The research is based on information theory methods and analysis of human behavior when reading, writing, playing video games, and assembling a Rubik’s cube. 24 Channels with reference Technology Network.

How does it work?

The human sensory system is capable of collecting up to one billion bits of data per second. But the brain filters this flow of information, leaving only 10 bits per second to process and make decisions. According to the leader of the study, Professor Markus Meister, this is an “extremely low number” considering the amount of information our senses perceive.

Neurons and rate limitation

There are more than 85 billion neurons in the human brain, and each one is a powerful processor that can transmit more than 10 bits per second. However, the overall speed of human thinking is still low.

Researchers believe this may be due to the evolution of the brain, which initially focused on solving simple tasks such as finding food and avoiding predators.

Why does the brain only process one thought at a time?

Another puzzle the study raises is why the brain processes only one thought at a time, while the sensory system processes many channels simultaneously. For example, a chess player usually analyzes only one possible move at a time rather than multiple moves.

Researchers suggest that this may be a result of the evolution of the brain learning to “move” in the space of abstract concepts in the same way that early organisms moved in the physical environment.

Conclusions and implications

New data may influence the development of brain-computer interface technologies. Dreams of high-speed communication between the brain and the computer may remain just a dream, because the human brain can only transmit information at a rate of 10 bits per second. This fact may be decisive in the development of new neurointerfaces and future research in the field of neurobiology.