How to Grow a Super-Athlete

Myelin is a sausage-shaped layer of dense fat that wraps around the nerve fibers. Myelin works the same way that rubber insulation works on a wire, keeping the signal strong by preventing electrical impulses from leaking out. Brain researchers named their new science after the neuron instead of its insulation. Neurons can indeed explain almost every class of mental phenomenon—memory, emotion, muscle control, sensory perception and so on. But there's one question neurons can't explain: why does it take so long to learn complex skills? To the surprise of many neurologists, it turns out this electrical tape is quietly interacting with the neurons. The thicker the myelin gets, the better it insulates and the faster and more accurately the signals travel. Myelin controls the impulse speed, and impulse speed is crucial. The better we can control it, the better we can control the timing of our thoughts and movements.