Innovation resulting from
unique connections
Let’s dive deeper into the topic of emergent properties, which are the unique characteristics that result from connecting some underlying components. The high school student creates emergent properties by mixing vinegar and baking soda to simulate the frothing lava of a volcano science project, for instance. The frothy properties do not exist in either of … Read more
When you combine various elements to create singular links, the resulting unions exhibit emergent properties. These properties spring into existence from the interaction of the underlying components. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Or, the whole demonstrates properties that its parts do not. The components interact in such a way so … Read more
When you notice something that’s exciting, it creates energy in your brain and your body. Kids demonstrate this most vividly when excitement jolts through them and they leap in the air, clap and flap, shriek and squeal. Their excitement on the inside becomes excitement on the outside. Adults sometimes shine with excitement too. Think of … Read more
Inside your skull, your brain is floating in a silky goo. your brain resembles other brains. If someone were to scoop your brain out of your head and plop it on a counter, you wouldn’t be able to identify it from other brains on the counter. However, it is not exactly like any of the … Read more
A toddler, held in his mother’s arms, sees a puppy and points at it. “Puppy,” his mom says, training the boy to associate the word with the dog. “It’s a puppy.” The baby holds his gaze, transfixed, and keeps pointing. He points for a comically long time, for such a long time that he causes … Read more
Let’s unpack the concept of orthogonal influences that we introduced in a recent post. Everyone is familiar with the word diagonal, but the word orthogonal could use a little introduction. Diagonal describes a line that intersects one or more lines to form one or more angles, like the line that connects two opposite corners of … Read more