# Alive without brain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513 "2003-03-27T13:30:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/1 "2003-03-27T13:30:21Z")
Not sure if Cecil allready coped with this, but there I found a very intersting arcticle in Russian Pravda newspaper about unsolved mystery of decapitated men an women who lived and operated quite for some time without head. And of course there were cases of babies born without brain, who could perform normaly qoite some time before they died. Well, article says it’s becouse of our secondary brain in the groin (\<- yes, this is sarcastic joke, it’s in abdomen all right) … What da ya think? [http://english.pravda.ru/society/2003/03/26/45101.html](http://english.pravda.ru/society/2003/03/26/45101.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/2 "2003-03-27T13:34:57Z")
I think the entire website is an excellent example of people seeming to perform almost normal activities without a functioning brain. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/3 "2003-03-27T13:36:48Z")
Am I the only one who’s first reaction to this thread title was “I know that guy!”? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/4 "2003-03-27T13:37:54Z")
The story was attributed to “Oleg Doronin UFOZONE”. That’s probably as far as you need to look. In other news, aliens abducted my cat, which subsequently gave birth to giant radioactive tarantulas. ---
**Author:** ![mooka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@mooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mooka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/5 "2003-03-27T13:43:00Z")
The lower parts of the brain control your breathing. Your body would die very quickly without a brain for that reason alone. I’m sure there must be many many more reasons why your body can’t survive without your brain. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/6 "2003-03-27T13:44:33Z")
Oh, and this: [Do decapitated heads briefly remain conscious?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_221a.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/7 "2003-03-27T13:53:51Z")
You might not think it is possible to live without a head but that is just because you have never heard the true story of Mike the Headless Chicken: > **[Mike the Headless Chicken Festival - Fruita, CO - August 27th and 28th](https://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/mike)** > > Welcome to THE OFFICIAL Mike the Headless Chicken Festival website! We get this a lot, but YES this is a true story of Mike the Headless Chicken Festival. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/8 "2003-03-27T14:02:43Z")
I don’t know whether your comment was directed at me, **Shagnasty** , but one of the things I got from my archive search was: [Is it possible for a chicken to live with its head cut off?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_086.html) ---
**Author:** ![ForgottenLore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@ForgottenLore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForgottenLore)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/9 "2003-03-27T14:11:34Z")
I saw the title of this thread and an image of a former boss rose unbidden to my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/10 "2003-03-27T14:42:56Z")
My Skepto-Meter is registering a significant value for that site. I’m reminded of the story about a guy (a saint IIRC) who was beheaded, then picked up his own head and kissed it (think about it). ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/11 "2003-03-27T14:52:43Z")
Our friends in the [vegetable kingdom](http://www.science.uva.nl/~robbert/zappa/albums/Mothermania/04.html) do all right without a brain. ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/12 "2003-03-27T14:56:19Z")
Well, I do remember Dr. Dean Edell on the radio reading a story about a guy who was being examined for something or another and they found that he had next to no brain at all, yet he was a totally normal guy, fully capable. I was trying to find a cite, but not turning up much. If anyone can find this, I will appreciate it greatly. I of course will keep trying. LC ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/13 "2003-03-27T15:22:22Z")
Me too **Lucki** - I do remember reading about a young man whose brain was found to consist largely of a hollow fluid filled cavity and yet he was quite normal in most respects, even gifted in something or other IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/14 "2003-03-27T15:25:07Z")
[this](http://web.syr.edu/~sndrake/necbrain.htm) seems to say something on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/15 "2003-03-27T15:58:41Z")
Well, my head I’d be scratchin’, while my thoughts were busy hatchin’, if I only had a brain. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/16 "2003-03-27T21:24:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Athena \* > \*\*Am I the only one who’s first reaction to this thread title was “I know that guy!”? \*\* Naw, my first reaction was “Me lose brain! Oh no! Why me speak?” Or something like that. Unfortunately the Simpsons are becoming Pythonish in that it becomes less funny if you cant remember the exact quote :o ---
**Author:** ![ForgottenLore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@ForgottenLore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForgottenLore)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/17 "2003-03-27T21:58:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Naw, my first reaction was “Me lose brain! Oh no! Why me speak?” Or something like that. Maybe you’re thinking of “Me fail English? That’s unpossible!” ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/18 "2003-03-28T00:16:01Z")
It’s “Why I laugh?” ---
**Author:** ![Eirik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b19c9b/32.png) [@Eirik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eirik)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/19 "2003-03-28T00:20:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lucki Chaarms \* > \*\*Well, I do remember Dr. Dean Edell on the radio reading a story about a guy who was being examined for something or another and they found that he had next to no brain at all, yet he was a totally normal guy, fully capable. I was trying to find a cite, but not turning up much. If anyone can find this, I will appreciate it greatly. > > I of course will keep trying. > > LC \*\* I recall a similar thing that I saw when we were shown a documentary in a psyhcology class about 9 years ago. In demontrating an MRI, the host of the show was found to be missing a large chunk of his brain, IIRC about the size of a couple golf balls. The host of the show barely made reference to it and moved on. After the show was over, the proffessor mentioned that he’d known the doctor who was being primarly interviewed for the documentary and asked him about that MRI. He was told the staff practically fell out of their chairs when they saw it, but that the host seemed completely normal, outside of being a bit of a jerk. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513/20 "2003-03-28T00:41:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRootabega \* > \*\*It’s “Why I laugh?” \*\* To nitpick: “Me lose brain? Uh-oh ::giggle:: Why I laugh?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alive-without-brain/164513.md?page=2)