IntroductionThe main reason why I chose How Smart Can We Get would be that it is our intelligence that sets us apart from any other being on this planet. Humans have a unique brain. It allows us to solve problems in ways that still surprise us today. Every time humanity has faced a problem deemed too big to solve, some brain has come up with an answer to save us. There are several reasons why the human brain is such a marvel. The ones touched on by the documentary that I found particularly interesting are the brain's ability to change itself, the differences in people with Savant syndrome, and why we suffocate under pressure. Summary In the first part of the documentary it becomes evident that Albert Einstein's brain looks different. One of the most striking differences is that there is a knob in the right primary motor cortex. This knob is the result of an enlarged turn that controls his left hand. It turns out that many musicians who have had lessons since childhood have this same kink. People who play stringed instruments tend to have this node on the left side, while people who play the piano tend to have the node on the right side of the brain. This demonstrates the brain's remarkable ability to change itself to adapt to the demands placed on it by the environment. There is also a man who can calculate which day of the week a given date will fall on. He has a condition called Savant syndrome. People with Savant syndrome have abilities that far exceed what would normally be considered average. Some are born with these abilities and others acquire them after suffering neurological damage. A woman whose speech centers were beginning to deteriorate began to paint beautiful pictures,...... middle of paper......before my mother forced me to stand in front of an audience and speak, the more I it became easy to talk. I was able to breathe better and calm down. By the time I got to high school it wasn't a big deal to me anymore and I had always wondered why. After watching this documentary I realized that I had probably learned how to turn down the crosstalk that was occurring between my prefrontal cortex and my amygdala. I happen to find it quite interesting. Conclusion How smart can we become? we discussed how the physical structure of the human brain can change due to the demands placed on it, how Savants are able to do extraordinary things with little time or effort, and how our emotions can get the better of us when we need a clear mind most. It was undoubtedly fascinating to watch. I can only hope that the information I gained from this exercise made my brain a little smarter.