The complexity of the human brain

A single neuron cannot do much. Put a few hundred together and a primitive nervous system emerges. String 86 billion neurons together—with hundreds of trillions of connections—and you have yourself a human brain, capable of asking some very deep questions, like what is it that makes humans human?

To answer that, researchers have set out to develop an accurate map of the brain.

Brain meets brawn

The demands for a simulation of the brain are immense, requiring the most powerful supercomputers in the world.

Researchers estimated that mapping the entire human brain would require 1000 exabytes of data—that’s 213 billion DVDs combined!

Uncovering insights into diseases

Mapping and deciphering the intricacies of the human brain will help researchers understand the underlying causes and effects of certain disorders.

It may be possible to use this understanding to develop sensitive tests for schizophrenia, autism and ADHD, and even test virtual psychiatric treatments.