Harvard researchers in collaboration with Google have created a detailed 3D map of a segment of the human brain, marking a significant milestone in brain science.

The mapped sample includes 57,000 cells, 230 millimeters of blood vessels, and around 150 million synapses, compiled into a massive 1.4 petabyte dataset.

This high-resolution brain map reveals new information about brain architecture, such as the abundance of non-neuronal cells and intricate neuron connections.

Estimates suggest that mapping the entire human brain would require an immense 1.6 zettabytes of data storage, an estimated $50 billion investment, and the space of about 140 acres.

The breakthrough holds promise for transforming our understanding of brain function, potential disease treatments, and the development of sophisticated AI algorithms.

The researchers have made the brain map data publicly available, encouraging further scientific exploration, and they plan to extend their work to other areas including neurological disease tissue and the mouse hippocampus.