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Do We Really Only Use 10 Percent of Our Brains? | Smartest Year Ever (July 21, 2025)
Welcome to Brain Week on Smartest Year Ever—a 7-day exploration of the most mind-blowing facts about the human brain. In today’s episode, Gordy takes aim at one of the most enduring neuromyths in pop culture: the claim that we only use 10 percent of our brains.
This idea shows up everywhere—from self-help gurus and pop psychology books to movies like Lucy and Limitless. But is there any truth to it? And where did this weird myth even come from?
Along the way, Gordy unpacks the real story behind William James, tracks down a confusing sidetrack involving child prodigy William James Sidis (highest IQ ever?), and reveals what modern neuroscience can actually tell us about brain usage.
You’ll hear about:
The real origin of the “10% myth”
Why functional MRI scans disprove it
What Sidis had to do with made-up IQ scores of 300
How your brain is more like a Las Vegas casino than an unused warehouse
And why every part of your brain matters (just ask your neurologist)
Perfect for fans of neuroscience, psychology, and viral myths that just won’t die.
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who still quotes that 10% line. And stay tuned all week long for more astonishing facts during Brain Week!
Sources
Beyerstein, B. L. (1999). Whence Cometh the Myth that We Only Use Ten Percent of Our Brains? In S. Della Sala (Ed.), Mind Myths: Exploring Popular Assumptions About the Mind and Brain (pp. 3–24). John Wiley & Sons.
Jarrett, C. (2014). All You Need To Know About The 10 Percent Brain Myth, In 60 Seconds. Wired Magazine.
Boyd, R. (2008, February 7). Do People Only Use 10 Percent Of Their Brains? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/
Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Ruscio, J., & Beyerstein, B. L. (2010). 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions About Human Behavior. Wiley-Blackwell.
#BrainFacts #Neuroscience #PsychologyMyths #MindBlown #SmartestYearEver Music thanks to Zapsplat.
View all episodes
By GordyWelcome to Brain Week on Smartest Year Ever—a 7-day exploration of the most mind-blowing facts about the human brain. In today’s episode, Gordy takes aim at one of the most enduring neuromyths in pop culture: the claim that we only use 10 percent of our brains.
This idea shows up everywhere—from self-help gurus and pop psychology books to movies like Lucy and Limitless. But is there any truth to it? And where did this weird myth even come from?
Along the way, Gordy unpacks the real story behind William James, tracks down a confusing sidetrack involving child prodigy William James Sidis (highest IQ ever?), and reveals what modern neuroscience can actually tell us about brain usage.
You’ll hear about:
The real origin of the “10% myth”
Why functional MRI scans disprove it
What Sidis had to do with made-up IQ scores of 300
How your brain is more like a Las Vegas casino than an unused warehouse
And why every part of your brain matters (just ask your neurologist)
Perfect for fans of neuroscience, psychology, and viral myths that just won’t die.
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who still quotes that 10% line. And stay tuned all week long for more astonishing facts during Brain Week!
Sources
Beyerstein, B. L. (1999). Whence Cometh the Myth that We Only Use Ten Percent of Our Brains? In S. Della Sala (Ed.), Mind Myths: Exploring Popular Assumptions About the Mind and Brain (pp. 3–24). John Wiley & Sons.
Jarrett, C. (2014). All You Need To Know About The 10 Percent Brain Myth, In 60 Seconds. Wired Magazine.
Boyd, R. (2008, February 7). Do People Only Use 10 Percent Of Their Brains? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/
Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Ruscio, J., & Beyerstein, B. L. (2010). 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions About Human Behavior. Wiley-Blackwell.
#BrainFacts #Neuroscience #PsychologyMyths #MindBlown #SmartestYearEver Music thanks to Zapsplat.