A couple of weeks ago I finally found the courage to pump my brain with direct current as I read a very complex mathematical paper. I bought a very simple device called “The Brain Stimulator” and used “improving insightfulness” setting. The electrodes were moist and warm and quite pleasant. The device was extremely easy to …
Funny, animals, and scientists
Every year, my April 1st article is dedicated to humor. Humor is very basic to what makes us humans. Babies laugh well before they can walk and talk. Some animals, like rats and apes, are also capable of laughter. Some scientists claim this is a side-effect of the mirror neurons which can be responsible for …
Benefits of writing fiction
Most of my writing is non-fiction. I have a friend who often tells me I really should write a fiction story. SOme of his arguments make sense. You can read more about benefits of writing fiction here, here, here, and here. Improved learning by writing We learn actively. Writing is an activity that forces us …
Magical thinking and how we persuade ourselves
Magical thinking is one of the most potent cognitive biases. Of all people in the world, it is easiest for us to lie to ourselves. This self-deception may help us remain strong in times of great danger and uncertainty, and it may also lead to our downfall in times of prosperity and stability. In this …
Continue reading “Magical thinking and how we persuade ourselves”
Seven Ways That Make Your Writing Funnier
Indifference and boredom are just the opposite of what we teach. If you can write in a funny way, you can think and visualize in a funny way and remember better. If you can make a provoking argument and get an emotional reaction, it will help you remember. This particular guest post by William Grigsby shows …
Continue reading “Seven Ways That Make Your Writing Funnier”
Healthy nootropics
Typically I do not advocate for or against nootropics. Some of the nootropics may call stomach issues, and some may influence the mood. I have tried several food supplements and I routinely use some very simple and generic products, which are healthy in small portions. Recently I have been approached by Chris from Cognitune who …
Seven Surefire Ways to Learn a Second Language without Leaving Your House
From the language of the title you understand it is a guest post. Learning languages has always been one of the inspirations of our students. Usually, we provide in-depth analysis of specific aspects of language learning, and now it is our pleasure to provide the overview as it is perceived by one of the market …
Continue reading “Seven Surefire Ways to Learn a Second Language without Leaving Your House”
Laws of training
Accelerated learning is somewhat similar to athletic training. We learn new things, train specific groups of skills, and then we need to transfer the generic learning skills to very particular tasks we handle. For today, I have chosen articles here, here, here, here, here, and here. Does accelerated learning apply to what I do? This …
Tips on exercising your brain
We address memory training quite seriously and have many different exercises on our site. In this post, I want to share some training tips inspired by this, this, this and this articles. Specific and generic training If you research a subject or write a code, you do many different and seemingly unconnected tasks. It is …
Strategic studying
There are many reasons to study. Some people study to get a degree and find a job. Others study because of their curiosity. When we study to fill in the gap in our capabilities and reach a bigger goal, I would call it a strategic studying. Here I discuss the way I handle strategic studying. …
