With its 86 billion neurons, the human brain is the most complex thing we know of. And it does not give up its secrets without a fight. That makes achievements like Thursday’s important.

Australian scientists have just announced the discovery of an until-now-unknown region of the brain: an unexplored land, living just under our skulls.

The newly-charted region, which so far has not been seen in other animals, may be responsible for extremely fine motor control – our unique ability to play piano or perform surgery.

It's about the size of a pea and sits at the back of the skull, right at the base of the brain. Its discoverer, NeuRA's brain cartographer Professor George Paxinos, has christened it the Endorestiform Nucleus.