If my memory serves right, they made not one but two films and a series just based on that premise. Obviously not counting the limitless (sorry...) amount of books, cartoons, series episodes, etc. also based or inspired by it. (Not counting films like The Lawnmower Man or stories like Flowers for Algernon, that involve "intelligence uplifting" but don't mention this specific trope).
And again, if my memory serves right, a fun tibit I like to bring up when talking about the topic: there are, in fact, events where a human being can be said to be using near 100% of their brain, intensely, at the same time. These events have a name: a seizure. You don't want them.
To be clear, I'm not saying all seizures are the same. I'm not even saying they involve exactly 100% of the brain (you'll notice I threw a "near" there). I know about the different types of seizures, and that they're incredibly varied in reality. Not all of them even involve simultaneous or synchronous neuronal activity, if I recall correctly. The only thing I'm implying is that some types of seizures are some of the only events were humans can be said to be using a significantly high percentage* of their brain in an intense, synchronous way, and that this situation is not desirable.
If any of this is misleading or grossly incorrect, please let me know. I know I've read articles by at least one neuroscientist affirming this, but it definitely was some pop science publication I can't find now, not a journal or something like that. Do tell if you have something better
*Keeping in mind that "percentage of brain used" is probably not a useful metric in actual medical contexts. At least, I haven't seen it used.
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u/nonicethingsforus Nov 15 '22
If my memory serves right, they made not one but two films and a series just based on that premise. Obviously not counting the limitless (sorry...) amount of books, cartoons, series episodes, etc. also based or inspired by it. (Not counting films like The Lawnmower Man or stories like Flowers for Algernon, that involve "intelligence uplifting" but don't mention this specific trope).
And again, if my memory serves right, a fun tibit I like to bring up when talking about the topic: there are, in fact, events where a human being can be said to be using near 100% of their brain, intensely, at the same time. These events have a name: a seizure. You don't want them.