www.steelnotesmagazine.com
Moreover, thanks to neuroimaging
techniques, it is possible to observe the
activity of the brain in every aspect of daily
life. Furthermore, when the rest of the body is
in a resting phase, such as sleeping, all the
parts of the brain are active. The simple act of
having coffee in the morning—grabbing the
coffee pot, pouring the liquid into the cup,
adding sugar, tilting the cup, and drinking it—
involves many areas: the occipital and the
parietal lobes, motor and sensory areas, the
basal ganglia , the cerebellum, and the frontal
lobes, all in a period of a few minutes.
Another argument that doesn’t support the
theory of the 10% is supplied by the theory of
evolution. The brain is an extremely
expensive apparatus in terms of the
consumption of oxygen and nutrients.
Although it has a mass of only 2% of the
human body, it absorbs 20% of the energy
needs of a human being. If 90% of our brain
was really unused, then man would have a
great benefit in terms of survival by
possessing a brain much smaller and more
efficient brain, so natural selection would
Steel Notes Magazine
have eliminated that unused part of the brain.
Other support is still being provided by
studies conducted involving microscopic
measurements made with the insertion of an
electrode—a conductor capable of detecting
electrical activity—into the brain, not
referring to torture or macabre experiments
but, rather, to useful procedures in the case of
particular syndromes. These procedures have
allowed researchers to analyze the activity of
small groups of neurons down to even a
single neuron. Thus, if there were any areas of
the unused brain, these techniques would have
already highlighted them.
It remains to be understood why this myth
continues to exist. The fact is that thinking we
can significantly improve our cognitive skills
attracts anyone—so much so that many
startups are trying to develop substances that
can improve brain capacity. These substances,
called nootropics—from the Greek noos,
meaning “mind,” and tropein, “change”—
would allow the release of enzymes,
hormones, and neurotransmitters, facilitating
the oxygenation of the brain and the growth
of certain parts of it. However, keep calm; we
will not be surrounded by geniuses for quite a
while!
Steel Notes Magazine
www.steelnotesmagazine.com
73