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07 December 2007
Here is a list of 10 common side effects caused by the food we eat:

Weight gain aside, I would rarely think of any other complications or side effects the food may cause. Side effects are attributed to medications or medical procedures, but not food, right? Well, guess again. Turns out, the food we eat may also cause side effects. Some side effects are serious, some are disturbing, and some may put you into embarrassing situation.

  1. Body Odor. Researchers found that red meat consumption negatively influences on body odor [1].

  2. Acne. Foods that are high in saturated fat and trans fatty acids increase the sebum production in the body, which in turn increases acne. Researchers suggest that there is a positive association between milk consumption and acne.

  3. Allergy. Allergy is a number one foods side effect. In theory, any food can cause an allergy. But in fact there are 8 foods to blame for 90% of allergic reactions to food: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (including Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts), fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.

  4. Candidiasis (Yeast infection). Yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of the normal yeast in the body, so foods that affect the yeast levels may contribute to a yeast infection. These foods are: sugars, vinegar, starches, refined carbohydrates, yeast and yeast containing products.

  5. Heartburn and Acid Reflux. There is a relatively long list of foods that cause heartburn. Some foods cause the lower esophageal sphincter - a muscle that helps to keep stomach contents out of the esophagus - to become weaker, and some cause the stomach to produce more acid than usual. Both of these problems can increase acid reflux. Most common food triggers for heartburn are citrus fruits, fried and fatty foods, vinegar, tomatoes, chocolate.

  6. High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia). Cholesterol is found mostly in animal foods. Consumption of cholesterol-rich foods can elevate blood cholesterol level, which may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. High cholesterol foods are: brains (beef, pork, lamb), eggs, organ meat (liver, kidneys, spleen).

  7. Kidney stones. People whose diets are high in animal protein and low in fiber and fluids may be at higher risk for stones. Several studies have shown that increasing dietary calcium and restricting salt, animal protein, and foods rich in oxalate, such as rhubarb, spinach, cocoa, nuts, pepper, and tea, can help prevent calcium oxalate stones from returning [2].

  8. Memory and Cognition Impairment. Among older adults whose diets are high in saturated fats and trans fats, a high intake of foods containing copper may cause a fast decline in their ability to think, learn, and remember, according to the study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago [3]. The research studies have linked fat intake, especially that of saturated and trans fats, to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive difficulties.

  9. Edema and Water Retention. Foods high in salt, sodium or sugar may cause the body to retain considerable fluids and worsen edema. The body needs a constant concentration of salt in its tissues. When excess salt is taken in, the body dilutes it by retaining fluid.

  10. Migraine and Headache. Foods may trigger not only migraine but also tension type headache, which feels like tightening of a band around the head, making the whole head ache. Foods cause headaches by affecting the brain chemistry or changing the size of blood vessels. Certain foods cause headache in most vulnerable people because of their high content of the amino acids tyramine and phenyethyamine. The tyramine increases blood flow to the brain, which can lead to a headache. Common headache food triggers are aged cheese, beer, red wine, chocolate, nitrite-containing foods.



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02 December 2007

    Mount Everest is, indisputably, the highest point of land above sea level (8850 meters / 29035 feet) which, according to traditional measurements, means that it is the tallest mountain in the world. Given certain definitions, however, this can be challenged. One alternative method of measurement is the base-summit height. When this is applied, Mauna Kea (a dormant volcano in Hawaii) turns out to be much higher at 10,314 meters (33,480 feet). This takes into account Mauna Kea's base on the ocean floor, some 6000 meters below sea level. Its height above sea level is only 4,208 meters (13,796 feet). If the base-summit height is measured from land only, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, meaning it does not belong to a mountain range or chain, measured from its base (at ground level) to the summit at 5,896 meters (19,344 feet). Another alternative method is to work out the furthest point of land as measured from the centre of the earth. Chimborazo, a volcano in Ecuador, takes this honor, because the Earth "bulges" at the equator. This peak is 2,100 meters "taller" than Everest.


    The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert, but it is not the world's largest desert (arid land). Antarctica has almost no liquid precipitation (rain) and little or no vegetation. Almost no animal life exists in its interior at all (scientific research stations and nesting snow petrels are about the only exceptions). It is land that lacks liquid water available for plants and animals to use. This is sufficient to qualify it as a desert, and it is larger than the Sahara.


    Claims that the number and intensity of earthquakes are increasing are unfounded. The number and intensity of earthquakes varies from year to year but there is no increasing trend.


History




  • Napoleon Bonaparte (pictured) was not especially short. After his death in 1821, the French emperor's height was recorded as 5 feet 2 inches in French feet. This corresponds to 5 feet 6.5 inches in Imperial (British) feet, or 1.686 metres, making him slightly taller than an average Frenchman of the 19th century. The metric system was introduced during his lifetime, so it was natural that he would be measured in feet and inches for much of his life. A French inch was 2.71 centimetres, an Imperial inch is 2.54 centimetres. In addition to this miscalculation, his nickname, "le petit caporal", adds to the confusion, as non-francophones mistakenly take petit literally as meaning "small"; in fact, it is an affectionate term reflecting on his camaraderie with ordinary soldiers. He also surrounded himself with soldiers, his elite guard, who were always six feet tall or more.


  • During World War II, King Christian X of Denmark did not thwart Nazi attempts to identify Jews by wearing a yellow star himself. Jews in Denmark were never forced to wear the Star of David. The Danish government did help most Jews flee the country before the end of the war.


  • Italian dictator Benito Mussolini did not make the trains run on time. Much of the repair work had been performed before Mussolini and the Fascists came to power in 1922. Accounts from the era also suggest that the Italian railways' legendary adherence to timetables was more myth than reality.


  • It is believed that the phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche." ("Let them eat cake.") was not said by Marie Antoinette, but by another noble (a princess in another country, at another time). An argument to support this theory is that the brioche had not been invented, yet, by the time of the French Revolution. Also, Jean-Jacques Rousseau recounts the anecdote in the 6th book of his 'Confessions' three years before Marie Antoinette joined the court at Versaille in 1770.


  • The German crowd witnessing John F. Kennedy's speech did not, as commonly believed only in the United States, mistake Ich bin ein Berliner to mean "I am a jelly doughnut". Although that was an interpretation of the phrase, the people of Berlin understood his intent.



Food origins





Astronomy



  • While in a low orbit, a viewer can see the Great Wall of China (pictured here in a satellite image) from space, but it is not unique in that regard. From a low orbit of the earth, many artificial objects are visible on the earth, not just the Great Wall of China: highways, ships in the sea, dams, railroads, cities, fields of crops, airports, and even some individual buildings. As to the claim that it is the only man-made object visible from the moon, Apollo astronauts reported that they could not see any man-made object from the moon, not even the Great Wall.


  • The phrase "dark side of the Moon" is thought to refer to the a side of the moon that is always dark. In fact, it refers to the far side of the moon where radio transmissions from Earth are blocked by the intervening mass of the Moon (making it "dark" to line-of-sight communications). Since the Moon is locked in a synchronous orbit, it always keeps the same side toward the Earth, and therefore the far side is never visible from Earth. Once per synodic month, the near side of the Moon is indeed largely illuminated by the Sun, and the far side is literally "dark". At this time, we are able to see most of the area of the near side, resulting in a full moon.



  • The gravity of a black hole is slightly weaker than, not stronger than, the gravity of the star which formed it (at distances greater than the star's radius). Isaac Newton's laws of gravitation state that, for an object with a spherically symmetric distribution of mass, two things affect how much gravitational force is felt by an observer: the mass of the object and the distance between the observer and the object's centre. A black hole has slightly less mass than the star which formed it, because when a star becomes a supernova, some of the star's mass is converted into energy according to Einstein's equation E = mc², and a great deal of the star's mass is returned to the interstellar medium. Only when a distance of (slightly less than) the star's original radius is passed does gravity become greater. The event horizon is usually much smaller than the original star's radius. As such, black holes are not similar to "cosmic vacuum cleaners". Objects can settle into stable orbits around them just as they would around any other mass in space, including stars.


  • When a meteor lands on Earth (after which it is termed a meteorite), it is not usually hot. Small meteorites are not hot when they fall to Earth — in fact, many are found with frost on them. A meteorite has been in the near–absolute zero temperature of space for billions of years, so the interior of it is very cold. A meteor's great speed is enough to melt its outside layer, but any molten material will be quickly blown off (ablated), and the interior of the meteor does not have time to heat up because rocks are poor conductors of heat. Also, atmospheric drag can slow small meteors to terminal velocity by the time they hit the ground, giving them time to cool down.


  • The North Star, Polaris, is not the brightest star in the night sky, contrary to popular belief. This honour is held by Sirius, with an apparent magnitude of -1.47 (Polaris in comparison is 1.97, barely making the top-50 brightest stars list). Its importance lies in its proximity to the north celestial pole, meaning its location in the sky currently marks North.


  • Seasons are not caused by being closer to the Sun in summer and farther in winter due to Earth's elliptical orbit. In fact, Earth's elliptical orbit approximates a circle to such an extent that temperature differences between summer and winter cannot be explained by differing distances. Instead, Earth exhibits seasons because of its axis tilt of 23 degrees. This causes, for example, New Zealand's Winter to coincide with the United Kingdom's Summer.


  • The Lunar phases are not caused by the Earth's shadow. Instead, as the Moon orbits Earth, we see its illuminated half from differing angles in relation to the Sun.



Health



  • People do not use only ten percent of their brains. This myth is thought by some to have emerged after the discovery of glial cells in the brain, or it could have been the result of some other misunderstood or misinterpreted legitimate scientific findings, or even been the result of speculation by self-help gurus.



  • Different tastes can be detected on all parts of the tongue, contrary to the popular belief that specific tastes correspond to specific sites on the tongue.The original "tongue map" was based on a mistranslation by a Harvard psychologist of a German paper that was written in 1901. Sensitivity to all tastes occurs across the whole tongue and indeed in other regions of the mouth where there are taste buds (epiglottis, soft palate).



  • Warts on human skin are caused by viruses that are unique to humans (Human papillomavirus), and not by proximity to, or contact with, toads.

  • Koalas are not bears. They are not even placental mammals; they are marsupials.

  • Some bats use echolocation to navigate whilst flying in darkness. Bats are not blind, however. Their eyes are small and poorly developed, but they are still capable of sight, particularly long-range; and in fact can be severely disoriented by excessive light.

  • The claim that a duck's quack doesn't echo is false.

  • Jellyfish and starfish are not fish. They are Cnidarians and Echinoderms respectively. Many scientists refer to them as "sea jellies" and "sea stars".

  • Polar bears do not eat penguins. Polar bears only live in the Arctic, while penguins are not native to the northern hemisphere.

  • The notion that goldfish have a memory of only three seconds is completely false. They have been trained to navigate mazes and can recognise their owners after an exposure of a few months.

  • Lemmings do not engage in suicidal dives off cliffs when migrating. This misconception is due largely to the Disney film White Wilderness, which shot many of the "migration" scenes on a large turntable in a studio. Photographers later pushed the lemmings off a cliff using a broom.

  • Mammal blood is bright red or scarlet when oxygenated and a darker red when not oxygenated (and never blue). However veins with deoxygenated blood do appear blue.



Physics



  • The Coriolis effect does not determine the direction of rotation of water draining from sinks, bathtubs, or flushing toilets. The influence of the Coriolis effect on motions over such small distances and such short times is very small. Only motions on spatial scales of many miles (kilometers) and time scales of many minutes or hours, such as long-range missiles, weather systems, and ocean currents, are appreciably affected by the Coriolis force (for a small-scale system which can detect the Coriolis force, see Foucault pendulum). Most containers of water are not initially still; in order for the Coriolis effect to have a chance of prevailing, the rotation of the water relative to the container must be less than its rotation with the Earth. Even at the North or South Poles, where the effect is strongest, the movement of water in a tub would have to be slower than one rotation in 24 hours. Then, unless careful precautions are taken, the torque produced by flow over the geometry of the tub overwhelms the tiny Coriolis force. Most toilets inject water into the bowl at an angle, and will flush in the corresponding direction anywhere in the world: the resulting spin of the water in the bowl is fast enough to complete a rotation in seconds—tens of thousands of times too fast to be overcome by the Coriolis effect.


  • It is not true that air takes the same time to travel above and below an aircraft's wing. This misconception is widespread among textbooks, reference books, and even appears in pilot training materials. If this were truly the case, there would be no lift generated by the wings and the plane wouldn't fly.



  • Many textbooks state that electricity within wires flows at nearly (or even exactly) the speed of light, which can give the impression that electrons themselves move almost instantly through a circuit. The drift velocity of the charges (electrons) in a typical current-carrying wire is on the order of centimeters per hour (much slower than a snail) rather than hundreds of millions of meters per second (the speed of light). The random thermal motions of the electrons are much faster than the drift velocity, but still much slower than light, and with no tendency to occur in any particular direction. Where the electric current is visible, as in electrophoresis, the slow movement of brightly colored charge carriers can be seen directly. It is the electrical energy or signal which travels almost at the speed of light. Electrons, which have mass, can never travel at the speed of light (see Theory of relativity); moreover, not even the energy can travel at the absolute speed of light unless the metal conductors are immersed in vacuum. The electrical energy is transmitted through the electromagnetic field created by a voltage/current source. The field is propagated by photons, which move at the speed of light when in vacuum. Imagine a hose which is full of water and connected to a closed faucet. When the faucet is turned on, water begins coming out of the other end of the hose almost immediately; the speed of the pressure wave which starts the water in the hose moving is analogous to the speed of the electrical signal. But it takes much longer for the water entering the hose at the faucet to transit the entire hose; the water itself, analogous to the electrons in a current-carrying wire, moves along the hose much more slowly than does the information that the faucet has been opened. In alternating current, as used in wall outlets, the direction of current alternates rapidly (50 or 60 times per second), and in this case, the electrons stay in about the same place the entire time (on the filament inside a light bulb for instance), while vibrating back and forth over a very small distance.


  • The blue color of lakes and oceans is not only a reflection of the blue sky. Water looks blue because water is blue; the water molecules do absorb some light, and they absorb red frequencies more than blue. The effect is small, so the blue color only becomes obvious when observing layers of water many meters (or more) thick. (This effect is noticeable to a lesser amount in white-painted swimming pools.) In salt water or mineral-laden fresh water, the color of dissolved minerals can also be seen. Sky-reflection does play a role, but only when the water surface is very calm, and only when the water is observed at a glancing angle less than approximately ten degrees.


  • Astronauts in orbiting spacecraft are not experiencing true "zero gravity". In reality they are falling along with the spacecraft. Because gravity in a free-fall environment is not easily detected, conditions of free-fall will simulate a "zero-gravity" environment. NASA refers to these conditions as microgravity. Earth's gravitational effects are very strong at the low orbit altitudes used by the space shuttle (about 85% of gravity at Earth's surface), and of course there are also the effects of other planets and the Sun. Gravity falls off rapidly as one leaves the Earth's surface, but one can never completely escape the gravitational pull of the Earth (or any other mass in the universe) even at vast distances, though the effect may be negligible. A free-fall situation can be more properly called "simulated zero-gravity" since the free-falling bodies are actually under a strong gravitational pull. Simulated zero gravity can be experienced in any near-freefall situation, including extremely fast elevators (that only simulate reduced gravity) and skydiving (near-real simulation of zero gravity for a short time). Astronauts ride inside free-falling airplanes for training (see Vomit Comet).


  • The Earth's North Magnetic Pole is not a north magnetic pole, but rather a south magnetic pole. Since a compass needle is a magnet whose "North" end has standard north polarity, and since magnetic poles are attracted to their opposites, the compass needle points to the magnetic south pole of the Earth's magnetic field. Therefore, the Arctic pole is a south-type pole, while the Antarctic pole is a north-type pole. (However, the poles have flipped in the past, with the last reversal being the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal of 780,000 years ago.) Earth also has a more complicated magnetic field than one might get from a simple dipole. The earth has a strong overall dipole on which is superposed on a weaker quadrupole, as well as higher-order magnetic moments. Not only have the magnetic poles moved to opposite geographic poles in the past, but they also drift around more or less randomly, presumably because of the movements of the molten nickel-iron alloy in the Earth's core.


  • Due to Archimedes's principle, the melting of glaciers contributes far more to raising sea level than the melting of sea ice or floating icebergs. The predicted threat of rising sea levels due to global warming is mainly due to the detachment or melting of inland ice, such as that on Greenland and in Antarctica, the melting of glaciers, and the thermal expansion of seawater. Melting of sea ice in the Arctic makes only a tiny contribution, by lowering the global average salinity (and therefore the density) of seawater.


  • The melting of Antarctic ice is not predicted to be the largest cause of rising sea levels in the near future. While complete melting of the Antarctic ice sheet would be the largest contribution to sea level change, according to IPCC predictions, the likelihood of this event is uncertain. Antarctica may even help offset rising sea level by accumulating more snow. At worst, the melting of Antarctic ice is predicted to be only the fourth-largest potential contribution to sea level rise by the year 2100 (−170 to +20mm), after thermal expansion of the world's oceans (+110 to +430mm), melting glaciers (+10 to +230mm), and melting Greenland ice (−20 to +90mm).



  • A Crookes radiometer or "light-mill" (pictured) does not turn by radiation pressure. In fact, it turns in the opposite direction from what one would expect due to radiation pressure. The correct explanation is essentially that molecules of gas in the partial vacuum inside rebound from the vanes of the radiometer, transmitting a different force depending on the temperature of the gas (rebounding more forcefully from the black, hotter side of the vanes).


  • Introductory science courses often teach that the period of a pendulum is independent of its amplitude, and students often mistakenly believe that is precisely true. It is only approximately true, and only for small amplitudes, for which a pendulum approximates simple harmonic motion.


  • It is not true that a nozzle (or a person's thumb) on the end of a garden hose makes the water squirt farther because of the Bernoulli principle. The pressure at the end of a hose depends very much on the speed of the water which flows through miles of pipe. The faster the water moves through the pipe, the greater is the friction that cuts down pressure at the output end. (The friction in rusty pipes is even greater.) If the speed of the water is lessened, the friction also lessens and the pressure at the output is increased. Of course, if the water is shut off and does not flow there is no friction. This results in full pressure - but no water output. When the water is flowing, putting a finger over the end of the hose reduces the number of gallons per minute that flow through the pipe, so the water in the pipe moves more slowly. This results in less friction in the pipe and consequently more pressure left in the water when it arrives at the end of the hose - and it will squirt farther. This can be demonstrated by connecting a hose directly to a water tank with sufficient elevation (i.e., pressure). Any restriction on the end of the hose will reduce the flow of water, but the water will squirt the same distance.


  • That all objects, irrespective of their masses, fall at the same rate in a vacumn (i.e. ignoring air resistance) is not entirely true. Rather, it depends on how you frame the experiment. The effect of gravity depends on the sum of masses (i.e. the object falling and the object it is falling towards), and not just on the mass of the heaviest object.



Evolution



  • In biology the word evolution describes the changes that occur in populations of living organisms over time. Describing these changes does not address the origin of life: for that, see abiogenesis. The two are commonly and mistakenly conflated. Biological evolution likewise says nothing about cosmology, the Big Bang, or where the universe, galaxy, solar system, or Earth came from.


  • The word "theory" in "the theory of evolution" does not imply doubt in mainstream science about the validity of this theory; the words "theory" and "hypothesis" are not the same in a scientific context (see Evolution as theory and fact). A scientific theory is a set of principles which, via logical deduction, explain the observations in nature. The same logical deductions can be made to predict observations before they are made. The theory describing how evolution occurs is a "theory" in the same sense as the theory of gravity, the theory of relativity, or indeed number theory.


  • Evolution by natural selection is not an entirely random process; the random results of mutation are filtered by the non-random process of natural selection and other non-random mechanisms. On the other hand, some evolutionary changes result from genetic drift, and are entirely random.


  • Evolution does not need to be directed (although some people believe it is). It is a process, like the fractal growth of a snowflake, where complex structures come from simple rules.

  • Humans did not evolve from chimpanzees or any other modern ape; instead they share a common ancestor (possibly Sahelanthropus tchadensis) that existed around 7 million years ago in the late Miocene epoch.However, the genuses Ardipithecus and Orrorin are alternative candidates for this common ancestor.


  • The process of evolution is not necessarily slow. Millions of years are not required to see evolution, or even to see speciation in action. Indeed, it has been observed multiple times under both controlled laboratory conditions and in nature.


  • Evolution does not happen within a single organism: a chimpanzee cannot be born a chimpanzee and turn into a different species within its lifetime. Evolution deals with changes to the gene pool of a population, which accumulate only over generations. Similarly, organisms cannot pass on acquired traits to their offspring; a bodybuilder's children are not born with more muscles (but see epigenetics).


  • Evolution is not a progression from "lower" to "higher", and evolution does not require an increase in complexity (see Evolution of complexity). A population can evolve to become simpler, and have a smaller genome — often called "devolution", but that is a misnomer.


  • The theory of evolution does posit "transitional forms"... but not "endpoint forms". That is, every animal, plant, fossil that exists, is an example of a transitional form. Evolution is an eternal and continuous process.


  • The claim that "almost all mutations are harmful" is false. In fact, most mutations have no noticeable effect. One study gives the average number of mutations that arise in a human conception to be around 128, with an average number of harmful mutations per conception of 1.3.


  • The claim that individuals with a different number of chromosomes can never produce viable offspring is false - Przewalski's Horse, for example, can produce viable offspring with the common horse, despite a different number of chromosomes.


  • The claim that evolution is not scientific since it cannot be falsified is not true. Any number of discoveries could potentially falsify evolution - for example the discovery of a contemporary mammal fossil in ancient rock strata.


  • The claim that evolution makes no meaningful predictions is not true - for example the discovery of the relationship between chromosome 2 and chimpanzee chromosomes at the end of the completion of the human and chimp genome projects was predicted, and makes no sense except as evidence of a common ancestor.



Religion



  • Nowhere in the Bible is the fruit eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden referred to as an apple. The fruit is called the "Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" and not identified as a known species. In middle English, however, apple was a generic term for all fruit, other than berries but including nuts, as late as the 17th century. Since Adam and Eve use fig leaves to cover themselves, the original author of Genesis was probably referring to a fig.


  • The Ten Commandments are not consistent from one religion to another, or even among Christians (although they are the same Ten among these groups) except for the Samaritans, they are grouped differently (see this chart for example). In addition, besides the Ethical Decalogue repeated in Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, there is a different set of ten commandments, the Ritual Decalogue, in Exodus.


  • The term immaculate conception does not refer to Jesus's conception by the Virgin Mary (see Virgin Birth of Jesus), but rather to the Roman Catholic teaching that Mary herself was conceived without the stain of Original Sin. (See also Blessed Virgin Mary.)


  • The number of Biblical Magi who visited Jesus is never specified, only that they carried three gifts. Additionally, they are never referred to as "kings". In addition, whilst they were said to have been informed of the birth of Jesus by the appearance of a new star, there is no textual evidence to suggest that they followed it.


  • Nowhere in the Bible is Mary Magdalene ever referred to as a prostitute. Before her seeing of the risen Jesus, the only other mention besides the listing of her name is the mentioning in Luke 8:2 that she had been possessed by seven demons.


  • The word "prodigal" in the parable of the Prodigal Son does not mean one who travels (or, alternatively, one who travels and then returns). "Prodigal" means "characterized by a profuse or wasteful expenditure". The Prodigal Son of the story wasted all of the money he obtained from his father and had to work as a lowly pig-tender until he finally recouped his losses and went back to his home.


Technology



  • Thomas Crapper did not invent the flush toilet, Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb, and Henry Ford did not invent the automobile or the internal combustion engine. In all three cases, their contributions were in the area of improving and popularizing the devices in question. For example, Ford introduced the assembly line, and used it to bring the cost of automobiles into reach of many more people, and Thomas Edison refined the internal gases and filaments, making a bulb last longer.

  • ENIAC was not the first digital computer. Rather, it was the first general-purpose all-electronic computer. The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) and the Colossus computer were digital electronic computers but were not general-purpose, being designed for only particular applications. The Z3 was general-purpose but was partly electromechanical rather than electronic. Also, ENIAC did not use binary arithmetic, as the above three did (and as modern computers do); it used decimal.


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23 November 2007

Since everyone seems too busy to post on this blog I've decided to take the time and post this list of usefull advice and tips on how optimise your habit for better learning. To some people reaching the goal to be a successfull person is on the top of their list, so what ever you define as "success" in your life, this list of tips and advice should help you reach your goal(s).

And with all that in mind, we should also consiter what Glenn said in some of his earlyer blogpost, "reading something and learning about it doesnt make you an expert on the subject... you have to take part in your studies and get involved in what ever you are trying to understand."




Health


  1. Shake a leg. Lack of blood flow is a common reason for lack of concentration. If you've been sitting in one place for awhile, bounce one of your legs for a minute or two. It gets your blood flowing and sharpens both concentration and recall.
  2. Food for thought: Eat breakfast. A lot of people skip breakfast, but creativity is often optimal in the early morning and it helps to have some protein in you to feed your brain. A lack of protein can actually cause headaches.
  3. Food for thought, part 2: Eat a light lunch. Heavy lunches have a tendency to make people drowsy. While you could turn this to your advantage by taking a "thinking nap" (see #23), most people haven't learned how.
  4. Cognitive enhancers: Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a natural supplement that has been used in China and other countries for centuries and has been reputed to reverse memory loss in rats. It's also suggested by some health practitioners as a nootrope and thus a memory enhancer.
  5. Reduce stress + depresssion. Stress and depression may reduce the ability to recall information and thus inhibit learning. Sometimes, all you need to reduce depression is more white light and fewer refined foods.


Balance


  1. Sleep on it. Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote about in his book Psycho-Cybernetics about a man who was was paid good money to come up with ideas. He would lock his office door, close the blinds, turn off the lights. He'd focus on the problem at hand, then take a short nap on a couch. When he awoke, he usually had the problem solved.
  2. Take a break. Change phyical or mental perspective to lighten the invisible stress that can sometimes occur when you sit in one place too long, focused on learning. Taking a 5-15 minute break every hour during study sessions is more beneficial than non-stop study. It gives your mind time to relax and absorb information. If you want to get really serious with breaks, try a 20 minute ultradian break as part of every 90 minute cycle. This includes a nap break, which is for a different purpose than #23.
  3. Take a hike. Changing your perspective often relieves tension, thus freeing your creative mind. Taking a short walk around the neighborhood may help.
  4. Change your focus. Sometimes there simply isn't enough time to take a long break. If so, change subject focus. Alternate between technical and non-technical subjects.


Perspective and Focus


  1. Change your focus, part 2. There are three primary ways to learn: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. If one isn't working for you, try another.
  2. Do walking meditation. If you're taking a hike (#25), go one step further and learn walking meditation as a way to tap into your inner resources and your strengthen your ability to focus. Just make sure you're not walking inadvertently into traffic.
  3. Focus and immerse yourself. Focus on whatever you're studying. Don't try to watch TV at the same time or worry yourself about other things. Anxiety does not make for absorption of information and ideas.
  4. Turn out the lights. This is a way to focus, if you are not into meditating. Sit in the dark, block out extraneous influences. This is ideal for learning kinesthetically, such as guitar chord changes.
  5. Take a bath or shower. Both activities loosen you up, making your mind more receptive to recognizing brilliant ideas.


Recall Techniques


  1. Listen to music. Researchers have long shown that certain types of music are a great "key" for recalling memories. Information learned while listening to a particular song or collection can often be recalled simply by "playing" the songs mentally.
  2. Speedread. Some people believe that speedreading causes you to miss vital information. The fact remains that efficient speedreading results in filtering out irrelevant information. If necessary, you can always read and re-read at slower speeds. Slow reading actually hinders the ability to absorb general ideas. (Although technical subjects often requirer slower reading.) If you're reading online, you can try the free Spreeder Web-based application.
  3. Use acronyms and other mnemonic devices. Mnemonics are essentially tricks for remembering information. Some tricks are so effective that proper application will let you recall loads of mundane information years later.


Visual Aids


  1. Every picture tells a story. Draw or sketch whatever it is you are trying to achieve. Having a concrete goal in mind helps you progress towards that goal.
  2. Brainmap it. Need to plan something? Brain maps, or mind maps, offer a compact way to get both an overview of a project as well as easily add details. With mind maps, you can see the relationships between disparate ideas and they can also act as a receptacle for a brainstorming session.
  3. Learn symbolism and semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols. Having an understanding of the symbols of a particular discipline aids in learning, and also allows you to record information more efficiently.
  4. Use information design. When you record information that has an inherent structure, applying information design helps convey that information more clearly. A great resource is Information Aesthetics, which gives examples of information design and links to their sources.
  5. Use visual learning techniques. Try gliffy for structured diagrams. Also see Inspiration.com for an explanation of webs, idea maps, concept maps, and plots.
  6. Map your task flow. Learning often requires gaining knowledge in a specific sequence. Organizing your thoughts on what needs to be done is a powerful way to prepare yourself to complete tasks or learn new topics.


Verbal and Auditory Techniques


  1. Stimulate ideas. Play rhyming games, utter nonsense words. These loosen you up, making you more receptive to learning.
  2. Brainstorm. This is a time-honored technique that combines verbal activity, writing, and collaboration. (One person can brainstorm, but it's more effective in a group.) It's fruitful if you remember some simple rules: Firstly, don't shut anyone's idea out. Secondly, don't "edit" in progress; just record all ideas first, then dissect them later. Participating in brainstorming helps assess what you already know about something, and what you didn't know.
  3. Learn by osmosis. Got an iPod? Record a few of your own podcasts, upload them to your iPod and sleep on it. Literally. Put it under your pillow and playback language lessons or whatever.
  4. Cognitive enhancers: binaural beats. Binaural beats involve playing two close frequencies simultaneously to produce alpha, beta, delta, and theta waves, all of which produce either sleeping, restfulness, relaxation, meditativeness, alertness, or concentration. Binaural beats are used in conjunction with other excercises for a type of super-learning.
  5. Laugh. Laughing relaxes the body. A relaxed body is more receptive to new ideas.


Kinesthetic Techniques


  1. Write, don't type. While typing your notes into the computer is great for posterity, writing by hand stimulates ideas. The simple act of holding and using a pen or pencil massages acupuncture points in the hand, which in turn stimulates ideas.
  2. Carry a quality notebook at all times. Samuel Taylor Coleridge dreamed the words of the poem "In Xanadu (did Kubla Khan)...". Upon awakening, he wrote down what he could recall, but was distracted by a visitor and promptly forgot the rest of the poem. Forever. If you've been doing "walking meditation" or any kind of meditation or productive napping, ideas may suddenly come to you. Record them immediately.
  3. Keep a journal. This isn't exactly the same as a notebook. Journaling has to do with tracking experiences over time. If you add in visual details, charts, brainmaps, etc., you have a much more creative way to keep tabs on what you are learning.
  4. Organize. Use sticky colored tabs to divide up a notebook or journal. They are a great way to partition ideas for easy referral.
  5. Use post-it notes. Post-it notes provide a helpful way to record your thoughts about passages in books without defacing them with ink or pencil marks.


Self-Motivation Techniques


  1. Give yourself credit. Ideas are actually a dime a dozen. If you learn to focus your mind on what results you want to achieve, you'll recognize the good ideas. Your mind will become a filter for them, which will motivate you to learn more.
  2. Motivate yourself. Why do you want to learn something? What do want to achieve through learning? If you don't know why you want to learn, then distractions will be far more enticing.
  3. Set a goal. W. Clement Stone once said "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." It's an amazing phenomenon in goal achievement. Prepare yourself by whatever means necessary, and hurdles will seem surmountable. Anyone who has experienced this phenomenon understands its validity.
  4. Think positive. There's no point in setting learning goals for yourself if you don't have any faith in your ability to learn.
  5. Organize, part 2. Learning is only one facet of the average adult's daily life. You need to organize your time and tasks else you might find it difficult to fit time in for learning. Try Neptune for a browser-based application for "getting things done."
  6. Every skill is learned. With the exception of bodily functions, every skill in life is learned. Generally speaking, if one person can learn something, so can you. It may take you more effort, but if you've set a believable goal, it's likely an achievable goal.
  7. Prepare yourself for learning. Thinking positive isn't sufficient for successfully achieving goals. This is especially important if you are an adult, as you'll probably have many distractions surrounding your daily life. Implement ways to reduce distractions, at least for a few hours at a time, else learning will become a frustrating experience.
  8. Prepare yourself, part 2. Human nature is such that not everyone in your life will be a well-wisher in your self-improvement and learning plans. They may intentionally or subconsciously distract you from your goal. If you have classes to attend after work, make sure that work colleagues know this, that you are unable to work late. Diplomacy works best if you think your boss is intentionally giving you work on the days he/she knows you have to leave. Reschedule lectures to a later time slot if possible/ necessary.
  9. Constrain yourself. Most people need structure in their lives. Freedom is sometimes a scary thing. It's like chaos. But even chaos has order within. By constraining yourself — say giving yourself deadlines, limiting your time on an idea in some manner, or limiting the tools you are working with — you can often accomplish more in less time.


Supplemental Techniques


  1. Read as much as you can. How much more obvious can it get? Use Spreeder (#33) if you have to. Get a breadth of topics as well as depth.
  2. Cross-pollinate your interests. Neurons that connect to existing neurons give you new perspectives and abilities to use additional knowledge in new ways.
  3. Learn another language. New perspectives give you the ability to cross-pollinate cultural concepts and come up with new ideas. As well, sometimes reading a book in its original language will provide you with insights lost in translation.
  4. Learn how to learn. Management Help has a resource page, as does SIAST (Virtual Campus), which links to articles about learning methods. They are geared towards online learning, but no doubt you gain something from them for any type of learning. If you are serious about optimum learning, read Headrush's Crash course in learning theory.
  5. Learn what you know and what you don't. Many people might say, "I'm dumb," or "I don't know anything about that." The fact is, many people are wholly unaware of what they already know about a topic. If you want to learn about a topic, you need to determine what you already know, figure out what you don't know, and then learn the latter.
  6. Multi-task through background processes. Effective multi-tasking allows you to bootstrap limited time to accomplish several tasks. Learning can be bootstrapped through multi-tasking, too. By effective multitasking, I don't mean doing two or more things at exactly the same time. It's not possible. However, you can achieve the semblance of effective multitasking with the right approach, and by prepping your mind for it. For example, a successful freelance writer learns to manage several articles at the same time. Research the first essay, and then let the background processes of your mind takeover. Move on consciously to the second essay. While researching the second essay, the first one will often "write itself." Be prepared to record it when it "appears" to you.
  7. Think holistically. Holistic thinking might be the single most "advanced" learning technique that would help students. But it's a mindset rather than a single technique.
  8. Use the right type of repetition. Complex concepts often require revisting in order to be fully absorbed. Sometimes, for some people, it may actually take months or years. Repetition of concepts and theory with various concrete examples improves absorption and speeds up learning.
  9. Apply the Quantum Learning (QL) model. The Quantum Learning model is being applied in some US schools and goes beyond typical education methods to engage students.
  10. Get necessary tools. There are obviously all kinds of tools for learning. If you are learning online like a growing number of people these days, then consider your online tools. One of the best tools for online research is the Firefox web browser, which has loads of extensions (add-ons) with all manner of useful features. One is Googlepedia, which simultaneously displays Google search engine listings, when you search for a term, with related entries from Wikipedia.
  11. Get necessary tools, part 2. This is a very niche tip, but if you want to learn fast-track methods for building software, read Getting Real from 37 Signals. The Web page version is free. The techniques in the book have been used to create Basecamp, Campfire, and Backpack web applications in a short time frame. Each of these applications support collaboration and organization.
  12. Learn critical thinking. As Keegan-Michael Key's character on MadTV might say, critical thinking takes analysis to "a whole notha level". Read Wikipedia's discourse on critical thinking as a starting point. It involves good analytical skills to aid the ability to learn selectively.
  13. Learn complex problem solving. For most people, life is a series of problems to be solved. Learning is part of the process. If you have a complex problem, you need to learn the art of complex problem solving. [The latter page has some incredible visual information.]


For Teachers, Tutors, and Parents


  1. Be engaging. Lectures are one-sided and often counter-productive. Information merely heard or witnessed (from a chalkboard for instance) is often forgotten. Teaching is not simply talking. Talking isn't enough. Ask students questions, present scenarios, engage them.
  2. Use information pyramids. Learning happens in layers. Build base knowledge upon which you can add advanced concepts.
  3. Use video games. Video games get a bad rap because of certain violent games. But video games in general can often be an effective aid to learning.
  4. Role play. Younger people often learn better by being part of a learning experience. For example, history is easier to absorb through reenactments.
  5. Apply the 80/20 rule. This rule is often interpreted in dfferent ways. In this case, the 80/20 rule means that some concepts, say about 20% of a curriculum, require more effort and time, say about 80%, than others. So be prepared to expand on complex topics.
  6. Tell stories. Venus Flytrap, a character from the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, once taught a student gang member about atoms, electrons, and protons by saying that an atom was one big neighborhood, and the protons and neutrons had their own smaller neighborhoods and never mixed. Just like rival gangs. The story worked, and understanding sparked in the students eyes.
  7. Go beyond the public school curriculum. The public school system is woefully lacking in teaching advanced learning and brainstorming methods. It's not that the methods cannot be taught; they just aren't. To learn more, you have to pay a premium in additional time and effort, and sometimes money for commercially available learning tools. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but what is taught in schools needs to be expanded. This article's author has proven that a nine-year old can learn (some) university level math, if the learning is approached correctly.
  8. Use applied learning. If a high school student were having trouble in math, say with fractions, one example of applied learning might be photography, lenses, f-stops, etc. Another example is cooking and measurement of ingredients. Tailor the applied learning to the interest of the student.


For Students and Self-Studiers


  1. Be engaged. Surprise. Sometimes students are bored because they know more than is being taught, maybe even more than a teacher. (Hopefully teachers will assess what each student already knows.) Students should discuss with a teacher if they feel that the material being covered is not challenging. Also consider asking for additional materials.
  2. Teach yourself. Teachers cannot always change their curricula. If you're not being challenged, challenge yourself. Some countries still apply country-wide exams for all students. If your lecturer didn't cover a topic, you should learn it on your own. Don't wait for someone to teach you. Lectures are most effective when you've pre-introduced yourself to concepts.
  3. Collaborate. If studying by yourself isn't working, maybe a study group will help.
  4. Do unto others: teach something. The best way to learn something better is to teach it to someone else. It forces you to learn, if you are motivated enough to share your knowledge.
  5. Write about it. An effective way to "teach" something is to create an FAQ or a wiki containing everything you know about a topic. Or blog about the topic. Doing so helps you to realize what you know and more importantly what you don't. You don't even have to spend money if you grab a freebie account with Typepad, Wordpress, or Blogger.
  6. Learn by experience. Pretty obvious, right? It means put in the necessary time. An expert is often defined as someone who has put in 10,000 hours into some experience or endeavor. That's approximately 5 years of 40 hours per week, every week. Are you an expert without realizing it? If you're not, do you have the dedication to be an expert?
  7. Quiz yourself. Testing what you've learned will reinforce the information. Flash cards are one of the best ways, and are not just for kids.
  8. Learn the right things first. Learn the basics. Case in point: a frustrating way to learn a new language is to learn grammar and spelling and sentence constructs first. This is not the way a baby learns a language, and there's no reason why an adult or young adult has to start differently, despite "expert" opinion. Try for yourself and see the difference.
  9. Plan your learning. If you have a long-term plan to learn something, then to quote Led Zeppelin, "There are two paths you can go by." You can take a haphazard approach to learning, or you can put in a bit of planning and find an optimum path. Plan your time and balance your learning and living.


Parting Advice


  1. Persist. Don't give up learning in the face of intimdating tasks. Anything one human being can learn, most others can as well. Wasn't it Einstein that said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"? Thomas Edison said it, too.
  2. Defy the experts. Dyslexia, in a nutshell, is the affliction of mentally jumbling letters and digits, causing difficulties in reading, writing and thus learning. Sometimes spoken words or numbers get mixed up as well. In the past, "experts" declared dyslexic children stupid. Later, they said they were incapable of learning. This author has interacted with and taught dyslexic teens. It's possible. Helen Keller had no experience of sight, sound, or speech, and yet she learned. Conclusion: There is more than one way to learn; never believe you cannot.
  3. Challenge yourself. People are often more intelligent than they realize. In a world that compartmentalizes and categorizes everything, not everyone is sure where they fit in. And genius can be found in many walks of life. If you honestly suspect that there's more to you than has been "allowed" to be let out, try an IQ test such as the one offered by MENSA. It's unlike the standardized IQ tests given in many schools. You know the kind — the ones which traumatize many young students into thinking they are stupid, simply because the tests don't really assess all student's knowledge and learning ability. And the ability to learn is far, far more important than what you already know.
  4. Party before an exam. Well, don't go that far. The key is to relax. The worse thing to do is cram the night before an exam. If you don't already know a subject by then, cramming isn't going to help. If you have studied, simply review the topic, then go do something pleasant (no more studying). Doing so tells your brain that you are prepared and that you will be able to recall anything that you have already learned. On the other hand, if you didn't spend the semester learning the ideas you need, you might as well go party anyways because cramming at the last minute isn't going to help much at that point.
  5. Don't worry; learn happy. Have a real passion for learning and want to share that? Join a group such as the Joyful Jubilant Learning community [via LifeHack].


Sources For This Article


This is only a partial list of sources, focusing only on Web sites. Many of the ideas presented above come from long years of experience, with information gleaned from dozens of books and tapes on learning and, more recently, Web sites. The Web sites below either present original articles related to the ideas above, or summaries of ideas with links to other Web sites. In the latter case, such Web sites have likely been linked above. Book sources have either been long forgotten or mentioned above.






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21 October 2007

In life it is likely you will experience many setbacks. There will be times when everything seems to go wrong, and you feel like just giving up. These are the times you will feel at your lowest point, lacking self confidence and self esteem. However adversity does not have to be this way. The truth is, everyone experiences temporary setbacks in life, but it is how you deal with those moments that ultimately define who you are, and how they affect you.


Persisting In The Face Of Adversity

Every man or woman who has achieved great things have all experienced setbacks and times when everything seemed lost, but their ability to persist in the face of those adversities saw them through and made them who they were.


In my experience I have found many times over, that every time I felt like giving in, but kept going anyway, I soon succeeded in whatever I was trying to do. It was like the universe was testing me to see if I really wanted it.


Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

I think one of the most important lessons I have learnt in life is to try and see the good in every situation and stay positive.


Of course I would prefer if bad things didn’t happen to me, but when they do, I try and learn from them and use those experiences to make me a stronger person.


It’s often said that people succeed through failure, and its true. The more you fail in life the more you will learn and the quicker you will succeed. However you will only succeed if you persist through the hard times, and keep going no matter what happens.


Never Give Up

Life is full of surprises, and despite our best efforts we will all have to experience adversities at some point. However often within these adversities lie valuable and important lessons from which we can learn and use to make us a better and stronger person.You should therefore decide in advance to never ever give up, no matter what happens to you. Then let each setback motivate you forward to greater achievement, rather than letting it pull you back and prevent you from reaching your true potential. If you are able to do this, and persist no matter what happens, in the end there will be nothing that can stop you.



Original: http://www.eruptingmind.com/importance-of-persistence/

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20 October 2007
This is my short little summary of Cherie's "10 Rules for bieng Human". Cherie Carter-Scott PhD is a very modern guru. Her theories explain our attitudes and behaviour with a special clarity, and provide a practical guide to behaviour and self development. Dr. Carter-Scott achieved her PhD in human and organisational development and for the nearly 30 years has been an international lecturer, consultant and author.

Carter-Scott's book 'If Life Is A Game, These Are The Rules' is essential reading if you are interested in behaviour, relationships, communications, and human personality. Cherie Carter-Scott's rules for life - also known as 'The Ten Rules For Being Human' and referenced in her book with Jack Canfield: 'Chicken Soup For The Soul' - are a map for understanding and pursuing personal development, and for helping others to understand and develop too. 'If Life Is A Game, These Are The Rules' is also commonly referenced book in the life-coaching industry.

Rule One - You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it's yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what's inside.

Rule Two - You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them 'is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life'.

Rule Three - There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it's inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you'd want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement - of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine - it's also 'the act of erasing an emotional debt'. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humour - especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps - are central to the perspective that 'mistakes' are simply lessons we must learn.

Rule Four - The lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons repeat until learned. What manifest as problems and challenges, irritations and frustrations are more lessons - they will repeat until you see them as such and learn from them. Your own awareness and your ability to change are requisites of executing this rule. Also fundamental is the acceptance that you are not a victim of fate or circumstance - 'causality' must be acknowledged; that is to say: things happen to you because of how you are and what you do. To blame anyone or anything else for your misfortunes is an escape and a denial; you yourself are responsible for you, and what happens to you. Patience is required - change doesn't happen overnight, so give change time to happen.

Rule Five - Learning does not end. While you are alive there are always lessons to be learned. Surrender to the 'rhythm of life', don't struggle against it. Commit to the process of constant learning and change - be humble enough to always acknowledge your own weaknesses, and be flexible enough to adapt from what you may be accustomed to, because rigidity will deny you the freedom of new possibilities.

Rule Six - "There" is no better than "here". The other side of the hill may be greener than your own, but being there is not the key to endless happiness. Be grateful for and enjoy what you have, and where you are on your journey. Appreciate the abundance of what's good in your life, rather than measure and amass things that do not actually lead to happiness. Living in the present helps you attain peace.

Rule Seven - Others are only mirrors of you. You love or hate something about another person according to what love or hate about yourself. Be tolerant; accept others as they are, and strive for clarity of self-awareness; strive to truly understand and have an objective perception of your own self, your thoughts and feelings. Negative experiences are opportunities to heal the wounds that you carry. Support others, and by doing so you support yourself. Where you are unable to support others it is a sign that you are not adequately attending to your own needs.

Rule Eight - What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. Take responsibility for yourself. Learn to let go when you cannot change things. Don't get angry about things - bitter memories clutter your mind. Courage resides in all of us - use it when you need to do what's right for you. We all possess a strong natural power and adventurous spirit, which you should draw on to embrace what lies ahead.

Rule Nine - Your answers lie inside of you. Trust your instincts and your innermost feelings, whether you hear them as a little voice or a flash of inspiration. Listen to feelings as well as sounds. Look, listen, and trust. Draw on your natural inspiration.

Rule Ten - You will forget all this at birth. We are all born with all of these capabilities - our early experiences lead us into a physical world, away from our spiritual selves, so that we become doubtful, cynical and lacking belief and confidence. The ten Rules are not commandments, they are universal truths that apply to us all. When you lose your way, call upon them. Have faith in the strength of your spirit. Aspire to be wise - wisdom the ultimate path of your life, and it knows no limits other than those you impose on yourself.


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[Originating Article]

18 October 2007

IQ and intelligence increasing is one of those topics where most people think they don't have a choice. People say intelligence is genetic, that you can't increase it, that it's all to do with education etc. But i say this to you now:


Society is full of lies.


And these lies which people say have limited the true potential and GENIUS that lies within us. Just think for a moment, the geek in high school with the straight A's and the medicine degree, what did he do to deserve his intelligence?


And think similarly too about the poor guy who worked and worked hard, only to end up with CCD grades and a life where "intelligence" and "analysis" isn't his strength.....what did he do to deserve that?


You see, your intelligence will and can increase if you first believe that you can. Then you need to intend that you will act to increase your intelligence. And then it will increase. I want to teach you a quick method to increase your IQ. Act and use this method because it works! I want to start explaining this technique by asking you a question that in turn reveals a great secret about increasing your intelligence.


The question is:


What do you think is the typical human concentration span? 10 minutes? 20 minutes? 40 minutes? 2 hours?


The answer will gobsmack you. The answer actually is 7 seconds! 7 seconds i hear you say! Yep, you read that right! Our average concentration span is actually only about 7 seconds. (range is between 4-11 since it depends on your intelligence level)


Scary huh? It might seem hard to believe but prove it to yourself right now so you know I'm telling the truth:



  1. Look at a fine and distinct quality of an object (eg the colour, the edge, the shape)

  2. Place your concentration on the object

  3. Notice how your concentration on that quality wavers to another quality of the object, within seconds.


You see, you might be able to focus your attention on a task for 40 minutes+, but you cannot focus your concentration on a particular quality for more than a few seconds. Your concentration ability is the most fundamental "tool" which you have for all intellectual endeavours And here lies a secret to increasing your intelligence.


Since your concentration span is so tiny, if you can find a technique to increase your concentration span, by even a second, it will lead to a huge increase in concentration ability overall. And this technique is what im about to reveal to you.


TECHNIQUE: PSEUDO TELEKINESIS (AVERAGE IQ GAIN= 5-15 POINTS)



  1. Obtain a coin and place it in front of you

  2. Make sure you are in a comfortable sitting place and in a location in which you will not be disturbed

  3. Look at the coin from a distance of 30 to 40cm away and concentrate your full attention on the look of the coin. Try and concentrate on its shape more than its particular features. Do not touch the coin

  4. Place your thoughts on the side-edge of the coin and try and force all your thoughts to be concentrated on that edge. By thoughts, i am NOT talking about images or words in your mind, just simply the force of your concentration on the coin.

  5. You should imagine that the thoughts which you are exerting act as the force to make the coin move. Mentally push with your thoughts towards the edge of the coin. If the coin moves, replace it with a non-metallic object as your emphasis here is not real telekinesis

  6. You must maintain as much as possible, your concentration on the shape of the coin by looking directly at it, but also by attempting to force your thoughts onto its edge.

  7. If you are performing the technique correctly, you will become unaware of your surroundings. If you become distracted (which you will at first), turn your attention back to the coin and doggedly attempt to maintain it.

  8. You can repeat for any object of your choice, but a small metal object is desirable since this attracts the brainwaves towards the focal point you are concentrating on, thus allowing them to become more precise.


Other Effects of This Technique


  1. Increased listening ability

  2. Increased mathematical ability

  3. Ability to sustain more complex arguments

  4. Increased ability to extract relevant information from sources

  5. Increased ease of memorisation


You should easily get an extra 5-15 IQ points on your existing IQ score using this technique. Practice for 6 days out of 7.

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