The Human Brain: 35 Fascinating Facts About Our Most Complex Organ

Alzheimer's disease is considered by some scientists to be Type 3 diabetes because it results from resistance to insulin in the brain.

27. Scientists have successfully connected a paralyzed patient's brain to a tablet who was then able to type and surf the Internet.

28. The world's fastest supercomputer (TH-2) requires 24 million Watts of power, but still needs to be about 100,000 times faster to match our 20 Watt brain.

29. A clinical trial in 2016 held at Stanford University School of Medicine found that injecting modified human stem cells directly into the brains of chronic stroke patients can re-enable patients to walk.

30. 10-20% of Americans and a higher percent of Europeans are infected with a brain parasite from cats that makes them 2.5 times more likely to get in a car accident, changes personality traits, contributes to schizophrenia, and may cause sexual attraction to cat urine.

Cognitive decline is slower for people exercising regularly, and increased physical activity levels can slow down brain aging by 10 years.

32. Exercising makes you both more productive and happier for the day that you exercise. It affects your brain function and memory, and the positive effect lasts for the entire day.

33. Gaius Gracchus, the ancient Roman politician, had a bounty put on his head to the price of the head's weight in gold. Although the head was delivered, the prize was never paid, as it was discovered that Gaius' captor had emptied out his brain and replaced it with molten lead.

34. The brain receives 20% of the body's total oxygen consumption, despite only representing 2% of the body's total weight.

35. An Italian brain surgeon had a heart attack in the middle of an operation. He powered through it when he realized his patient would never recover if he stopped.