How your brain builds a network (and computers copy it)
- Frobo
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
Have you ever wondered why you can ride a bike, solve a puzzle, or remember your best friend’s birthday? That’s your brain at work — and it’s kind of like the best computer in the world.
Let’s break it down.
1. Meet your brain’s “wires”
Your brain is made of billions of tiny cells called neurons.Think of neurons like little robots passing notes to each other.They have:
Axons – long “cables” that send messages out
Dendrites – branch-like “antennae” that catch messages coming in
When an axon from one neuron touches the dendrite of another, they can pass along an electrical signal — a bit like a secret handshake.
2. Signals = super speedy messages
Every time you touch something hot, kick a ball, or think about pizza, your neurons send super-fast electric messages through axons and dendrites. These connections are called synapses. The more you practise something, the stronger those synapses get — like upgrading from a tiny path to a four-lane highway.
3. Computers do something similar!
Inside your laptop or phone, there are no neurons — but there are networks made of “nodes” (tiny processors) and “connections” (wires). In artificial neural networks (used in AI), each node acts a bit like a neuron.
It takes in information, makes a decision, and passes it on, just like your brain’s axons and dendrites.
That’s why computers can learn to recognise faces, translate languages, or play chess — they’re borrowing your brain’s blueprint.
4. Why this is useful
Knowing how your brain works helps scientists:
Treat illnesses that affect memory or movement
Build better robots and AI
Understand how learning and creativity happen
And knowing how computer networks work helps you build apps, games, and maybe even the next AI tool.
5. Let's repeat what you saw in the picture
Neurons – In the image on the left, the whole orange shape is a single neuron. It’s like the main “unit” of the brain. On the right, the blue circle marked Node is the artificial neuron — one “unit” of a computer network.
Axons – In the orange neuron, the long tail running down is the axon. That’s the “wire” sending messages out. In the blue artificial neuron, the outgoing grey lines are like axons — they carry information to the next node.
Dendrites – The orange branches at the top of the neuron are dendrites. They “catch” signals from other neurons. In the blue artificial neuron, the incoming grey lines are like dendrites — they bring information in from other nodes.
Synapses – The tiny spaces where axons touch dendrites are synapses, the “meeting points” where signals hop from one neuron to the next. In the artificial neuron, the spots where the grey lines meet the blue node act like synapses — connection points where numbers get passed along.
The similarities
A biological neuron takes in signals through its dendrites, adds them up in the cell body, and sends a signal down its axon through synapses to other neurons.
An artificial neuron (node) takes in numbers from its incoming lines, adds them up, applies a rule, and sends a number out along its outgoing lines to other nodes.
So the structure is similar (inputs, processing centre, outputs), even though one uses electricity and chemicals (your brain) and the other uses math and electricity (computers).
6. Takeaway
Your brain is the ultimate “super-network,” and computers are trying to catch up. Learning how it works makes it even more powerful.
Here are some links you can try for fun AI / neural network demos. These let you tinker with “neurons”, try simple network things, or see visuals of how computers learn.
💡 Tips for using the resources
Bring along an adult/teacher so you can ask questions about anything that seems a bit strange.
This video from Khan Academy provides a good walk-through if you want to learn more.
Stay curious,
//Frobo
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