Do we really use just 10% of our brains?

Nov 18, 2023 5 min

About this episode

According to a Michael J Fox Foundation survey from 2013, 65% of Americans believe that ushumans use just 10% of our brains. That’s not really a surprise when you consider that the 10% figure has been quoted a lot over the years. Medical News Today says that it was referenced in 1936 by American writer Dale Carnegie in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People. Since then, it's been repeated over and over in newspaper articles, TV programs and films. One example is Luc Besson’s 2014 sci-fi action film Lucy, in which the character Professor Norman, played by Morgan Freeman, states: “It is estimated most humans use only 10% of their brain capacity.” Where does the idea come from then? Are you saying we actually use all of our brains then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: How is AI giving a voice to the dead? Why is climbing stairs so good for you? Am I in a situationship? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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