The brain

📖 In short

The brain is your body's control center! It sits inside your skull, gets messages from your eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin, understands them quickly, then sends orders so you can move, talk and eat. It's how you think, remember, dream and feel happy or sad.

🤩 Did you know?

The human brain has tens of billions of nerve cells.
An adult's brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms.
The brain uses about a fifth of the energy the body needs.
The brain keeps working while you sleep, and dreams happen during sleep.

🔎 Find out more

🌟 Parts of the brain

The cerebrum is the biggest part, which you use to think, remember and learn. The cerebellum at the back helps you balance and coordinate movement. And the brainstem controls breathing and heartbeat without you thinking about them.

🔍 Lightning-fast messages

The brain has billions of nerve cells that talk to each other with tiny, very fast electrical messages. The messages travel along nerves all over the body.

💡 Two halves

The brain has two halves: the right controls the left side of the body, and the left controls the right side! And they always work together.

🎯 Look after your brain

Your brain needs enough sleep, healthy food, water and exercise. It loves learning new things, like reading and solving puzzles. And wear a helmet when you ride a bike to protect it.