Brain usage myths and facts

Human use more than 10% of their brain

Brain imaging shows virtually the entire brain is active over a 24-hour period, and even simple tasks light up regions across the brain. The brain uses about 20% of the body's energy despite being just 2% of body mass — evolutionarily, a mostly-unused organ that expensive wouldn't have survived. The myth is often traced to a misquote of psychologist William James, who never cited a specific percentage.