← Giant Brain Candy
Giant Brain Candy: Wiring That Circles the Earth. Laid end to end, the brain’s insulated nerve fibres stretch roughly 150,000 to 180,000 km at their peak — enough to wrap around the Earth about four times. Source: Myelinated fibres, measured.
Growing evidenceThe research
  1. Marner, L., Nyengaard, J. R., Tang, Y., & Pakkenberg, B. (2003). Marked loss of myelinated nerve fibers in the human brain with age. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 462(2), 144–152.

Journey 1 · Non-Consciousness

Wiring That Circles the Earth

Laid end to end, the brain’s insulated nerve fibres stretch roughly 150,000 to 180,000 km at their peak — enough to wrap around the Earth about four times.

Source: Myelinated fibres, measured · Growing evidence

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Giant Brain Candy: 86 Billion Neurons. Your brain holds about 86 billion neurons. Scientists counted them by dissolving brain tissue into a ‘soup’ of cell nuclei and tallying samples of it. Source: Counting the brain’s cells.
Giant Brain Candy: The Other 85 Billion. Neurons have partners: about 85 billion other cells, mostly glia — astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia. The old claim of ten glia for every neuron turned out to be a myth. Source: Neurons and glia, counted.
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