The little-forteenth-story that everyone has to carry for survival is often thought to be the most useful and efficient part of the body. But after the revelaing of a secret you might recognize it as a nacessary evil.
The brain of a common person who follows a set routine in his daily life comsumes half of his total energy intake. What a nasty fact. Think if you are something like a scientist or philosopher, although you might be bright but sure to be thin as your mind is taking much of the undue share.
Looking to my slimness, I must have taken it off to get a bit healthier LOL. So take care before you take some step towards think hard and sweat your forehead.
Humans are the best fed animals, so it appears the investment is worth it.
Evolution brought us a brain to help our specie survive. We have nothing else: no special sensibility to the environment, no great strength, no particular agility, no camouflage, etc etc. If we had a smaller brain, we'd probably have something else that would consume a lot of energy too. And it's good that my brain consumes a bit of energy, else I think I'd be much fatter 
But there is one thing that you forgot (?) to mention: there is an infinite reservoir of energy which we can mentally access. We don't even need food to keep alive!
... 
What's that odd remark exactly? | Ahmad Khan wrote: |
| What a nasty fact. Think if you are something like a scientist or philosopher, although you might be bright but sure to be thin as your mind is taking much of the undue share. |
Think about it, think about thinking. 
If it wasn't for your brain and all the energy it uses, you wouldn't be able to comprehend what I'm saying, let alone understand the written word. 
I don't think it is an "undue share" when you think how much we use it and benefit from it. Even when we sleep are "mind" is still very active! and if it wasn't for our brain you could kiss this forum, your computer, clothes, house goodbye and climb up a tree with a chimpmonkey. 
Amazing....
The brain is like a computer, powered by oxygen and carbohydrate (small amounts of lipid also).
The power cable supplying the brain is the blood stream.
The structure of the brain (neuron connections) changes as your life experiences change.
The memories are stored in the hippocampus of the brain. It is believed that the memory information is stored as memory proteins.
The DNA / Genes provide the raw material for the brain structure.
Physical Exerscise increases your memory capacity.
Well, it seams that some people realy waste their energy input...
It's true; about 50% of energy, in the form of dextrose, is used by our brain. this does not include, however, energy from other sources such as fat and protein. these which metabolically speaking can be converted to sugars, are often used by the rest of our body. i.e. while 50% of sugar energy sounds like a lot.. it's still only a fraction of our total energy stores in our body.
Still, no matter how you cut it, our brain does use a disproportionate amount of energy. You might want to calculate what the energy distribution is for a standard computer (how much for the cpu, hard drive... etc.)...
| Soltair wrote: |
| ... What's that odd remark exactly? |
Sorry, I should have stated that I was commenting on Ahmad Khan's post! | Lennon wrote: |
Amazing....
The brain is like a computer, powered by oxygen and carbohydrate (small amounts of lipid also).
The power cable supplying the brain is the blood stream.
The structure of the brain (neuron connections) changes as your life experiences change.
The memories are stored in the hippocampus of the brain. It is believed that the memory information is stored as memory proteins.
The DNA / Genes provide the raw material for the brain structure.
Physical Exerscise increases your memory capacity. |
Good lord no.
Memories stored in the hippocampus?! It a consolidation not a permanent storage area.
And MEMORY PROTEINS?! What in the name of all that is holy do you speak of?
Aerobic Exerscise increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus as well as other place. But we don't know what they do. And you have an infinite "memory storage" capability. Storage isn't the problem, it's retention and getting it consolidated in the first place. New cells aren't always good. Epilepics have increased neurogenesis. Cancer patients have plenty of "new cells". We don't really know what they are doing or how they are integrating into the vast neural network. Infact, they could be deleterious.
Bah, as far as the thread itself, where are you guys getting your information? Very dubious overall.
