• Question: what is the texture of a brain

    Asked by MohsinTheLittleEinstein to Chris, Josh, Rebecca, Rob, Susan on 24 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Josh Meyers

      Josh Meyers answered on 24 Jun 2015:

      Really dense, sticky and heavy.

      There is a coral which looks like a brain! (brain coral)

      Brain Coral

    • Photo: Rebecca Dewey

      Rebecca Dewey answered on 24 Jun 2015:

      It’s often described as buttery, because of the fatty coating to the nerve cells called the myelin sheath. In a living person, it’s fairly dense, but squishy (can be squashed into shape), but after someone dies, if the brain is removed then it is usually treated with some chemicals to preserve it. This makes it harder/firmer, and so the only brains I’ve ever seen in real life are treated in this way – but I think if someone had brain surgery, their brain would feel very soft.

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