How Much Data Can Our Brains Store?

Our brains aren't exactly like a computer's hard drive, but it can still be fun to think about just how much storage space we have in our noggins.

Hosted by: Olivia Gordon

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Sources:

[Paul-A]

150 TB and half of them are used for embarrassing memories from high school.

[Speak_Out_and_Remove_All_Doubt]

I think I have ran out of space as when I taught myself how to make homemade beer I forgot how to drive.

[annonimooseq]

I wonder what KIND of information is hardest to store/ takes up the most “data” because I can recite schoolhouse rock songs that I haven’t listened to in like a decade, but can’t remember how to spell simple words

[DJH]

But how much of the brain's space is taken up by the Operating System?

[pigpuke]

"Give your brain some credit, it's probably pretty spacious." That sounds like a backhanded compliment. :P

[dennisvance]

You know you’re in trouble when you close your eyes and see the message “iCloud backup was unsuccessful”.

[Moonz]

I must've missed the recent update. My memory size is still 32MB...

[scottcupp]

Not only does it store data, it keeps us breathing, thinking, our senses working, typing this message, and laughing at cat memes. So much more than just a storage device.

[theonepath]

Me: my memory is so bad I forget bits when I wake up the next day, my PC is so good at storing information - so jealous.
RAM: am I a joke to you?

[taro.s]

Yet exams are coming up, and everything I read my brain’s just like “Ya know, I _could_ store this. But *why* would I use up VaLuAbLe SpAcE on that”

[undr_guv_surv]

Your brain also stores the firing patterns for all the neurons too(memories, actions, etc)

[randomlocalpigeon]

Every time she said “synapses” i head “synapsids”, and now a cant get the image of tiny dimetrodons crawling around on neurons out of my head....

[zachcrawford]

The ways that brains compress and recompile "memories" and other data is also very different than a digital computer.

[tj]

0:13 that HD won't store anything if you keep holding it that way 😂

[SquirrelASMR]

I can hold one hundred and ten datas in my brain

[beayn]

All I know at 44 years old is that my memory definitely doesn't work as well, and it seems like when I learn stuff, I forget other stuff, so I'd say I'm at capacity.

[everythingwho]

Plus from what I've learned the brain can change it's capacity, while computers of course cannot

[matthewavilez]

Hard Drives? Nah man, its 2019, we got them SSDs

[darkhorseman]

150tb would be accurate, but you have to realize those memories are stored in an encrypted format that requires large amounts of ephedrine to recover/unencrypt.

[general_prodigy]

Humans: "We can finally store data in the form of solid state!"
Aliens: Visit Earth to store data in Human's Brains