A new study has shed light on the human brain’s ability to process information, revealing that our brains operate at a speed of just 10 bits per second. This finding is slower than what computers can perform in seconds. Researchers Jieyu Zheng and Markus Meister from California Institute of Technology attribute this slow pace to how we internally process thoughts, creating a single-file queue.
In contrast, the peripheral nervous system processes sensory data much faster, with some systems amassing gigabits per second. This disparity raises questions about how our brains filter information. According to the researchers, solving complex tasks like Rubik’s Cube blindfolded or playing StarCraft requires processing speeds of around 10-50 bits per second.
The study highlights a significant gap in understanding between our brain’s processing speed and its potential capabilities. The authors propose that this slow pace may be necessary for survival, as our environment is typically slower-moving than thought. Research on other species suggests that the current rate may be sufficient for most situations.
This discovery could provide insights into improving artificial intelligence, which relies heavily on human neural architecture. By understanding how our brains process information at a slow speed, we can gain new perspectives on how to approach complex problems and potentially develop more effective AI systems that complement human thinking.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-quantified-the-speed-of-human-thought-and-its-a-big-surprise