How much memory can the human brain store?

Question

My friend keeps asking me this question and I don't know because I thought every human was different e.g. different brain size, sex, age etc.

Answer 1

about the same amount as it would take for three or four mp3 songs

Answer 2

Your memory will store a life times worth of memorys, but not all is easy to access, when you sleep and full into rem (rapid eye movement) your brain sorts and stores the days information in short or long term memory. Short term memory will fade with time like what you had to eat last wednesday, is not that important, but long term memory like how to do things ie: wire a plug etc get stored for longer. Some short term memory will be triggered by external forces smell, touch and sound for example, like the smell of fish and chips which you had for lunch last wednesday.

I hope this has helped a little into understanding the basic concept of memory.

Answer 3

When i was at school, many years ago now it has to be said, a teacher made a remark to our class, which i have never forgotten; 'The human brain has the capacity for three lifetimes--by the time we are old and dying, we have used but a fraction of it'. I don't know if that helps you in any way, or even if the statement is true-its just what i was taught and i remembered it immediately upon looking at your question.

Answer 4

your brain stores a lot of information, however, contrary to what some other answerers said it does not store even close to everything that is experienced in one's entire life.

every human is different in that they tend to remember things differently and tend to remember things that they are interested in more frequently and more vividly.

most of the time, you only actually remember something you see for less than one second and something you hear for 3-4 seconds. if you recall something, like a phone number that you only need to use once you will forget it quickly. but if you use it frequently, like your parents' or friends' numbers you will remember it longer. if you make associations from one memory to another then it reinforces the connections in your brain and you recall it faster.

you also have things you don't use anymore but you don't forget, or things that you have repressed in your brain until you can safely remember it.

in total, your brain contains about 2 megabytes of information when you die. there is a lot of information in it but it is so amazingly compressed that on a hard-drive it would obviously take up a negligible amount of space.

and finally, the brain uses 100% of itself. the supposed fact that it uses only 10% or 2% is completely false and not all supported by any medical facts.

Answer 5

By all accounts only 10% of the human brain is used - the other 90% is free!

Most modern day humans have lost the ability to use the brain to it's full capacity because things nowadays are so easy to obtain.

Answer 6

human brain has an infinite storage and can store a lot but its that only some have the ability to remember the stored items
because its like million and trillon or rows and one file to pick and onlysome humans have the ability to search all the rows in on day

Answer 7

its not really down to sex,age,or brain size. its down to the common fact that if you don't use it you'll lose it.

your brain is as big as the amount that you use... it has been said that women use a larger percentage of there brain compared to men but on average this equals it's self out as men have a larger brain.... according to scientists.

Answer 8

Human Brain is not a floppy or a CD to be sized

Answer 9

a lifetimes worth of information. the more you learn the greater your brain will become.

Answer 10

It's holds a reasonable amount of information.