancements in Brain Computer Interfaces by companies like Neuralink, this is now a reality. Scientists can implant microscopic electrodes directly into the motor cortex to read neural signals. This breakthrough allows paralyzed patients to control computer cursors, play video games, and operate robotic arms using only their thoughts!
Updated: A massive modern breakthrough called optogenetics allows researchers to do exactly this! By combining genetic engineering with optical science, researchers can modify specific neurons so they turn on or off when exposed to a tiny flash of blue light. This allows scientists to map exactly which brain cells control specific movements and emotions.
Updated: Science is always evolving! Since 1995, neuroscientists have discovered an amazing process called neurogenesis. We now know that certain parts of the adult human brain, specifically the regions dealing with learning and memory, actually can generate brand new neurons throughout your entire life!
Updated: We are mapping it right now! Today, neuroscientists are building the connectome, which is a massive and incredibly complex wiring diagram of the entire brain. Using advanced scanning technology and artificial intelligence, scientists are mapping millions of individual neural connections to understand exactly how memories and thoughts are physically stored.
Test Your Understanding
Answer these questions and get instant feedback. How many can you get right?
Results
Your score:
Reflection
Think about the optical illusion of the straight tube passing through the metal nuts. Why is it important for scientists to understand that our brains sometimes misinterpret visual information sent from our eyes?
Episode Discussion
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