The Human BrainThe brain is the fundamental core of the nervous system and is by far the most intricate, complicated and powerful part of the human body. It is responsible for both the lower order functions (such as digesting and breathing) and the higher order functions (such as thinking and inventing). It is at the root of most characteristics that set us apart from simpler forms of animals (language, rationality, mathematics, etc.).
On average, the adult human brain weighs around three pounds and is responsible for the consumption of up to twenty percent of an adult’s total energy (in newborns it consumes as much as sixty percent!) Mankind’s interest in unlocking the mysteries of the brain could be seen even thousands of years ago when Herophilus, the first known anatomist, posited that the brain was the seat of intelligence (Aristotle, on the other hand, posited that the brain’s function was to cool blood). But for however long it has been studied, the brain has only truly begun to be understood in recent years, thanks to advancing technologies and research techniques. One interesting piece of information to emerge is that, contrary to the commonly held belief, humans do use their entire brains and not the ten percent that had previously been suggested. All sectors of the brain perform some function, and many of them will be performed in parallel.
Additional entries on the human brain
Parts of the Brain
Lobes of the Brain
The Neuron
Brain Imaging
Chemicals in the Brain
Web Resources On The Human Brain
Wikipedia: Human Brain
Neuroscience for Kids
Book Resources On The Human BrainThe Human Brain: An Introduction to Its Functional Anatomy by John Nolte
A Celebration of Neurons: An Educator's Guide to the Human Brain by Robert Sylwester
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