Where in the World are Our Listeners?
This week we're giving a shout out to Trier, Germany. Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany, originally founded by the Celts in the 4th century BCE. It was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BCE and became an important city for the Roman Empire. Some of the best preserved Roman ruins remain in the city including aqueducts, baths and buildings. Trier and the surrounding region is famous for it's production of Mosel Riesling wines which are shipped all over the world.
Tip of the week - The Power of Sound
Need to be focused in the morning and creative in the afternoon? One of the easiest ways to switch mental gears is by adjusting the sound in your environment. Total silence helps sharpen the mind and will allow you to concentrate fully. Then when you're ready to get your creative juices flowing a low level of white noise or ambient music will help your mind relax and make more intuitive connections. Read more about sound & creativity.
Look clever at a cocktail party
The quietest place on earth is an anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories in Minnesota, USA. It's so quiet that the longest anyone can stand to be in the chamber is 45 minutes. Even for shorter visits you need to sit in a chair because the lack of auditory cues will confuse your sense of balance. If that's a little too quiet for you, you could try visiting some of the quietest natural places in the world. George Foy, author of Zero Decibels, recommends the Hoh Rainforest in Washington State, USA or the Haleakala National Park in Hawaii, USA.
What are Ian, Darren & March up to this week?
- Ian is planning a 5-day fast mimicking diet for anti-aging benefits.
- Darren just finished the book Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith. A book exploring origins of consciousness from a biological and evolutionary perspective.
- March is visiting Beijing & Shanghai, China. He'll share some of his experiences on a future episode.
Listen to an upcoming show to hear how our experiments went and what we learned!
Article of the week
Stephen Hawking Dies at 76; His Mind Roamed the Cosmos - by Dennis Overbye
In honor of the extraordinary physicist Stephen Hawking, who passed away this week, we'd like to share this excellent obituary reviewing his life and contributions to science from the New York Times.
"Scientifically, Dr. Hawking will be best remembered for a discovery so strange that it might be expressed in the form of a Zen koan: When is a black hole not black? When it explodes. What is equally amazing is that he had a career at all. As a graduate student in 1963, he learned he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neuromuscular wasting disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was given only a few years to live…"
Product of the week
Bose QuietComfort 35 Noise Canceling Headphones
Ian, Darren & March all have these headphones and use them for everything from editing the podcast on an airplane to enhancing mindfulness meditation. We're not the only ones who love these headphones as reviews on Amazon will attest:
"If you want to experience what it’s like to go deaf and only be able to hear beautifully presented music, the QC35s are for you! With unbeatable noise cancellation, superb comfort, exceptional sound quality, and solid build quality, $350 may seem like a hefty price but it is worth every penny."
3 things you can do to help the show!
- If you enjoyed this newsletter please forward to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here.
- Listen to the podcast and if you enjoy it give us a 5-star rating on iTunes. It helps others find the show.
- Join the discussion on Facebook and share your own tips and tricks or ask a question.
All the best in getting better,
Ian, Darren & March
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