Did You Know? Fun Facts About the Brain

"My brain: it's my second favorite organ."

Woody Allen in Sleeper (1973)

The brain may be Allen's second favorite organ, but it is by far one of the most interesting aspects of the human body.  Here are some fun facts about the brain that you may not have known:

1. The brain is made up of 77-78% water, 10-12% fat, 8% protein, 1% carbs, 2% soluble organics, and 1% inorganic salt.
2. The average adult brain weights about 3 pounds.
3. Brains can stay alive about 4-5 minutes without oxygen.
4. Your brain is about 2% of your body's total weight but uses 20% of your body's energy.
5. The energy used by a brain is enough to light a 25 watt bulb.
6. Results from cognitive testing show 30% of 80-year-olds perform as well as young adults.
7. The left hemisphere of the brain (the side that processes language) has 186 million more neurons than the right side (the side that processes emotions).
8. It takes 10 seconds to lose consciousness if the supply of blood to the brain is stopped.
9. 750-1000 ml of blood flow through the brain every minute. That is equal to about 3 full soda cans.
10. There are about 100 billion neurons in the human brain, about the same as the number of stars in our galaxy.

What are you doing to take care of this magnificent organ today?