Humanity is penetrating deeper and deeper into the secrets of the Universe, macro and microworld. But, despite the successes in many industries, people ask scientists the most riddles
We get to know the world. But how? What is really going on in our heads? And where is the observer who learns the world?
The human brain is so complex that until now scientists are only approaching the clues of its individual functions. But how many more questions are still waiting in the wings! Today we present you with a selection of interesting facts about the brain that still baffle science.
10. Vivid dreams
If you ask ten people where dreams come from, you will most likely hear a dozen different assumptions. But this does not mean at all that people do not follow scientific and popular science publications and events in the world of science. It's just that scientists really still don't know where these images come from. One theory suggests that during sleep, the body checks the connections in the brain by activating various channels. Another says that in a dream, the brain processes information for which it did not have enough time during the day, and also strengthens thoughts and memories. But all scientists agree on only one thing: dreams come to us during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase.
9. Night sleep
Tired toys are sleeping, books are sleeping … Flies are sleeping, tigers are sleeping, everyone is sleeping. And people sleep for a very long time. We spend almost a third of our lives in sleep. But science does not know why sleep is necessary. Only one thing is known: sleep is critical to the survival of mammals. Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to mood swings, hallucinations, and in some cases even death. There are two phases of sleep: slow (NREM) and fast (REM). In the slow phase, the brain practically does not show activity, but in the fast phase it works at full capacity. Scientists suggest that in the slow phase of sleep, the body rests and stores energy, and in the fast phase it organizes memories and transfers them from short-term memory to long-term memory. However, none of these assumptions has been proven, and dreams are far from always associated with memories.
8. Phantom sensations
80% of people with amputated body parts get different sensations from non-existent limbs. They range from warmth to pressure, itching, or pain. One theory that explains these sensations suggests that the nerves leading to the amputated body part create new connections and send signals as if it were in place. Another theory suggests that the brain, regardless of the nerve endings, has a "built-in" map of the whole organism and continues to work with it even with the physical loss of a limb.
7. Autopilot
The hypothalamus contains the so-called suprachiasmatic nucleus, or, more simply, the biological clock that controls the circadian rhythm of our body. The most obvious effect of the nucleus is the wake-sleep cycle. But food digestion, body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone production are also controlled. Scientists have found that the intensity of light can influence the biological clock by regulating the hormone melatonin.
6. Tricks of memory
Something is hard to remember, and something is hard to forget. We've all experienced this, but why is it this way? Using modern technology, scientists are gradually getting closer to unraveling the mechanisms for creating and storing memories. The hippocampus appears to play a large role in memorization. Great, but not exceptional. As it turns out, real and false memories activate the same areas of the brain. In order to distinguish one from the other, scientists usually ask subjects to recall the situation in context, which complicates the task in the case of fake memories.
5. Fun puzzle
Laughter is one of the least understood manifestations of human behavior. With sincere laughter, three areas of the brain are activated: cognitive, to understand the joke; movements to control the muscles of the face; emotional, giving a "fun" feeling. But why some laugh at street jokes, and some giggle when watching horror movies - science is not known. All that is known for certain is that laughter improves our well-being.
4 - Nature vs. Upbringing
In a discussion that has been going on for a very long time, what affects us more - genes or upbringing, scientists have collected a lot of factual material. And this material confirms … both points of view, or even their combination. While the study of individual genes has shown that some personality traits can be established even before birth, upbringing and the environment also greatly affect who we are and what we do.
3 - Deadly Mystery
Eternal life is certainly attractive. But the reality is very different from Hollywood movies. Why are we getting old? We are born with a great set of mechanisms to fight infection and injury. But over time, these mechanisms stop working. Basically, theories about aging can be divided into two main types: 1) aging is genetically inherent and in some way beneficial; 2) aging has no purpose, it occurs due to accumulating cell damage. But most scientists agree that science will soon make it possible to extend a person's life at least twice.
2 - Deep freeze
Immortality is still far away, but cryonics may well give people a second chance. Cryonics centers like the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Arizona keep human bodies deep-frozen at 78 degrees Kelvin. The main idea behind this is that in the future, methods of treating incurable diseases may be discovered. Unfortunately, at the moment, there is not only a way to treat the diseases that frozen people suffered, but also a way to defrost them
1 - Consciousness
When you wake up in the morning, you see that the sun has already risen, hear birds singing, perhaps even feel a surge of strength and joy from the morning breeze blowing in your face. In other words, you are conscious. But what is consciousness, how and from what it is created - a mystery that has haunted scientists since ancient times. The biggest mystery is how the processes in the brain create subjective sensations that are unique to each person. In general, scientists are not even working on answers yet, but on a list of questions about consciousness.