Chapter 1
The brain's autopilot and why years vanish
Chapter 2
The oddball effect and the science of surprise
Chapter 3
The holiday paradox and the two minds of time
Chapter 4
Free falls and fear: can we see in slow motion?
Chapter 5
Stealing time back: how to live a longer life today
YOUR GOAL
Master of The mind's time machine
Ch 1 · The brain's autopilot and why years vanish
artiteacher Why the Years Fly
The same routine, my mind drifts off, the years erase.
artiteacher Without pre-built mental models, a five-year-old brain records highly detailed memories that make a single season feel like
Fun Fact
Peak brain energy: Human brains consume the most metabolic energy around age five, which is when we also experience our slowest, most detail-packed perception of time.
Glossary
autopilot (noun)
A device or system used to steer an aircraft or ship without constant human intervention. Neuroscientist David Eagleman showed that this energy-saving neural state reduces memory density during highly repetitive routines.
A device or system used to steer an aircraft or ship without constant human intervention. Neuroscientist David Eagleman showed that this energy-saving neural state reduces memory density during highly repetitive routines.
Quiz
What is the primary reason the brain uses predictive coding to anticipate our surroundings?
Quiz
Which neurotransmitter is most heavily involved in signaling surprise and updating our brain's internal models?
Quiz
In a classic time perception study by Avni-Babad and Ritov, what happened when participants looked back on routine tasks?
Quiz
Why does a familiar drive home from school or work often feel much faster than the very first time you took it?
Quiz
At what approximate age does human brain energy consumption peak, contributing to highly detailed memories?
Quiz
What term do neuroscientists use for the brain's habit of merging repetitive events into a single generic memory?
Quiz
What percentage of the body's total energy does the human brain typically consume?
Quiz
Which type of memory is responsible for storing our personal, unique daily experiences?