From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris )
Subject: Re: 8% of brain
Date: 01 Oct 1995
Newsgroups: sci.med

In <44m8kt$bsf@newsbf02.news.aol.com> nylicence@aol.com (NY Licence)
writes:

>During an online discussion someone mentioned that humans use only 8% of
>their brains. This sounds to me like an urban legend. Does anyone have
>any idea where this got started and why? Any documention would be
>appreciated.
>
>Email gratefully accepted too.
>-----------------------------------------------------------
>Elmer Bataitis          "Hot dog! Smooch city here I come!"
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   It's an urban legend.  I don't know where it started.  The idea that
the brain, which uses 20% of the body's energy already, is mostly not
being used, is silly.  Why would nature do a dumb thing like that?

   I only know of two organs that uses energy faster on a per gram
basis than brain, and those are kidney and heart (and they don't beat
brain by much).  Your brain is sizzling up there.  If it worked 10
times as hard, you'd not only have to eat twice as much, but steam
would come out of your ears. <g>

                                         Steve Harris, M.D.