1. The average human brain weighs about 1.3 kg; slightly heavier than a bag of sugar. The heaviest brain is that of a sperm whale, at about 7.8 kg.

2. In relation to their body size, humans have the largest brain of all vertebrates.

3. There are an average of 100,000,000,000 (one-hundred thousand million) brain cells in the human brain - more than the number of people on Earth.

4. If each of our brain cells was the size of a pinhead, our brains would measure 5 metres across.

5. If you laid all the brain’s neurons out in a line, it would stretch for about 600 miles/1000 kilometres. But the line would be so thin that you wouldn’t be able to see it.

6. It is a common misconception that humans only use 10% of their brain. In fact we use it all.

7. Albert Einstein did not have a big brain; at least physically. His intelligence was due to the number of connections between his brain cells.

8. Generally, men have heavier brains than women but they also have heavier bodies and therefore there is no real difference.

9. The electrical impulses that flow through the brain and nervous system can travel at speeds of up to 120 metres per second. That’s 268 miles/432 kilometres per hour!

10. Pain sensations travel along slower nerve fibres than touch sensations. That’s why, when you stub your toe, you feel the impact first followed by the pain a second later. Ouch!