Thursday, December 26, 2024
Contact    |    RSS icon Twitter icon Facebook icon  
Unexplained Mysteries
You are viewing: Home > News > Science & Technology > News story
Welcome Guest ( Login or Register )  
All â–¾
Search Submit

Science & Technology

Phineas Gage: The man with a hole in his head

By T.K. Randall
March 8, 2011 · Comment icon 15 comments

Image Credit: Jack and Beverly Wilgus
Gage lived for 12 years with a big hole in his head, defying logic and changing neuroscience forever.
In 1848, Phineas Gage, a railway worker in Vermont, suffered a remarkable accident that changed the study of neuroscience and showed that physical damage of the brain could affect our personality and behaviour.
"When Phineas' accident occurred, there was no accepted doctrine of the brain having functions," says Malcolm Macmillan, professor of psychology at Melbourne University, and author of An Odd Kind of Fame: Stories of Phineas Gage.


Source: BBC News | Comments (15)

Tags:


Other news and articles

Recent stories:

What did Nostradamus predict for the year 2025 and beyond ?
12-26-2024
Santa Claus Researcher calculates how fast Santa was going on Christmas Eve
12-25-2024
Parker Solar Probe NASA's Parker solar probe attempts record-breaking flyby of the Sun
12-24-2024
Fear Terrified family begs council for new house due to poltergeist activity
12-24-2024
Pink elephant The pink elephant test - are you able to suppress your own thoughts?
12-23-2024
Stonehenge. The true purpose of Stonehenge may have finally been found
12-23-2024
<< Previous story
Evidence found of early American seafaring
Next story >>
Nicotine replacements poisoning kids
Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #6 Posted by Evilution13 14 years ago
Interesting. From a terrible accident came an important discovery. Dunno about putting his skull on display though. I mean, how long do you have to be dead before its okay to dig up your grave, wrench off the skull, and put it on a podeum for all to ogle at I wonder? Not that long by the looks of things.
Comment icon #7 Posted by Druidus-Logos 14 years ago
Interesting. From a terrible accident came an important discovery. Dunno about putting his skull on display though. I mean, how long do you have to be dead before its okay to dig up your grave, wrench off the skull, and put it on a podeum for all to ogle at I wonder? Not that long by the looks of things. Immediately would work for me. I am not just my body, after all.
Comment icon #8 Posted by xXHellkittiesXx 14 years ago
Whatever happened to the name "Phineas"? I think it should make a comeback
Comment icon #9 Posted by SpiderCyde 14 years ago
Not a bad looking dude, too bad he had to go through having a iron rod shot through his head, that really had to suck. Whatever happened to the name "Phineas"? I think it should make a comeback I think it's irish sounding? Might be more popular there, don't know.
Comment icon #10 Posted by Blue Lizard 14 years ago
This is old news, like seriously old news. It's like a cool story that is repeated in many psych classes and many biology classes. I thought UM was more updated with its mysteries or are we just running out of articles?
Comment icon #11 Posted by little_dreamer 14 years ago
There's a different photo of him at the Wiki site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage He looks to be a bit older in this one. He appeared to have died of complications from his original injuries, 12 years later in 1860. He was 36 years old.
Comment icon #12 Posted by KoasTheory 14 years ago
I believe possibly the rod possibly missed hitting any part of the brain which what have resulted in death by a few nanometers even.
Comment icon #13 Posted by UFO_Monster 14 years ago
A reconstruction of Gage's skull: This guy must have been in pain for the rest of his life after the accident. His brain should've been oozing out of his skull, yet he was still normal (psychologically) and alive. The body is a strong thing, yet Phineas must have had an even stronger one.
Comment icon #14 Posted by little_dreamer 14 years ago
I've heard that brain cells do not experience pain. I wish I had a better website to quote on this. http://m.dictionary.com/r/?q=BRAIN "There are no pain receptors in brain tissue. A headache is felt because of sensory impulses coming chiefly from the meninges or scalp."
Comment icon #15 Posted by UFO_Monster 14 years ago
I've heard that brain cells do not experience pain. I wish I had a better website to quote on this. http://m.dictionary.com/r/?q=BRAIN "There are no pain receptors in brain tissue. A headache is felt because of sensory impulses coming chiefly from the meninges or scalp." Not even the entry point? Wow.
 Click here to view all 15 comments on this story    


Please Login or Register to post a comment.


Our new book is out now!
Book cover

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

 AVAILABLE NOW 

Take a walk on the weird side with this compilation of some of the weirdest stories ever to grace the pages of a newspaper.

Click here to learn more

We need your help!
Patreon logo

Support us on Patreon

 BONUS CONTENT 

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can gain access to a wide range of exclusive perks including our popular 'Lost Ghost Stories' series.

Click here to learn more

Recent news and articles
Modern Mysteries

What did Nostradamus predict for the year 2025 and beyond ?

12-26-2024 | 1
Santa Claus
Science & Technology

Researcher calculates how fast Santa was going on Christmas Eve

12-25-2024 | 2
Parker Solar Probe
Space & Astronomy

NASA's Parker solar probe attempts record-breaking flyby of the Sun

12-24-2024 | 0
Fear
Ghosts & Hauntings

Terrified family begs council for new house due to poltergeist activity

12-24-2024 | 4
Pink elephant
Metaphysics & Psychology

The pink elephant test - are you able to suppress your own thoughts?

12-23-2024 | 8
Stonehenge.
Archaeology & History

The true purpose of Stonehenge may have finally been found

12-23-2024 | 3
View More News