Do humans only use 10 percent of their brains?
No — the evidence does not support this claim.
Humans only use 10 percent of their brains.
What the evidence shows
Brain imaging shows that humans use virtually all of their brain, including during sleep. There is no large dormant region waiting to be unlocked; over the course of a day nearly every area of the brain is active. Neurologists describe the 10-percent figure as a long-running myth with no scientific basis.
This summary describes a fact-check originally published by Snopes. FactGuard did not conduct this review; we summarize it and link to the original. Read the original fact-check by Snopes →
Sources
- Snopes
- Scientific American
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Published 2026-06-07 · Last reviewed 2026-06-07
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