History Main / NinetyPercentOfYourBrain

* Besides the milk-white complexion and hairlessness, this is what made the protagonist of ''Film/{{Powder}}'' so special.

* Implied at the end ''Film/TheShadow'' when the BigBad gets a glass shard through his head and has to have a part of his brain that "no one uses" removed. It turns out that this was where his psychic powers were located.

* In ''Film/{{Lucy}}'', unlocking more and more takes the eponymous protagonist down the [[ComnicBook/XMen Jean Grey]] path of increasing mind powers. Using 100% of one's brain capacity leads to omniscience ''and'' omnipotence, making the title character practically a PhysicalGod. The trailer also features Morgan Freeman's character [[ArtisticLicenseBiology --said to be one of the world's top experts on the workings of the human brain-- repeating the misconception]]. According to WordOfGod, they were aware this is just a myth [[IMeantToDoThat but chose to go with it anyway as a]] WhatIf.

* In ''Film/TheLastMimzy'', the characters' newly-unlocked abilities include telepathy, telekinesis, and super-hearing, as well the ability to control spiders by emitting certain frequencies, to send objects through small warp portals, and to draw ancient patterns without ever having seen or heard of them. In the future, levitation is also a standard part of humanity's milieu.[[note]]Creator/HenryKuttner and Creator/CLMoore, who wrote the original story "/Literature/MimsyWereTheBorogoves", are spinning in their graves. The point of that story is that they are ''not'' becoming more advanced, just different; their thinking and reasoning use the logic that's normal for the dimension the toys come from. But that doesn't make a good movie.[[/note]]

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* The ''Anime/NightHeadGenesis'' anime states at the start that normal people leave ''70%'' of their brain unused. Once again, this explains psychic powers.

%%* The Ripple in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' works that way, too.
* The Stone Mask-created [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' gain their power through the activation of unused parts of the brain via acupuncture. This awakens the human's evolutionary potential (with abilities like WallCrawling, liquid eye beams, superspeed/strength, regeneration, sucking blood through their fingers, and creating zombies) and it inverts the lifeforce energy in their bodies (making them undead-like beings weak to sunlight and [[BattleAura Ripple]], the amplified essence of life). Part 2 reveals these masks were created [[spoiler: by a group called the Pillar Men, who belonged to an entire race [[WeakenedByTheLight vulnerable to sunlight]]. After enhancing themselves with stone masks, they turned humans into vampires to have a more-powerful food source. They also plan to enhance themselves even further in order to become the ultimate lifeforms, ridding themselves of all weaknesses, most importantly sunlight.]]
* Played straight in ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'', as the eponymous character has a PhotographicMemory, and can only retain 1 year of memory in her mind, because 85% of it is taken up with an eidetic recollection of the [[NeuroVault complete contents of 103,000 spellbooks]]. That is, until it gets subverted with a sledgehammer when a professor reveals that the "15% left over for a year's memories" is complete BS and ''gives a proper explanation of how the mind works'' in the series. The main character even realizes he's been played for a fool when he does the math: if a year's worth of memories really took up 15% of your brain, you'd max out around age 7 and not be able to ever remember anything new.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'''s Universal Century:
** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Char's Counterattack]]'' (where it is mentioned) may use this explanation for why [[PsychicPowers Newtypes]] exist--that people used only a part of their brains on Earth, and began to use the rest after moving into space. However, it was said to be "half" of the brain being used, not 10%. Also the conversation was between a couple of teenagers, so they may simply not know what they're talking about (they also take a fairly romantic interpretation of the idea/purpose of Newtypes, which Gundam [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism goes back and forth on)]].
** The fifty percent figure is brought up again in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamNarrative'', though it is again said by a teenager who isn't shown to have any real education in the subject.
** This first appeared in the writings of Zeon Zum Deikun, inventor of the Newtype concept, in the ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' novelizations.
** This is in turn based on the writings of Timothy Leary, specifically the 8-Circuit Model of Consciousness which predicted that people's brains would develop in new ways in the future, becoming more enlightened to cope with the challenges of space travel.

* In an episode of ''Manga/Reborn2004'', Reborn gives Gokudera an unique brand of TrainingFromHell by making him eat ramen while withstanding I-pin's Gyoza-ken. Reborn's technical explanation is that, since the Gyoza-ken affects directly the brain, the fact of being able to eat ramen while resisting the muscular spasms the technique provokes would force Gokudera to use all of his brain capacity (whose standard usage is defined here as 30%).
* This is part of the premise for ''Manga/{{Psyren}}''. Like many others, this explains psychic powers, though they seem no less limited than any other set of superpowers in other series.
* In ''Manga/BIchi'', the Clowns can supposedly use 50 to 60% of their brains when activating their powers. However, this detail is only mentioned in the introduction and the Clowns' powers don't have anything to do with using more of their brains in the end.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' does this, but with the chi-like chakra instead of brainpower. Rock Lee's ace in the hole is the ability to open various chakra gates that act like dams for the stuff, with opening enough of them putting him in a [[Anime/DragonBallZ Kaio-Ken]]-esque SuperMode. The catch is that, if a ninja opened all the gates, he would suffer from a fatal HeroicRedRingOfDeath.
* Tohru brings this up during a conversation in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid''. [[PlayedForLaughs Note that Tohru is a dragon with almost zero understanding of human biology and she brought it up in response to seeing a magic trick]]. The English dub works in a TakeThat against ''Film/{{Lucy}}'' by having Tohru say that she heard about it from a "should-be-forgettable movie."
* At least in the film, this is stated in ''Manga/{{Akira}}'', where everyone has powers but aren't always "activated". The Espers have medication that keep them under control to an extent, though poor Tetsuo doesn't, ultimately leading to his ultimate form, AGodAmI.

* ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, a.k.a. Slade, from ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'', has this as one of his powers. Later retconned in that he uses his brain in various ways that regular humans do not. His grey matter got re-routed and reprogrammed. Makes slightly more sense - at least in terms of comic book science.
* According to Todd Ingram in ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'', ninety percent of your brain is filled up with curds and whey. Hence his [[ItRunsOnNonsensoleum telekinetic vegan power]]. Arguably an aversion, though, as Todd is shown to be the dimmest and least imaginative of the League of Evil Exes. While it is canon that veganism gives psychic powers in the Pilgrim universe, Todd's explanation comes off more like a thinly-veiled insult, and Kim in particular seems skeptical.
** Also, when he's revealed to have broken the rules of veganism, rather than losing his powers naturally, they were removed manually by the "vegan police".
* This fake statistic appeared in the ''ComicBook/IronMan'' mini "Hypervelocity," as the AI protagonist was frustrated at being forced to function at a relatively slow "cognitive clockspeed."
* [[Franchise/TheDCU DC Comics]] villain The Key once claimed to have tapped into "the ninety percent of the brain we never use" via a device he built, which allowed him to devise all manner of amazing plans and schemes. This is an aversion, though, as it also drove him completely mad, leading to the implication that he only THINKS he's tapping into new parts of his brain. This later {{lampshaded}} and mocked by The Key himself in ''ComicBook/BatmanSupermanWorldsFinest'', who tells the captive David Sikela/Boy Thunder/[[spoiler:the future [[ComicBook/KingdomCome Magog]]]] that this trope is a load of BS and that he used those chemicals and devices to make him smarter.
* A ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' story by the same author (apparently Creator/GrantMorrison likes this one) revealed that millennia ago when man was still primitive, a group of White Martians came to Earth and deliberately tampered with their genetic code, reducing their brains and bodies to ten percent of their potential. Had the Martians not done this, it's implied that humans would be greater than the ''Kryptonians''.
* An odd ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' story featured a stand-up comedian having part of his unused brain areas activated in an accident, which gave him telekinetic powers, which he used unconsciously to become a sand-covered monster that tried to amuse people to counter his fear of not being laughed at. He was only cured once Superman used his super laughter so that he could finally hear through all the sand that someone was laughing. Okay?
** A Silver Age ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' story involved a computer which was supposed to be designed like a human brain (but was the size of a small room). Its creator explicity laments there being no power source "powerful enough to activate all its circuits at the same time" and wonders what it might be capable of if there were. Then he decides to program it with a human personality... by hooking it up to [[SecretIdentity Clark Kent's]] brain.
* Creator/ValiantComics invoked this with the [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Harbingers]], people with superpowers. Unlike their [[{{Mutant}} equivalents]] in some other comic universes, Harbingers are not physically different from other humans. Elevated levels of activity in their brains result in [[PsychicPowers psionic abilities]] that give them their powers. Ordinary humans can duplicate Harbinger powers through the use [[AppliedPhlebotinum special cybernetic brain implants]].
* In a statement that impressively manages to be wrong ''in every particular'', ''ComicBook/{{Marville}}'' gave us this as an add-on to reciting the 10% myth verbatim:
-->'''Guy Who Is Probably God''': Listen, it would be a disaster if humans used all of their brains[[note]]see above[[/note]] -- Einstein got 20% more[[note]]impossible for obvious reasons, although there were ''some'' anatomical and cellular oddities with his brain; also, while Einstein was pretty damn smart, ''three times'' more intelligent than the average person is kind of pushing it[[/note]] and he accidentally drew the roadmap that led to nuclear weaponry.[[note]]Oy. First, Einstein's theories had actually very little to do with nuclear fission - they explained why there was a lot of energy available, but the majority of the science behind nuclear weapons came from Becquerel, the Curies, Bohr, Fermi, Meitner, Frisch and Szilard, and Einstein wasn't even on the Manhattan Project or any other experiment into nuclear fission. Also, Einstein ''deliberately encouraged'' the initial development of the atomic bomb as a deterrent against the Nazis, who were also working on their own A-bomb project; it should be stressed that he was horrified when the bomb was actually used, especially since he'd visited Hiroshima before the war.[[/note]]
* In ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', Archie recites this statistic to his friends. [[TheDitz Moose]] exclaims that 10% is "almost less than half our brains". Archie muses if the statistic is too high in some cases.

[[folder:Jokes]]
* There are plenty of jokes referring to people [[WhoEvenNeedsABrain without any brain at all]] working as politicians, lawyers, and the like.
** An old joke tells of a Brit, a Frenchman, and a German arguing whose medicine is better; the Brit mentions a man whose kidney was removed and he went back to work in three weeks, the Frenchman mentions a man whose lung was removed and he went back to work in two, and the German mentions a man whose brain was removed and he went on to ''[[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler lead the country]]'' within a week. Modern variants often replace the three with men from different states, the last one being a Texan talking about UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush.
** A famous line from ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' also riffs on this:
--->'''Dorothy:''' How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?\\
'''Scarecrow:''' I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?
** An old joke goes: An Englishman decides that he wants to become a naturalized Irishman, but he's told that in order to do so, he must have 10% of his brain cut out, leaving 90%. He goes ahead with the operation but when he wakes up, a doctor tells him, "I'm terribly sorry but we made a mistake. Instead of cutting out 10% of your brain, leaving 90%, we accidentally cut out 90% of your brain, leaving 10%." The man thinks about this for a minute, then replies, "She'll be right, mate!"[[note]]Said using an Australian Accent[[/note]]

* The aliens in ''Stan Lee's WesternAnimation/Mighty7'' have superpowers because they use 80% of their brains as opposed to humans using 10.

* This is part of the plot of the 1986 film ''Film/FlightOfTheNavigator'', where a young boy discovers an alien probe had experimented with using the unused ninety percent of his brain for [[NeuroVault data storage]].

* Richard uses this as an insulting mnemonic device to help Film/TommyBoy remember the figure 1.5%.
-->'''Richard:''' Let's say the average person uses 10% of their brain. How much do you use? '''1.5%.''' The rest is clogged with malted hops and bong resin.
* Besides the milk-white complexion and hairlessness, this is what made the protagonist of the film ''Film/{{Powder}}'' so special.
* Pretty much how [[MyBloodRunsHot Extremis]] is applied in ''Film/IronMan3''. Aldrach, through years of research, has found that the human brain has an empty space, hinting that humanity is not at the apex of evolution.
* ''Film/TheLastMimzy'' does this; their newly-unlocked abilities include telepathy, telekinesis, and super-hearing, as well the ability to control spiders by emitting certain frequencies, to send objects through small warp portals, and to draw ancient patterns without ever having seen or heard of them. In the future, levitation is also a standard part of humanity's milieu.[[note]]Henry Kuttner, who wrote the original story "Mimsy were the Borogoves", is spinning in his grave. The point of that story was that they were ''not'' becoming more advanced, just different; their thinking and reasoning used the logic that was normal for the dimension the toys came from. But that doesn't make a good movie.[[/note]]
* It is implied in ''Film/{{Phenomenon}}'' that the incredible mental and psychic abilities George suddenly gains after seeing a strange light in the sky is caused by [[spoiler:a tumor spreading across his brain and activating unused parts of it. Also, killing him.]]
* In ''Film/DefendingYourLife'', everyone on Earth is said to use 3-5% of their brains. When a person dies and goes through the CelestialBureaucracy, they have the chance to [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence move up to the next level]], where it's possible to use more of their brain. Then after that lifetime, they have the chance to move up to the next level and so on; each level allows one to use more and more of one's brain, which means being more intelligent and less afraid.
* Referenced for the sake of a joke in ''Film/WeddingCrashers''. "You know how they say we only use ten percent of our brains? I think most people only use ten percent of their hearts."

* ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'' uses this trope straight to describe how sorcerers get the [[AWizardDidIt powers]].
* ''Film/{{Inception}}'' says this is why in dreams your brain can work faster, as the majority of your brain's processing ability is devoted to processing sensory perceptions. With the use of shared dreaming technology, the brain can work much faster, allowing for a dreamworld hour to pass in minutes in the real world.
* In ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' vegan evil ex-boyfriend Todd Ingram claims the source of his psychic powers is that he's able to use more than 10% of his brain because it isn't gunked up with all that filthy animal protein. However, it's more likely that he's an UnreliableNarrator, since the fact that the Vegan Police were able to take those powers away suggest that they were granted to him, not an inherent ability, add to the fact that he still seemed to be able to use his powers after breaking the 3-strike rule, plus there's the fact that Todd is actually [[DumbMuscle pretty stupid]].
* In ''Film/MyStepmotherIsAnAlien'' the alien Celeste explains that "We use 104% of our brain capacity, as opposed to your 36%."
* In the 2009 film ''Film/RaceToWitchMountain'', the extraterrestrial humans Sarah and Seth have access to telekinesis, telepathy, and phasing, which Sarah states the humans on Earth can not use yet, because they "haven't learned to use that part of [their] brain yet." Ironically, in an interview with Creator/AnnaSophiaRobb, who plays Sarah, she confirmed that the director wrote that line in because he wanted to be "as scientifically accurate as possible."
* In the film ''Film/{{Limitless}}'' Eddie takes a novel drug, NZT-48, which the dealer claims to allow him to access 100% of his brain as opposed to "the twenty percent." Of course, since the dealer is clearly lying about everything else he says about the drug, such as it being "FDA-approved", he was probably just making up whatever he felt would get Eddie to take it. The actual effects of the drug are flawless information recall, maximized reflexes and extreme situational awareness, which simulate super-intelligence, precognition, and a host of other low-grade superpowers.
* Spoofed in the Italian satirical comedy ''Film/ItalianoMedio'', itself based on a sketch by the same creators. A clever but insufferable man is convinced by his friend to take a pill that reduces his brain capacity to ''2%'', to make him complain less and enjoy life more.
* ''{{Film/Lucy}}'' is playing it 100% dead straight, straighter than we've seen in a decade or two. Unlocking more and more takes her down the Jean Grey path of increasing mind powers. Using 100% of one's brain capacity leads to omniscience ''and'' omnipotence, making the title character practically a PhysicalGod. The trailer also features Morgan Freeman's character [[ArtisticLicenseBiology --said to be one of the world's top experts on the workings of the human brain-- repeating the misconception]]. According to WordOfGod, they were aware this is just a myth [[IMeantToDoThat but chose to go with it anyway as a]] WhatIf.
* ''Film/TheLazarusEffect'' calls out this trope's misuse... and then goes right to saying that newly resurrected Zoe is using all of her brain, ''all of the time'', as an explanation of her psychic powers.
* Implied in ''Film/TheShadow'', in the end, the BigBad gets a glass shard through his head and has to have a part of his brain that "no one uses" removed. It turns out that this was where his psychic powers were located.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* This turns out to be how the Diadem of Ravenclaw works in ''Fanfic/TheArithmancer''. It allows the conscious mind full access to all the sensory information, processing power, and memories that the subconscious normally filters out. Normal people can't handle that level of input and overload, but Hermione has been training her entire life in the sort of mental discipline necessary to handle the Diadem.

[[folder: Radio]]

* In ''VisualNovel/ChaosHead'', Norose muses that Gigalomaniacs use the remaining 90% of their brain unlike normal humans, and this is responsible for their abilities. And possibly even worse, it's also stated that 80% of the brain is used for processing visual data.

* This is given as the reason why Fuka, a human [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Ordinary Middle School Student]], can keep up with her demon teammates in ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten''. She deluded herself into thinking the afterlife is AllJustADream, and since it's her dream, she's free to do anything she wants. This allows her brain to unlock her full potential.

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'', beating the first scenario with Yoko Suzuki has her cite the trope while [[ContemplateOurNavels waxing poetic about the outbreak around her]]. Thing is, she should really know better, having been formerly employed as an Umbrella researcher.

* {{Parodied|Trope}} in ''Webcomic/ScaryGoRound'', where a man survives having 90% of his brain eaten by a zombie because by incredible coincidence, she ate only the 90% that no one uses.
* Sofia of ''Webcomic/BreakpointCity'' explains her telekinesis this way.
--> ''You know how most people only use 10% of their brain? I use 11%.''

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'':
** In [[http://www.egscomics.com/egsnp.php?id=334 one strip]] of ''EGS NP'', Susan complains about ''Film/{{Lucy}}'', saying it's "based on a 'fun fact' that isn't even ''true!'' You might as well make a movie about an assassin who uses daddy-long-legs venom!"
** Later, in [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=2106 the main strip]], an Immortal starts telling a series of BlatantLies in order to demonstrate to a confused griffon that Immortals are capable of lying. This is one of them.
* When one member of Belinda's medical staff mentions this myth in [[http://www.legostargalactica.net/2016/07/24/07242016/ this strip]] of ''Webcomic/LegostarGalactica'', she answers by delivering an [[BerserkButton angry rant]]. (The comic's author once was a neuroscientist himself, so this is quite understandably a pet peeve of him.)
* Mentioned in ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'', [[https://www.paranatural.net/comic/chapter-5-page-258 during a battle]] with their teacher possesed by [[BodySurf Hijack]] (a spirit shaped like a brain). When [[DeadpanSnarker Max]] complains that Hijack has too many abilities, he used this mixed with InsaneTrollLogic.
-->'''Hijack:''' Well, the brain is like a muscle, and you only use 10% of your brain. But I'm 100% brain, so--\\
'''Max:''' [[SuddenlyShouting GOD, SHUT UP, I HATE YOU]]

[[folder:Web Original]]

** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1475 SCP-1475]] of the Website/SCPFoundation is a deliberate {{Deconstruction}} (the author even flat-out stated that his inspiration for writing it was his [[PetPeeveTrope hatred of this trope]]). He gave himself a [[DisposableSuperheroMaker non-reproducible drug]] that lets him use 100% of his brain 100% of the time. This not only gave him [[MasterOfYourDomain complete control over his body]] but let him rewire his brain so that [[TheSleepless he doesn't need to sleep anymore]]. However, in a true case of BlessedWithSuck, this completely destroyed his autonomic nervous control (that is, the body's ability to automatically regulate the heart/lungs/etc.), so he has to spend most of his concentration on keeping himself alive. Not only does this not leave him much concentration to use his voluntary muscles, but he's also suffered permanent damage to a lot of his organs due to having messed it up in the past.
** Surprisingly played straight with [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-3733 SCP-3733]], which is described as activating "several typically inactive areas of the brain, resulting in the ability to act and reason outside of one's experiences and personality". [[spoiler:That's because the entry is from a world where an unknown entity has hijacked humanity's collective mind and suppressed their emotions and individuality. The SCP is the aforementioned concepts, which is now being contained by the foundation.]]
* [[http://www.villainsource.com/ Villain Source]] sells brain pills that are guaranteed to increase your IQ by 300% or your money back! (The small prints adds that if you believe this, then you really need those pills.)
* ''Website/TheOnion'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kdkFJa2VJM parodied]] the concept with a man who invented a device that lets him fire all his neurons at the same time. Every time he turns it on, he has a seizure.
* [[https://news.avclub.com/what-if-lucy-spawned-other-movies-about-stupid-common-m-1798270319 This spoof]] of ''Film/{{Lucy}}'' suggests Hollywood should make other movies based on inane common beliefs.

* CGP Grey discusses this trope, with a bit of a TakeThat at the end:
-->''"If you really think someone could scoop out 90% of your brain, and you'd be alright, then perhaps you really do only use ten percent of it."''

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' when Bart becomes ultra-focused after taking medication for attention deficit disorder: "You know how most people use only ten percent of their brains? [[TriviallyObvious I am now one of those people.]]"
* The ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "Mind Games" has an UnreliableExpositor claim this to explain psychic powers.
* In ''WesternAnimation/GodzillaTheSeries'' Dr. Nick Tatopoulos states this is the reason as to why the aliens were able to copy their minds into human brains.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' episode "Brain Percentages", the use of this trope is heavily lampshaded. Cyborg tells the others that this is untrue and purely exists as a narrative device, only for the other Titans to dismiss him on the basis that it [[RealityIsUnrealistic wouldn't be used in so many shows and movies if it weren't true]]. The episode then has Beast Boy increase the percentage of his brain anyway, and along the way, [[Film/{{Lucy}} travel back in time to physically contact his prehistoric ancestor and inexplicably become a reality warping computer at 100% brainpower]]. This is all in the service of solving a hidden images puzzle, by the way.

* The general idea that 10% is the norm for humans and perhaps most humanoids is implied, without being stated explicitly, in ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries''. When Spock scans the literally-vegetative bodies of a newly discovered species, he states that they "used almost seventy percent of their brains: a very high ratio."

* It is implied in ''Film/{{Phenomenon}}'' that the incredible mental and psychic abilities John Travolta's character, George, suddenly gains after seeing a strange light in the sky is caused by [[spoiler:a tumor spreading across his brain and activating unused parts of it. Also, killing him.]]

* The Radio 4 show ''More of Less'' debunked the myth in 2014, with the aid of cognitive scientist Professor Sophie Scott. In 2023, the spin-off ''More or Less: Beyond the Stats'' addressed the follow-up question "So how much of our brain ''do'' we use?" Another neuroscientist, Professor Daniel Graham, claimed tests using electrodes on the brains of animals suggest that at least 50% of the brain was "dark neurons" that we'd evolved beyond needing, while Professor Scott remained firm that MRI scans show activity in 100% of the brain. (And even Profesor Graham was clear that accessing the "dark" 50% wouldn't give us superintelligence, but more likely the ability to gnaw on bark or make our skin twitch to shoo away insects.)

Compare UninhibitedMusclePower, where powers activate the unused muscle potential instead of unused brain potential. For exceeding the limitations of the body to epic effect, see CharlesAtlasSuperpower. Also see PinealWeirdness, which tends to show up in similar places. Very prevalent in SciFi as a common trope with mentalists and [=ESP'ers=]. A GeniusSerum may come into play to unlock this "buried potential".

* The Stone Mask-created [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' gain their power through the activation of unused parts of the brain via acupuncture. This awakens the human's evolutionary potential (with abilities like WallCrawling, liquid eye beams, superspeed/strength, regeneration, sucking blood through their fingers, and creating zombies) and it inverts the lifeforce energy in their bodies (making them undead-like beings weak to sunlight and [[BattleAura Ripple]], the amplified essence of life). Part 2 reveals these masks were created [[spoiler: by a group called the Pillar Men, who belonged to an entire race vulnerable to sunlight. After enhancing themselves with stone masks, they turned humans into vampires to have a more-powerful food source. They also plan to enhance themselves even further in order to become the ultimate lifeforms, ridding themselves of all weaknesses, most importantly sunlight.]]

* There are plenty of jokes referring to people ''[[WhoEvenNeedsABrain without any brain at all]]'' working as [[AcceptableProfessionalTargets politicians, lawyers, and the like]].