The brain is essential. Without it, you couldn’t live.
As it is very fragile, it must be well protected, inside your skull.
It’s connected to the rest of your body by your nerves. They’re like long wires that carry information.
Your brain receives and analyses the information coming from your organs, like your eyes, your skin, your nose, your ears…
Then it makes decisions and orders your body to make movements. It’s the boss!
Your brain even make some of your organs work without you having to think about it; it makes your heart beat, your lungs breathe.
And animals, do they have a brain too?
Well, it depends. Some animals, like jellyfish and starfish, don’t have a brain.
Instead, they have special cells spread throughout their bodies.
That said, the vast majority of animals do have a head with a brain in it… A bit like you!
Size varies according to the species. Insects have tiny brains…
… While other animals have a huge brain. For example, the sperm whale’s brain weighs 20 lb. Can you imagine that? 6 times bigger than yours!
Although smaller, the human brain is much more developed. That’s why you can talk, think, memorize, imagine…