Surrounding us is a tangle of spidery branches, delicate fibers, and transparent globes. As we watch, pulsing waves of electrical energy flash through the fibers, scattering in thousands of directions. Meanwhile, all is bathed in a swirling sea of exotic chemicals. We are indeed in a strange realm. The human brain is about the size of a large grapefruit.
Neurons specialize in carrying and processing information.
They also activate muscles and glands. Thus, everything you think, do, or feel can be traced back to these tiny cells. The mass of neurons we call the brain allows humans to make music of exquisite beauty, to seek a cure for cancer, or to read a book like this one. This network makes it possible to combine and store an exceedingly large amount of information. Scientists have long known that the brain is the organ of consciousness and action.