this post was submitted on 26 Dec 2024
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The brain's processing speed is surprisingly slow. Despite receiving a massive amount of sensory input, the brain processes information at only about 10 bits per second. This is millions of times slower than the input rate. The slow speed explains why we can only focus on one thought at a time. Our brains evolved to handle a slower-paced world, and we're not equipped to process multiple complex thoughts simultaneously. It's a limitation that likely originated in early animals whose primary need was navigation, which required following one path at a time.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

No wonder everyone feels so overwhelmed.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

We’re getting lapped by ’70s tech.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

How do they reach this conclusion? Full article is behind a paywall.

Fascinating theory either way. Thanks for posting!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Full paper with no paywall that I can see in private browsing: https://arxiv.org/html/2408.10234v2