Thinking Makes My Head Hot
Now for the kicker – what if we were only using 10% of our neural function and what if we could find a way to use 100%? It would kill us in just a few hours. Yep, we could think ourselves to death.
The average brain is only about 2.5-3% of our body mass, but
it uses 20% of our energy reserves. Consider the energy needs if we suddenly
used the other 90% of our brain. Scarlett probably consumes 1800-2000 calories
a day, so her brain scarfs up about 360-400 of those calories. If she started
using all her brain – it would require 3600-4000 calories just for itself.
She would have to eat like a Tour de France rider every day
just to keep from starving to death. Rule the world? She’ll have to do it from
an Old Country Buffet.
If Lucy used 100% of her brain, then she would put out
171.96 kCal/hr. This would be enough energy (in Celsius heat units) to raise
the temperature of her 3 lb. (1.4 kg) brain by 128˚ C every hour! OK, so not all
of it would go to heat, but she would definitely be running about 20˚ C above
the normal 37˚ C. Brain damage and death occurs with a fever of about 106 ˚F
(41˚ C). Lucy’s brain would be parboiled and served up like an appetizer at one
of those fancy gastropubs.
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