If you read some of the less-reputable corners of the internet, you might have heard strange things about mirror neurons.
According to some people, they are why we have empathy.
And ESP.
And telepathy.
It probably goes without saying that most of that isn't true.
They definitely don't give us superpowers.
And there is conflicting research about whether they're the basis of empathy.
Even if they're not, though, they are still a very cool part of your brain and probably, they help us learn from other people.
The name mirror neuron comes from the fact that they fire both when you do something and when you watch someone doing something, even if you don't move a muscle.
Basically, it's as if they mirror the neural activity of the person actually doing the thing.
