How do you keep everything in mind when solving tough problems? When you read a book, listen to a podcast or have a conversation–how does your brain hold onto all the information? The answer is something psychologists call working memory. Unlike long-term memory, which I’ve covered in-depth here, working memory isn’t about remembering the past. […]
Let’s Learn Quantum Mechanics – Week Three Update
I finished the third week of my month long project to get a basic understanding of quantum physics. I wanted to tackle this project for two reasons. First, because quantum mechanics always interested me. It’s part of the most successful scientific theory we’ve ever devised, yet it is also intuition-defying and confusing. To really understand […]
The 7 Core Skills to Drawing Realistic Pictures
Knowing how to draw is something most people feel is mostly about artistic talent. You can either draw or you can’t. I disagree. Instead, I think drawing is mostly about having a set of specific techniques, that anyone can learn, which make it a lot easier to draw something realistically. I’m not a professional artist, […]
Let’s Learn Quantum Mechanics: Week One Update
Last Monday, I announced a new ultralearning project: trying to get a good grasp of the physics behind quantum mechanics. In particular, I decided to try to tackle MIT’s 8.04 – Quantum Physics I, similarly to how I tackled other MIT classes during the MIT Challenge. As an experiment, I decided to try livestreaming the […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.