Exploring ideas about art, science, and innovation through short essays.
College applications are around the corner, and I face two paths: communications or science. Looking down the science path, things don't look so bright. But could they change?
After a certain point, math seems like an unattainable field reserved for those who understand it like a first language. With all the abstract symbols and notations, it's no wonder people find it frustrating. What if we changed the way math was presented?
Scientific institutions are not supporting scientific breakthroughs. Their regulations, policies, and structure discourage complex and creative thinking. We rely on science and technology to improve progress and well-being, so how can we change science?
A cabinet of curiosities showcases the wonders of nature in all of its forms. From drawers of shells to the tusks of narwhals, these collections are a microcosm of the real world. The visitor sheds the layer of a passive observer and becomes an active discoverer.
Both art and science try to understand our world but with very different approaches. The field of cymatics merges symmetrical art with physics. Using both, we can better understand the universe as all matter is a mandala of frequency and vibrations.
Trees and neurons contain such similarities that it is hard to ignore them. What can we learn from these orderly organisms about our messy minds?
Ideas don't come from random eureka moments. Instead, they linger in the back of peoples' minds for decades before taking shape. It's called a slow hunch. The only way to speed up the incubation period is to get more material to work with.
It isn't enough to understand and memorize to learn. Even if a surgeon can pass a test with flying colors, it doesn't mean they will act well under pressure in the operating room. What sticks is when you solve real-life problems and find solutions outside of a textbook.
Before a session, high performers think about what they want to achieve. During the practice, they observe themselves objectively. After training, they reflect on what went well and how to do better next time. Those who are the best in their fields practice deliberately.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” –– Steve Jobs
People love Amazon because it dedicates its existence to its customers. To keep customers happy, they need a relentless focus on trying new ideas.
