Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
brain weight
Does your brain get heavier as you gain more knowledge?
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Well this seems like a sensible question and you've only got irrelevant answers so far so with my limited knowledge I'll try to redress the balance.
Knowledge is essentially memory. Memories are created by reactions between many chemicals in the brain. These reactions will (very slightly) alter the weight of the brain, sometimes making it lighter sometimes heavier.
The point being that it is the ratio and configuration of each of these chemicals and the brain tissue structure that determine what we understand and remember rather than the addition of more and more chemicals every time we add another memory.
In short, no.
Knowledge is essentially memory. Memories are created by reactions between many chemicals in the brain. These reactions will (very slightly) alter the weight of the brain, sometimes making it lighter sometimes heavier.
The point being that it is the ratio and configuration of each of these chemicals and the brain tissue structure that determine what we understand and remember rather than the addition of more and more chemicals every time we add another memory.
In short, no.
I spent a lot of time constructing that answer billy... so my brain must have gained weight with the knowledge gained from researching the question.
It was, IMO, a fatuous question, and I gave it the respect it deserved. If you can provide me with a link that indicates anywhere that increasing knowledge alters the weight of the brain in any way, shape or form I will be
a/ amazed
b/ humbled enough to offer an apology.
It was, IMO, a fatuous question, and I gave it the respect it deserved. If you can provide me with a link that indicates anywhere that increasing knowledge alters the weight of the brain in any way, shape or form I will be
a/ amazed
b/ humbled enough to offer an apology.
The brain does not get heavier when it gains more knowledge. They took Albert Einstein's brain out following his death and studies since have shown that the weight and size of his brain were about the same as the average man.
There were only two noticeable features of his brain that were unusual. Firstly, a region of the brain called the inferior parietal region was wider than normal. This showed that he had additional mathematical reasoning powers over that of Joe Public. Secondly, a brain fissure called the sulcus ended abruptly. The significance of this remains controversial as only some of the functions of the sulcus are known for certain.
I've been privileged to see two preserved portions of his brain at separate american universities and believe me, they look exactly like other brains I've seen.
Finally, let's use some reverse logic. PM (Autopsy) examinations of dwarfs, pygmies and other races of small stature have been performed for centuries, often for macabre purposes. In a small person, the brain is always found to be smaller and lighter than normal because everything remains more or less in proportion.
Dwarfs and people of small stature are as capable of absorbing knowledge and acheiving high intelligence just like the rest of us. The fact that their brains are smaller and lighter, doesn't make them imbeciles.
There were only two noticeable features of his brain that were unusual. Firstly, a region of the brain called the inferior parietal region was wider than normal. This showed that he had additional mathematical reasoning powers over that of Joe Public. Secondly, a brain fissure called the sulcus ended abruptly. The significance of this remains controversial as only some of the functions of the sulcus are known for certain.
I've been privileged to see two preserved portions of his brain at separate american universities and believe me, they look exactly like other brains I've seen.
Finally, let's use some reverse logic. PM (Autopsy) examinations of dwarfs, pygmies and other races of small stature have been performed for centuries, often for macabre purposes. In a small person, the brain is always found to be smaller and lighter than normal because everything remains more or less in proportion.
Dwarfs and people of small stature are as capable of absorbing knowledge and acheiving high intelligence just like the rest of us. The fact that their brains are smaller and lighter, doesn't make them imbeciles.
Weight a minute now. We may be getting into a gray area here but are you saying that size doesn�t matter? Next thing you�ll be telling us is that it is all in how you use it.
Now when it comes to measuring the effects of added knowledge on the mind, the weight of the evidence is profound, this is a no brainer . . . heavy dude!
Now when it comes to measuring the effects of added knowledge on the mind, the weight of the evidence is profound, this is a no brainer . . . heavy dude!
That's right mibn2cweus, size doesn't matter - oops, I think I should add I was talking about the brain.
Einstein agreed to donate his body to science some time before his death. Scientists postulated to the day that he died that his brain would be found to be heavier and possibly larger than the norm although it's said that external skull measurements did not show that he had a particularly oversized cranium.
The male human brain generally weighs about 1200g to 2100g with the average being somewhere around 1400g. Einstein's brain weighed 1230g.
I deliberately used Einstein as an example as he is almost universally regarded as one of the most intelligent humans that has lived on this planet. However, the fact remains that regardless who the individual is, there is no correlation between brain weight and intelligence/knowledge.
So yes, size doesn't matter as far as intelligence or gain of knowledge is concerned. Stop and think for a moment of the number of intelligent women that have lived on earth.
The heaviest recorded brain weight of a woman is around 1740g and that was very exceptional. On average, a woman�s brain weighs around 1220g. This is much less than that of the average male brain weight, yet there is no evidence to suggest that women are less intelligent than men. Einstein may well be acknowledged as a genius, but where would be without the likes of Marie Curie?
(continued)
Einstein agreed to donate his body to science some time before his death. Scientists postulated to the day that he died that his brain would be found to be heavier and possibly larger than the norm although it's said that external skull measurements did not show that he had a particularly oversized cranium.
The male human brain generally weighs about 1200g to 2100g with the average being somewhere around 1400g. Einstein's brain weighed 1230g.
I deliberately used Einstein as an example as he is almost universally regarded as one of the most intelligent humans that has lived on this planet. However, the fact remains that regardless who the individual is, there is no correlation between brain weight and intelligence/knowledge.
So yes, size doesn't matter as far as intelligence or gain of knowledge is concerned. Stop and think for a moment of the number of intelligent women that have lived on earth.
The heaviest recorded brain weight of a woman is around 1740g and that was very exceptional. On average, a woman�s brain weighs around 1220g. This is much less than that of the average male brain weight, yet there is no evidence to suggest that women are less intelligent than men. Einstein may well be acknowledged as a genius, but where would be without the likes of Marie Curie?
(continued)
What does matter is the interconnections between the cells in the brain. The more complex the �wiring� in the brain, the more intelligent the individual. This was one of the unusual features of Einstein�s brain.
Yes, how we use it plays a part too. Haven�t you come across people who possess a particular talent that somehow doesn�t seem fitting for their social class or education? Don�t make the mistake that I�m talking about prodigies � we've all come across people who have learnt to use their brains in ways that they could never have foretold.
This may well be no-brainer for you as it seems to have been for the earlier posters. Try not to forget that what may be simple to understand for you, may have been nagging the mind of the man next to you for years. Who learns anything without asking or reading. Unless I grossly misunderstand it, I thought this was what AB was all about.
Yes, how we use it plays a part too. Haven�t you come across people who possess a particular talent that somehow doesn�t seem fitting for their social class or education? Don�t make the mistake that I�m talking about prodigies � we've all come across people who have learnt to use their brains in ways that they could never have foretold.
This may well be no-brainer for you as it seems to have been for the earlier posters. Try not to forget that what may be simple to understand for you, may have been nagging the mind of the man next to you for years. Who learns anything without asking or reading. Unless I grossly misunderstand it, I thought this was what AB was all about.
theprof, I'm like in total agreement with everything you've said pro; fact is I just wanted to see you type out my moniker, (or did you copy/paste).
I always eagerly look forward to expanding my intellectual resources with the reading of your contributions to AB.
As for the final part of your last post; hey, write on dude!
I always eagerly look forward to expanding my intellectual resources with the reading of your contributions to AB.
As for the final part of your last post; hey, write on dude!
Thanks mibn2cweus.
Copy/Paste? You've got to be joking. After spending years with chemical formulae rattling around in my head, recalling and typing an alphanumeric is effortless and second-nature. mibn2cweus is a bit like a chemical formula.
I've been in this education lark for many years now and I'm happy that I've made some contribution to yours. Next week, I'm spending an afternoon teaching biology and chemistry to a couple of classes of 11-12 year olds and answering their general science questions.
The school makes a big fuss of my attendance (there was a journalist and photographer there last time), but apart from the pleasure it gives me, I take time out to do this sort of thing to make sure I keep my feet on the ground.
I'll keep on writing for as long as The Answerbank allows me the privilege and I don't turn my toes up.
Copy/Paste? You've got to be joking. After spending years with chemical formulae rattling around in my head, recalling and typing an alphanumeric is effortless and second-nature. mibn2cweus is a bit like a chemical formula.
I've been in this education lark for many years now and I'm happy that I've made some contribution to yours. Next week, I'm spending an afternoon teaching biology and chemistry to a couple of classes of 11-12 year olds and answering their general science questions.
The school makes a big fuss of my attendance (there was a journalist and photographer there last time), but apart from the pleasure it gives me, I take time out to do this sort of thing to make sure I keep my feet on the ground.
I'll keep on writing for as long as The Answerbank allows me the privilege and I don't turn my toes up.
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