December 29, 2004 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -
The following is an excerpt from the article “Thinking About the Brain” by Dr. Don DeYoung and Dr. Richard Bliss, copyright 2004, Institute for Creation Research:

“The adult brain weighs about 1350 grams, just three pounds, yet it handles the information of 1000 supercomputers. The fundamental unit within the brain is the neuron, or nerve cell. Each cell, about 10-6 meter in diameter, contains a nucleus and branching fibers called dendrites and axons. When a cell ‘fires,’ it sends electrochemical impulses along its axon extension to neighboring neurons. Our brain contains about 10 billion neurons (1010). During the first nine months of life, these neurons form at the astounding rate of 25,000 per minute. ... Each neuron is in dendritic contact with perhaps 10,000 other neurons. The total number of neurological interconnections is on the order of 1014(100 trillion). This number is equivalent to all the leaves on all the trees of a vast forest covering half of the U.S. The total length of the nerve dendrites in an adult brain is over 100,000 miles! ... the brain holds at least 1014 bits (binary digits) of information. Actually, it is a much greater number, since the neurons also show intermediate firing states, somewhat like a light-dimmer switch. The storage capacity of this supercomputer [the Cray-2] is 1,000 times less than that of the human brain. ... Note that the potential brain capacity is estimated as at least equivalent to that of 25 million volumes, a 500-mile-long bookshelf! ... The beautiful complexity of our brain contrasts sharply with all simplistic, secular attempts to explain it away. Our brain remains a frontier of science; we actually know very little about it, but what is known is overwhelming. In addition, every single neuronal cell within the brain contains a trillion atoms. This is like a microscopic universe within each cell, complete with order, purpose, and interdependence of components. ... The brain truly provides an ultimate design challenge for evolution. It should be a cause for humble praise in considering the wonder of the mind. It is a privilege to dedicate these minds to the Creator.”