A recent study conducted by neurobiologists at the California Technological Institute has revealed that the human brain processes information at a speed of only 10 bits per second, significantly slower than the trillions of operations per second performed by computers.
Scientists explain that this slower processing speed is due to the brain’s sequential information processing mode. While the peripheral nervous system transmits data at gigabit speed per second, the central brain filters the information to the minimum level required for decision-making.
For instance, a professional game in Starcraft requires about 10 bits per second, while solving a Rubik’s cube blindfolded is less than 12 bits. Reading a complex article can temporarily increase the speed to 50 bits per second.
Neurobiologists Giyu Zheng and Marcus Meister, the authors of the study, suggest that the brain’s sluggish processing speed is a result of its adaptation to the environment. In situations where events unfold slowly, high processing speeds are simply unnecessary.
However, this discovery has sparked several questions. How does the brain filter a vast stream of sensory information? Why doesn’t the brain employ parallel processing, similar to swarms of insects?
Researchers believe that further investigation into this phenomenon can not only enhance our understanding of human neurophysiology but also inspire the development of artificial intelligence that is more aligned with the brain’s characteristics.