Does it feel like the days are whizzing by? You’re not the only one: many among us wonder where the time goes. What if you could slow it down?
Well, a growing body of research suggests that you can – or at least slow your perception of time – by experiencing novel and interesting things.
Adding to that evidence this week were scientists at George Mason University in Virginia, US. In a study, they found that memorable visual stimuli slows our perception of time – a phenomenon known as time dilation.
For the study, 100 participants were shown small, cluttered scenes – such a full cupboard – and images of big open spaces. Researchers found that people were more likely to think they had been looking at small, cluttered scenes for a shorter period than they actually had, whereas the opposite was true for larger scenes.
Prof Martin Wiener, co-author of the study, said time dilation could be a result of our brains trying to gather information about scenes we find memorable.
“What it suggests is that if we want time to feel like things are [taking] longer, we need to seek out things that are themselves more memorable,” he told The Guardian.
Image: Jose Galarza
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
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