Science
What is Neurons?
A neuron is a specialized cell that carries information through your body as electrical and chemical signals. Billions of neurons connect into networks that let you sense, think, move, and remember — they're the basic building blocks of the brain.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains neurons.
Key things to understand
- 1Neurons are cells that transmit information as signals.
- 2They pass messages to each other across gaps called synapses.
- 3Signals are electrical inside a neuron, chemical between neurons.
- 4Networks of neurons underlie thought, memory, and movement.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a neuron do?
- It receives, processes, and passes on information using electrical and chemical signals.
- How do neurons communicate?
- They send chemicals called neurotransmitters across tiny gaps (synapses) to neighboring neurons.
- How many neurons are in the brain?
- The human brain has roughly 86 billion neurons, each linked to thousands of others.