Question: Why is it that we only use 10% of our brains? Could we develop a pill which unlocks our brain or could you train yourself?

Susan Skelton answered on 22 Nov 2013:

Hi again dizzy,
Actually although loads of people think we only use 10% of our brains, this isn’t true. Neuroscientists (scientists who study the brain) think we use pretty much all of our brain.

Your brain is really amazing! It is faster and more powerful than a supercomputer. This mass of wrinkly material, weighing about 1.5 kg, controls every single thing you do, enabling you to think, learn, create, and feel emotions to controlling every blink, breath, and heartbeat.

Although we don’t need to unlock any of our brain, we can actually make ourselves smarter by doing exercise! Any exercise that makes your heart beat faster, like running, cycling or playing football, is great for your body and can even help improve your mood. But scientists have recently learned that for a period of time after you’ve exercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain more receptive to learning. So if you’re stuck on a homework problem, go out and play a game of football, then try the problem again. You just might discover that you’re able to solve it!