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in General Factchecking by (150 points)

The idea that "the human brain uses only 10% of its capacity" is indeed an unfounded narrative that has been disproven by scientists who study the brain. The claim implies that 90% of the brain is asleep or abandoned and that human mental powers and abilities can win several times due to the stillness of the brilliant. Ultimately, technological advancements have brought us fMRI and other PET-type scans, have shown us that almost every area of the brain is active in some manner, including when a person is "at rest" or engaging in simple and mundane tasks. Regions of the brain are always engaged in one function or another like side commands, motion, sensory experiences, or even higher level functions like memories and reasoning, working somehow and together for that same purpose.

The 10% claim has likely continued to thrive in the collective consciousness because of uncertainty and speculation surrounding the early foundational neurological reflections. While neuroanatomists were studying the human brain, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, for the first time, exploring through different levels of understanding which part of the brain performed which part of human function, only a few understand now from the slight difference in referencing the brain watching the active brain regions, it should be noted that to some logical extent (at that time) they (the scientists) speculated, there is no human brain region that is "silent" or abandoned functionality. The 10% claim spread through popular media, self-help, and motivational speakers, leading to a misunderstanding that stemmed from public's failure to understand inferences with such, humanities entire brains when are at work, also made sense that we don't engage all regions of our brain repairing up to active potential; down modeling the biggest and brightest to a small suppressible other. That said, the human brain does use energy through efficiency, engages regions of it all for ultimately the functional task we attempt to achieve or process, but is limitlessly functional when we do the work.

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ago by Novice (730 points)
The belief that humans use only 10 percent of the brain is a myth.

Mila Hagren, a graduate student at the McGovern Institute, states that the myth took root because of research in 1970 by William James led to the idea that we are only utilizing a small part of our physical and mental capacities. This led the notion that we only use 10 percent of our brains ablaze. According to Medical News Today, there was an experiment conducted with an fMRI that revealed over 10 percent of the brain being active, in fact that most of the brain is being used normally. The study goes on to say that a lot of the brain is active even when sleeping or resting.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321060#the-10-percent-myth

https://mcgovern.mit.edu/2024/01/26/do-we-use-only-10-percent-of-our-brain/
False
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ago by Novice (790 points)

This statement is false and is just a myth. This myth probably arose during a time before MRIs and PETs, and even after this technology was invented it still doesn't show the entire activity of the brain. While many organs in our body do actually have more capacity than is needed, the brain isn't one of them. As a matter of fact, our entire brain is constantly in use, which is why it needs to many calories each day to keep functioning. Every reliable medical and scientific source of information agrees that the idea that humans only use 10% of their brains is a complete falsehood. 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/you-dont-say-brain-space

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321060#the-10-percent-myth

https://mcgovern.mit.edu/2024/01/26/do-we-use-only-10-percent-of-our-brain/

False
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ago by Newbie (410 points)

The claim "The human brain uses only 10% of its capacity" is a myth; many scientists believe this notion was rooted in the public's misconceptions, as well as movies. Harvard Health shut down this claim, stating, while some parts of your brain may at times be more active than other parts, you use 100% of your brain whether that day or night. They also explain how the brain is extremely adaptable and can compensate for or take over for another, stating no part of your brain is unused. 

 Neuroscience for kids expressed that if we lost 90% we wouldn't survive, comparing it to a "sheep's brain." This is an important statement discrediting the original claim that we can only use 10% of our brain; that fact tells us we need to be able to use over 90% to survive. 

Lastly McGovern Institute talked to Matt Harnett, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences said, "Our brain is constantly in use," as well as stating that even while we are asleep, our brain is "intensely active". In conclusion, the claim "The human brain only uses 10% of its capacity" is a false claim and considered a myth by many trustworthy associations. 

https://mcgovern.mit.edu/2024/01/26/do-we-use-only-10-percent-of-our-brain/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/10-brain-myth?

https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/tenper.html

False
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ago by Newbie (380 points)

This claim is not true at all. Science and research have been done that prove this statement. This involves brain imaging, neuroscience shows that we use at least 90% of our brains. This article https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16776593/  in the National Library of Medicine proves this; it has data from using MRI and PET that proves that there is constant brain activity all over the brain. So this claim is false; we do use more than 10% of our brains.

False
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ago by Novice (740 points)

The claim 'The human brain only uses 10% of it's capacity' is false. This is a myth that has circulated mainly in pop culture through movies, tv shows, etc. and holds no truth. Brain imaging technology like fMRI's and CAT scans have shown activity throughout the whole brain, even during simple tasks and sleep. Dr. Barry Gordon from John Hopkins School of Medicine says “We use virtually every part of the brain, and most of the brain is active almost all the time.” https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/? Reputable science research over the years has proven that all parts of the brain have a function and are used at different times all throughout the day. 

False

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