Page 144 - The Miracle of Electricity in the Body

142

VITAL INFORMATION CARRIED
VITAL INFORMATION CARRIED

BY THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT
BY THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT

verything we know about the world reaches us by means of our
senses, without which we would be cut off from everything
E around us. Your senses let you obtain comprehensive informa-
tion about what is happening in your body, as well as in the outside
world. You can recognize a friend even you do not see her entire face or
if you see her from behind. You can distinguish thousands of different
smells and shades of color. You immediately feel a feather touching
your skin, or hear the sound of a leaf falling, and you need make no ef-
fort to do so.
The parts of the sensory organs that collect information about the
outside world are known as receptors. These convert the data reaching
them into electrical currents to be transmitted to the brain via the nerve
cells. The brain interprets these currents, thus letting you determine the
properties of the object concerned. It then sends commands to other re-
gions of your body, to take action in light of that information.
Some receptors in the ear react to sounds. Others ensure balance by