One of the main mysteries of our brain is still in memory. How large its resources? Whether somewhere in our cells "written" experience of ancestors and stages of development of mankind?

Does our life on indelible the film or memory of what he saw disappears permanently asks "Komsomolskaya Pravda". Scientists are looking for the answers to these questions and sometimes come to unexpected conclusions.

Myth 1. 90% of the brain is not used

Say, From the capabilities of our brain that is used no more than 10 percent.

In fact: We use the brain to the fullest, only not aware of this report. These notorious 90 percent are used in cases of emergency as panic button like 01, 02, 03. And our "Supreme commander" ready for any changes - even the most global. For example, if our feet are able to perform only their present functions and will not be able in some cases to make "radical leap" - learn "run" through space and time, the brain due to its reserves are already ready for the tasks of the far future.

- It can even be assumed that allegedly unused brain cells is the reserve Fund of God or Nature, - said the candidate of biological Sciences Alexander KAMENSKY. In normal circumstances, their work is suppressed. But if suddenly on Earth will be a disaster and living conditions will be like thousands of years ago, ancient memory must earn and create such bodies, which will help people to survive - like gills and tail.

Until now, scientists are not clear, whence in the memory of some people appear strange information: not once have been described are cases when people who have never left their seats, accurately describe the events and the smallest details of life of people of the past or the details of interiors of the old houses in which they never were. Maybe, that's still not investigated the genetic memory? Today, about it it is only known that in the ova and sperm "written" all information about the structure and functions of the life of any living creature. This "manual" is transferred from the sex cells from generation to generation in the form of a set of genes.

But even the possibility of those 10 percent of the brain that we are actively involved, we use not to the end.

Myth 2. Memory exactly saves everything that happened to us

What they say: Our memory functions: first, it introduces some information, and then when you need to remember something, we recoverable from there. And if you forgot something, can't remember it under hypnosis or as a result of stress.

In fact: We fantasize more than describe the real picture of reality. The mechanism of reading data from memory is very fragile, vulnerable and often fails. According to the head of the laboratory of neuro-biology memory of the Institute of normal physiology RAMS, Professor Konstantin ANOKHIN, information about some kind of event is generated in some brain structures, and is invoked when the memories of other - she like all the time "travels". And most importantly, it not only is not where "put it", but it "is not the". The memory is significantly different from the original. Memory is never an exact copy of the past.

This was proved by the experience of the famous Cambridge psychologist Frederick BARTLETT. He showed subjects unusual picture and asked for memory to play it. Then he proposed to repeat the figure after a few days, then a week several times. Eventually put all the pictures in a row and saw that each of the following image is different from the previous one, and the latter doesn't sound like the original. But the students were convinced that they depicted what he saw with his own eyes! According to Bartlett, that recollection creative reconstruction, trying to relive his first feeling, and the old information in the brain "overwritten", "overwritten" new.

Researchers interpret it this way: when we remember the past, we must first "delete" former information about this event and on top of that to lay re recollection. If to intervene at this point in the processes of memory, the old one is erased and the new does not fit.

Memory to the same plastic as it can be determined by setting the issue, " says Professor Andrey GRIGORIEV. So, during one experiment, subjects were shown a film about the road traffic accident and set to one of two questions: "You saw one broken Faro?" or "You saw the broken headlight?" The majority of responding to the first question confirmed that they had seen one broken Faro, part replied that two. Second interviewed only in half of the cases have confirmed that saw the broken headlight. And actually in the film was not shown no broken lights!

In the brain, you can embed a false memories even intentionally. Once revealed, they are indistinguishable from true and will seem real in defiance of the facts.

Such inventions can even pass a lie detector. That's just one example. Four-year-old boy researchers spoke once a week for 11 weeks, which he survived unreal event: 'were You taken to the hospital because you stuck your finger in a mousetrap. And that happened?" And recorded his answers. 1st week: "No, I was never in the hospital". Week 2: "Yes, I cried". 4th week: "Yes, I remember, it was cut". 11th week: "Well I watched, and then not seen what they do and finger somehow got there. I went downstairs and told my father that I wanted to eat, and then the finger caught in a trap.

It happened yesterday. I went to the hospital yesterday". Moreover, even under hypnosis, which until recently was considered as a reliable way to recover forgotten man of the events, people do not remember so much, how many invent it. Often unwittingly trying to meet the expectations of the hypnotist. And mix seen the movies, scenes from the books and their fantasies. When five different women under hypnosis was asked to restore a picture staged a robbery witnesses whom they were, all five were given a completely different readings and about the number of bandits, and about their appearance, and about the circumstances. So, when two man fight, remembering, how it happened one and the same event, they both time - each in his head moves from the movie...

Myth 3. Memory in men better than women

What they say: "Maiden memory" - short, but women tend to be vindictive.

In fact, the Brain of men and women in different ways organizes memories. Women think mainly the frontal lobes of the brain. And they are responsible not only for logic, but by intuition and emotions. So ladies better memorize all the things that have caused them some feelings. Men when memorizing include logic, they have six times more gray matter in charge of intelligence, and memories form the first "analytical centers". Therefore, their memory is easy to digest figures, schemes, and from events snatches the essence of helping to solve a particular problem.

Information is not vital often goes in "dump". For this reason a man often do not understand why to remember the date of the first kiss or the engagement day, if that is of no use? Moreover, if memories men - straight line, day of the woman it is a spiral of repeated turns that returns a pleasant event or resentment. In quarrels often it is women who are the initiators of the scandal, as one offence husband was detained at work - is the trigger for experiencing all past insults. And men do not see any logic: how today's delay is because in the past the Eighth of March he gave flowers?

But women okudjave, after an hour or two after the scandal they are ready to enter into negotiations. And men can remember a serious offense for years.

By the way, artists, actors and other creative people usually developed for women, including associative memory for detail, color, odor...