Science & Technology

The human brain is actually two separate organs, new study finds

By T.K. Randall
September 18, 2026

Image: Inside My Head
Credit: Andrew Mason / CC BY 2.0 (adapted) There is still a great deal we do not understand about the human brain, not least how it gives rise to consciousness. Yet despite centuries of scientific study, researchers continue to make discoveries that could fundamentally change the way we understand this vital organ.

Now, researchers have discovered that the brain may have actually started out as two separate organs, meaning that further back in our evolutionary history, we may have had two physically separate nervous systems that eventually came together.

This suggests that the modern human brain is actually comprised of two highly interconnected nervous systems that originally evolved independently of one another. The finding could rewrite the book on our understanding of how the human brain evolved.

"While the front and back of the brain are built from different sources, it is remarkable that they intimately connect with one another to form a functional brain," study first author Rayyan Jokhai told The Telegraph.

"A perfect example of this is the movement of muscles in our body."

"The front of the brain initiates the decision to make a movement while the back of the brain coordinates the fine details of this motion in space and smoothens the action."

Source: Telegraph

Tags: Brain