Alex Hutchinson

There are a bunch of interesting findings that fall out of that about how we should mix exploring and exploiting to come up with better ideas.

Curiosity is a name for the drive that compels us to explore, I would say. I'm not a dictionary guy, but that's how I would classify them. And so I think curiosity... Yeah, a lot of the same discussion applies and exploration is what you actually end up doing once because of curiosity.

Curiosity is a name for the drive that compels us to explore, I would say. I'm not a dictionary guy, but that's how I would classify them. And so I think curiosity... Yeah, a lot of the same discussion applies and exploration is what you actually end up doing once because of curiosity.

Curiosity is a name for the drive that compels us to explore, I would say. I'm not a dictionary guy, but that's how I would classify them. And so I think curiosity... Yeah, a lot of the same discussion applies and exploration is what you actually end up doing once because of curiosity.

Yeah, so there's a well-known effect called the Flynn effect, and it's been like a century now. IQ scores keep going up gradually, and so they have to keep rebalancing the scores every few years. There's a lot of debate about why this is. Probably just that the modern world requires a lot more abstract thinking than it did to be a hunter-gatherer a long time ago, or even a farmer.

Yeah, so there's a well-known effect called the Flynn effect, and it's been like a century now. IQ scores keep going up gradually, and so they have to keep rebalancing the scores every few years. There's a lot of debate about why this is. Probably just that the modern world requires a lot more abstract thinking than it did to be a hunter-gatherer a long time ago, or even a farmer.

Yeah, so there's a well-known effect called the Flynn effect, and it's been like a century now. IQ scores keep going up gradually, and so they have to keep rebalancing the scores every few years. There's a lot of debate about why this is. Probably just that the modern world requires a lot more abstract thinking than it did to be a hunter-gatherer a long time ago, or even a farmer.

That's one effect. What's less well-known is that there are similar tests that assess creativity. There's a set of tests called the Torrance tests for creative thinking. And they also have to renormalize those scores periodically. But that's because the scores keep dropping. Kids are getting less creative. And so between about 1990 and 2008, there was a significant drop.

That's one effect. What's less well-known is that there are similar tests that assess creativity. There's a set of tests called the Torrance tests for creative thinking. And they also have to renormalize those scores periodically. But that's because the scores keep dropping. Kids are getting less creative. And so between about 1990 and 2008, there was a significant drop.

That's one effect. What's less well-known is that there are similar tests that assess creativity. There's a set of tests called the Torrance tests for creative thinking. And they also have to renormalize those scores periodically. But that's because the scores keep dropping. Kids are getting less creative. And so between about 1990 and 2008, there was a significant drop.

And from 2008 to 2017, which was the next renormalization, there was a much steeper drop. And it's tempting to say, oh, what happened between 2008 and 2017? Let's see, when did I get my first smartphone and when did social media rise? All of that is speculative, but the fact is there's evidence that creative thinking, the ability to just come up with totally new ideas is maybe going down.

And from 2008 to 2017, which was the next renormalization, there was a much steeper drop. And it's tempting to say, oh, what happened between 2008 and 2017? Let's see, when did I get my first smartphone and when did social media rise? All of that is speculative, but the fact is there's evidence that creative thinking, the ability to just come up with totally new ideas is maybe going down.

And from 2008 to 2017, which was the next renormalization, there was a much steeper drop. And it's tempting to say, oh, what happened between 2008 and 2017? Let's see, when did I get my first smartphone and when did social media rise? All of that is speculative, but the fact is there's evidence that creative thinking, the ability to just come up with totally new ideas is maybe going down.

And I should say that it's not just these tests of kids. There's been big analyses of patents and of scientific papers, finding that the number of breakthroughs or disruptive papers that really take a field in a different direction seems to be dropping.

And I should say that it's not just these tests of kids. There's been big analyses of patents and of scientific papers, finding that the number of breakthroughs or disruptive papers that really take a field in a different direction seems to be dropping.

And I should say that it's not just these tests of kids. There's been big analyses of patents and of scientific papers, finding that the number of breakthroughs or disruptive papers that really take a field in a different direction seems to be dropping.

Actually, it's good timing. I wrote about that recently because there was a big skeptical study. People like me, I'm a health and fitness journalist, so I'm always like, the best thing you can do for your mental health is exercise. It'll cure your depression. It'll grow your hair back. It'll do all these great things. I try not to be a booster, but it's hard not to.

Actually, it's good timing. I wrote about that recently because there was a big skeptical study. People like me, I'm a health and fitness journalist, so I'm always like, the best thing you can do for your mental health is exercise. It'll cure your depression. It'll grow your hair back. It'll do all these great things. I try not to be a booster, but it's hard not to.

Actually, it's good timing. I wrote about that recently because there was a big skeptical study. People like me, I'm a health and fitness journalist, so I'm always like, the best thing you can do for your mental health is exercise. It'll cure your depression. It'll grow your hair back. It'll do all these great things. I try not to be a booster, but it's hard not to.

I guess I'm a strong believer in the power of exercise. There was a big review recently that said, hang on, how good is the evidence really that Exercise promotes mental health. And the overall conclusion is the exercise is pretty good, but it's really hard to tease out what.