John Tyler Bonner

In the seventeenth century, it was held by some that inside a human sperm there was a minute human being - a homunculus - that was planted inside the womb. Development consisted of the miniature homunculus enlarging and passing through birth and on to maturity-just like inflating a balloon.

American Educator

The term 'homunculus' is used frequently in fantasy books or movies, and implies a magical origin.

Fantasy Genre

A homunculus is not a real human, but rather an imitation or miniature form in folklore.

Not Human

The concept of a homunculus has historical roots in alchemy and mystical sciences.

Alchemical Origin

The 'homunculus' in psychology refers to how brain regions map to body functions.

Brain Mapping

The psychological homunculus is not proportional to human anatomy but to neural importance.

Not Proportional

It aids in understanding which body parts we are more attuned to perceiving.

Understanding Perception

In medicine, 'homunculus' refers to diagrams illustrating brain-to-body part correlation.

Medical Diagram

The medical homunculus model is key to understanding the somatosensory cortex's function.

Somatosensory System

Clinicians use the homunculus to explain conditions affecting sensation or movement.

Clinical Relevance

 The entire body is mapped in this cortex. Sensitive body parts with many nerve endings, like the lips and hands, are represented by the largest areas. The cortical homunculus is a model of the human body

Can you still feel a...

 Basically the homunculus is the visualization of a human being where each part of the body is proportional to the surface it takes in the brain. So, of course, homunculus is definitely not a freak.

Homunculus