8 Things Scientists Still Don't Understand About Your Brain

You are your brain, but what does that mean?

Inside Out Memories
Pixar

Brains. We've all got them, allegedly.

The brain is one of the most complex and little understood parts of the human body. Unfortunately, if it were much simpler, we still wouldn't be able to understand it on account of being much stupider.

Using a vast array of modern technologies and old-fashioned psychology, we have managed to deduce a fair amount about this mysterious object, but there are still plenty of mysteries regarding the lump of grey matter between your ears that have even the best neuroscientists scratching their heads.

What is it about this particular lump of cells that can create memories, feelings and consciousness? It is amazing to think that with a few electrical impulses, some words on a screen can make you think of a pink elephant, or SHOUT THIS IN YOUR MIND, or even just recognise these squiggles as words at all.

Some of the greatest minds in neuroscience (pun intended) are still unable to figure out exactly what makes our brains tick. What gives you your personality? Why can you tell the difference between being asleep and being awake? Is free will an illusion? Why is it so difficult to reproduce the effects in even the most advanced supercomputers?

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