The actual storage capacity of the human brain has never been measured, although it has been estimated that during our lifetime we store about ten times more information than is contained in all the books in the Library of Congress. Anthony Smith, in his beautiful book, The Mind quotes that if a computer were to be constructed like a human brain, there would have to be ten thousand million of the most minutest transistor valves which at a few pence each, would cost 375 million Sterling pounds for a start. All the connections at two cents each would cost far more and the contraption would need an aircrafthangar. This was written by a writer in pre-chip age. The human brain is about 8 inches in length 4 inches in height, and weighs 3 pounds only. Mr. V.Pekelis writes in his famous book, Cybernetics A to Z: The questions looms large in the minds of scientists: how does the brain hold the fantastic amount of information accumulated by a man during his lifetime? Scientists are laboring unceasingly to solve the problem of the origin of memory. The opinion holds that our brain is made up of 12-14 billion neurons. It can be presumed that each neuron is capable of storing more than one unit of information. The presumption that this minute particle of the brain is able to assume ten or hundred states to record information seems less justified. Even if this was the case, it would be impossible to imagine how the brain is able to hold the gigantic reserve of intelligence. We can not but presume that memories are recorded on the molecular level, that molecules of memory are active in the brain. Those are enormous, very complicated molecules, which look like rope ladders with cross-beams of two types. These molecules, placed in a definite order, like the dots and dashed in the Morse code, constitute a peculiar atomic and molecular ABC. How much can be recorded with the aid of it? Let us make some calculations. Each molecule has 10000 cross-beams of two types. The chromosomes of human cells contain some 100000 genes. This means that the number of elementary signs will be 100000 x 10000 = 10 billion. This is equivalent to 50000 pages of the Grand Encyclopaedia. But this is not the final word. If we go on, it will become clear to us that that with an ideal code the text written with the aid of the two signs of our chromosomes would amount to hundreds of thousands or even millions of encyclopaedia pages. In an ordinary walk to a nearby Provisional Stores to buy something, we make at least forty important life saving decisions analyzing the records already stored. When we cross the roads, when we drive, when we park, we take important decisions. Imagine how many important decisions are to be taken by a man/woman in a lifetime. In order to make our life full and meaningful, we have to use our god-gifted brain with a purpose. This can be learned. The skills could be acquired by practice. How to use it purposefully will be subject for the future article. |
