Forebrain (Cerebrum): This is made of the right and left hemispheres.  It has a gray matter cover which is a cortex with many millions of neurons (Russell).  It also has white matter interior (Davis 26) which is nerve fibers with little pieces of subcortical gray matter  interior (Restak 23).

 

Cortex may have evolved due to the ice age.  A bigger cortex means more ability to respond to hard situations (like freezing).  The old parts (parts that are similar to animals and ancient humans) are basically used for things like heart rate, breathing…  The cortex which is the front, top part controls experience, emotions, feeling, touch, plans, thoughts, ideas… 

 

Genes supply the parameters, but it is environment which researchers believe physically changes the brain(The Brain).  The brain is vulnerable to the environment because it allows the environment to act upon it, but the brain is so complex that it can come up with new ideas about things.  There are so many interconnections between thoughts in the brain that it can come up with completely new ideas on its own.  Researchers believe this is how man got from caves to cities (The Brain).