Mental calculation speeds surpass known limits for high-level cognition

While our senses transmit information at rates exceeding 106 bit/s, high-level cognitive processing is thought to be much slower, on the order of 10 bit/s regardless of the task1. It is unclear, though, whether this limit holds when the human mind is challenged. To test how fast one can process abstract information, we analyzed mental calculations, using data from international competitions and record-setting attempts. We discovered scaling laws relating task complexity and completion speed. High information rates were sustained for minutes, peaking at above 215 bit/s for the shortest calculations, split into 125 bit/s for conscious perception and 90 bit/s for algorithmic execution. These rates are well in excess of previous estimates for high-level mental abilities.