The Spinal Cord: A Second Command Center

Your spinal cord is actually faster than your brain. It is not just a cable plugging your

head into your body, it is literally a second command center. When you touch something

hot, your spine pulls your hand away before your brain even realizes it hurts.

That is a reflex arc, saving you without you thinking. It floats in fluid

for protection, but here is the wild part. Your spinal cord stops growing when

you are about five years old, but your bones keep lengthening. That leaves a bundle

of nerves at the bottom called a horse’s tail, which is the only safe spot for a

spinal tap.