High 5: Trivia nights

Move over knowledge, make room for beer!

By Robert Jacobs

Special to Metromix
March 25, 2008

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If you're like us, you probably had a high school health teacher who warned that alcohol would kill most of your brain cells and those brain cells would never grow back. Therefore, every time you suck down a Corona you're getting slightly dumber. We consider this an acceptable loss. However, recent scientific studies have shown that neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to mold itself (like plastic) to new forms of experience and learning—can adapt to and even overcome and repair brain damage.

How does this relate to trivia night you ask? Like this: What is the northernmost borough of New York City? Don't know? It's the Bronx. OK, right now your brain is forming a new neural pathway to retain that information. Now, let's assume you learn the answers to 25 questions over the course of one trivia night. Let's also assume you're having a wing-dinger of an evening and consume 10 beers. Subtract 10 from 25, and at the end of the night you're still 15 neural pathways ahead. Plus, you've got a killer buzz. And—because you look so damned smart—you've attracted some smokin' hottie from across the room.

Read on to continue increasing the beer and neuron count.