Science Archives

What Is Enjoyment? Psychologist Answers

What is enjoyment? What are the nine characteristics of enjoyment? Do non-professional athletes feel the same enjoyment as surgeons do? Csikszentmihalyi, the author of Flow, conducted and experiment to identify the characteristics of enjoyment. The results were shocking in that despite their age, location, gender, class, culture, etc, all the participants described the elements of enjoyment in the same way. Here are the results of Csikszentmihalyi’s research on enjoyment and what they mean.

Decoded: Is the Universe Finite or Infinite?

Is the universe finite or infinite? Does the cosmos extend forever or does it have a boundary? The universe is always in the state of expansion but it cannot be infinite. In an infinite (and static) universe, every point of observation would arrive at a star (because there would be an infinite number of stars), but this is clearly not the case (this is known as Olbers’ paradox or the “dark night sky paradox”). Here is why our universe cannot be infinite.

Quarks: Particles of the Weird, Subatomic World

What is a quark? How do the particles that are quarks relate to atoms? What role do they play in the universe? Quarks are subatomic particles that combine by means of a strong force to make up protons and neutrons which in turn make up the nuclei of atoms. In studying quarks, we are looking at the most elemental building blocks of our universe. And it turns out that our knowledge of quarks is the key we can use to unlock a great deal about our universe. Learn about the discovery of quark particles, their types, properties, and more.

Traveling Through Time: Possible But Unlikely

Does theoretical physics allow for time travel? And if so, under what conditions could traveling through time be possible? Believe it or not, there may be some scenarios under which traveling through time is theoretically possible. Specifically, it’d possible if it could be shown that parts of the universe exist where there is negative curvature, which is actually in the realm of possibility as far as theoretical physics is concerned. Here is why time travel is (theoretically) possible yet extremely unlikely.

Antifragile Systems Develop From Adversity

What are antifragile systems? How can systems in nature encourage antifragility? Antifragile systems can develop when living things fail. After failure, they’re forced to grow stronger, and can therefore become antifragile in the process. Read more about antifragile systems in nature and how they occur.

Quantum Mechanics Theory: Learn the Basics

What is quantum theory? What phenomena does the quantum mechanics theory attempt to explain? Quantum theory (also known as quantum physics or quantum mechanics) is one of the foundational theories of material phenomena. It explains the properties and behavior of energy and matter at the level of atoms, molecules, and subatomic particles. Learn the basics of quantum mechanics theory, explained in simple terms.

How Does Consciousness Work and What Is It?

Do you want to learn to control your consciousness? How does consciousness work? What are the limits to consciousness? If you want to learn how to control your consciousness, the first step is understanding what consciousness actually is and how it works. In his book Flow, Csikszentmihalyi thoroughly covers these topics. Continue below to learn how consciousness works and what its limitations are.

The Paradox Jobs Pose to Flow: Why We Prefer Leisure

What do jobs pose a paradox to flow? How can we enter a flow state doing work that we don’t enjoy? In his book Flow, Csikszentmihalyi performed a study to determine whether we entered the flow state more at work or during leisure time. As it turns out, participants enjoyed their leisure time more even though they entered the flow state more often at work. This is the paradox jobs pose. Continue below to learn more about Csikszentmihalyi’s findings.

String Theory, Explained: Beyond Four Dimensions

What is string theory? What conundrum does string theory attempt to resolve? In physics, string theory states that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are one-dimensional strings as opposed to point-like particles. String theory attempts to solve one of the toughest stumbling blocks of physics—that is the difficulty of uniting the uncertainty principle with the predictions of general relativity. Keep reading to learn about string theory, explained in simple terms.

Absolute Time: Newton’s Oversight

What is absolute time? How does the location of the observer affect the speed of time? Originally coined by Isaac Newton, the concept of absolute time refers to the idea that time flows without regard for anything external, progressing at a consistent speed throughout the universe. As it turned out, Newton was wrong. Albert Einstein established that time is relative, that is, it moves at different speeds for different observers. Keep reading to understand why time is not absolute, but relative.