Elizabeth Whitworth

Senior SEO Writer

Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books—and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.

Expertise

History, Theology, Government

Awards

Contributions to joint task force efforts (FBI), Contributions to Special Operations Division (DOJ & DEA), Efforts to fight the war on drugs (NSA), Contributions to Operation Storm Front (US Customs Service)

Is Time Travel Theoretically Possible?

Can you build a time machine? Is time travel theoretically possible? Writers of science fiction have long contemplated the idea of a time machine: a device that allows you to travel forward or backward in time to any point in history or the future. Stephen Hawking asserts that this possibility will probably always be relegated to the realm of fiction, based on his analysis of relevant scientific theories. His analysis focuses on two possibilities: moving backwards through time directly, or passing through a “wormhole” in spacetime that connects the present to the past. Read more to learn about the concept

How to Let Your Mind Wander: 3 Simple Techniques

Is mind-wandering bad for you? What are the benefits of intentional mind-wandering? In his book Hyperfocus, productivity expert Chris Bailey explains how to let your mind wander for rest and productivity. He recommends three techniques for this practice and discusses when, how long, and how often you should do it. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of mind-wandering and how to do it effectively.

Hyperfocus: How to Work Less to Achieve More

What is Chris Bailey’s Hyperfocus about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In a world full of distractions, most modern-day knowledge workers believe that the secret to productivity lies in your ability to manage your time. In 2018’s Hyperfocus: How to Work Less to Achieve More, productivity expert Chris Bailey presents an alternate hypothesis: The key to becoming the most productive, creative version of yourself lies not in managing your time, but in managing your attention. Here’s our review of Hyperfocus: How to Work Less to Achieve More by Chris Bailey.

What Is the Singularity Theory in Physics?

What is the singularity theory? Why did Hawking come to question his theory of Big Bang singularity? Hawking’s mathematical proof that space and time had a beginning, according to general relativity, was what first propelled him to fame within the physics community. Later, reflecting on his own theoretical proof about the big bang singularity, Hawking came to believe that they imply the theory of general relativity is incomplete, not that the universe actually did begin at a singularity. Read more to learn about the singularity theory and why Hawking came to believe that it indicates a problem.

The Benefits of Meditation for Focus & Concentration

Do you find it difficult to sustain focus? How can meditation help you take control of your attention? Part of the practice of hyperfocus is focusing on a task for a set period of time, which can be hard to do. Meditation and mindfulness can help. They improve the quality of your attention in three ways: training you to focus longer, warding off distractions, and helping you to direct your attention more often. Learn about the benefits of meditation for focus and concentration.

The Strong and Weak Anthropic Principles Explained

What are the strong and weak anthropic principles? Do they resolve the fine-tuning problem? Models for the big bang theory imply that the initial conditions of the universe would have had to be precisely right for habitable planets to form. Stephen Hawking argues that this need for fine-tuning indicates a problem with the big bang theory. He discusses anthropic principles in an effort to address the problem. Read more to learn about the anthropic principles.

Information Chunking, Learning, and Creativity

What is information chunking? How does it relate to creativity and learning? Your brain has a tendency to chunk related bits of information together. When you understand how this process works, you can leverage it to enhance learning and stimulate creativity. Here is how information chunking works.

A Unifying Theory: A Hopeless Quest?

Where are scientists in their attempts to develop a unifying theory? Is string theory the answer? Hawking asserts that the ultimate goal of science is to develop a “unifying theory” that can be applied in any context. Scientists have made progress towards this goal but have not yet achieved it. In the meantime, they use two major theories. Hawking discusses the limitations of each of these theories as well as some of the attempts to create a unified theory. Read more to learn about a unifying theory in science.

How Working Memory Capacity Impacts Productivity

What is working memory? How does it affect your ability to be productive? Your brain has a certain amount of working memory capacity. You can pay attention to only so much at a time. Naturally, this limitation affects your ability to get things done. Continue reading to learn about working memory capacity and how it impacts productivity.

The Subatomic Wonder: What Is Wave-Particle Duality?

What is wave-particle duality? How does it affect the theory of relativity? Physicist Stephen Hawking discusses the wave-particle duality, explaining how small particles act like both particles and waves. Because of this duality, general relativity doesn’t accurately model the behavior of small particles. Hawking describes the famous double-slit experiment, which demonstrates that particles act like waves. Keep reading to learn about wave-particle duality.