The Wonder of the Brain

Today I learned something that really surprised me. I learned about brain development in Executive Functioning. We heard about the University of London and the amazing discoveries they made when they did an extensive study on memory.

The scientists at the University of London were interested in how the brain changes or expands when it needs to hold a lot of knowledge. They decided to study London taxi drivers. In London, taxi drovers have to pass an extremely hard test called “The Knowledge.” This test takes about 2.5 years to study for, and cabbies generally make about twelve attempts at the test before they pass. It takes a really long time to become a taxi driver in London because it is a very complicated city with many roads and streets. The scientists that studied these drivers believe that an area of the brain called the hippocampus is what helps the taxi drivers pass “The Knowledge.” They know that the brain is composed of billions of minuscule nerve cells called neurons. These tiny cells are linked by branches connecting them to each other. The scientists discovered that mastering “The Knowledge” had a substantial effect on the brain making the hippocampus larger. This means that humans can change their brains and become more intelligent if they work hard!

That study proved that anyone can be smart if they keep trying, persevere and do their best. It means that no one’s intelligence is fixed because it has been scientifically proven that human brains can transform or grow!–Grade 7 Student

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