People have always been afraid of bumping or injuring their heads because they were uncertain whether their brain cells would come back. There has always been debate over whether or not new brain cells develop through our lives and until recently, it was believed by many that brain cells were irreplaceable once lost.

However, through a research conducted by Dr. Maura Boldrini, scientists were able to discover that our brain makes hundreds of new neurons a day due to a process called neurogenesis. Dr. Boldrini and her colleagues conducted this experiment by examining the brains of 28 deceased people from the ages of 14 to 79. They then looked at the hippocampus, located in the inner folds of the bottom middle section of the brain and associated with learning and memory. Within the hippocampus, new neurons are able to be produced even during adulthood. Upon inspection, the scientists found immature neurons regardless of the age, resulting in the conclusion that brain cells are able to be produced even into old age.

This experiment has been very useful in understanding the brain differences between the brains of old and young people. These new neurons were found to make fewer connections than older neurons and this explained why older people suffer from memory loss. Scientists can gain much more knowledge about the brain and its changes as we age by studying these neurons and the human brain. These studies on the brain can lead to further developments and understanding of human thought as scientists progress in their experiments.

Experiments like these enable people to be more knowledgeable about themselves and prompt more questions about humans that scientists can investigate. Science is meant to constantly be furthered and scientists are doing so by conducting experiments like these. As new discoveries and advancements are made, our society will constantly improve as we, as a species, continue to learn more about ourselves.

<Justin Leung Diamond Bar High School 10th Grade>