Author: Danny

Debunking the 10% Brain Myth: We Use All Parts of Our Brain

A big 65 percent of Americans think we only use a little bit of our brain. This idea is all over in movies and books. But the 10% brain myth is not true. Scientists have found out that we really use most of our brain, proving the brain myth wrong.

The brain is very complex and always moving. It can’t be just a simple number. Different parts do different things, and most are working at some time. This article will look into where the 10% brain fallacy came from, how common it is, and how our brain really works.

the 10% Brain Myth abstract brain cross section art

10% Brain Myth Key Takeaways

The 10% brain myth is a widespread misconception in American culture.
Research in neuroscience has debunked this myth, showing that most parts of the brain are used.
The human brain is a complex organ with various functions and areas of activity.
Understanding brain function can help dispel common myths and misconceptions.
The brain’s functionality is not limited to a specific percentage.

The Pervasive 10% Brain Myth in Popular Culture

The 10% brain story is big in movies and TV. It makes people think about using their brains more. It also makes creators think about how to show this in stories.

Entertainment Industry’s Role in Perpetuating the Myth

Movies and TV shows often say we only use 10% of our brains. This idea is used in many big movies. It grabs the attention of viewers all over the world.

The Film “Lucy” and Its Scientific Inaccuracies

The movie “Lucy” (2014) shows a woman using her brain fully. She gets super powers. But, this is not true. Brain scans show that different parts of the brain work at different times.

Even parts that seem not to be working are doing something important. This shows how “Lucy” got it wrong.

Other movies like “Limitless” also play with this idea. They say we can unlock more brain power. These stories are fun but spread a false idea about our brains. Looking at these movies helps us see how the 10% brain misconception is everywhere.

Related Reads:

The Science: We Only Use 10% of Our Brain

“We only use 10% of our brains” is a myth that scientists have proven wrong. Yet, it’s still a popular idea. It’s based on wrong claims and misunderstandings, making people think wrongly about how our brains work.

Common Variations of the Claim

The idea that we only use a small part of our brain is shared in different ways. Two common versions talk about “dormant brain capacity” and “untapped potential.”

The “Dormant Brain Capacity” Argument

Some say a big part of our brain is just waiting to be used. But, science doesn’t back this up. Medical News Today says this idea is wrong.

Misrepresentations of “Untapped Potential”

Another version says we have lots of potential waiting to be found. While our brains are amazing, saying 90% is untapped is too much.

Why This Falsehood Is So Appealing

The idea of hidden talents is very tempting. It makes people want to find and use new brain abilities.

The Allure of Hidden Abilities

The thought of hidden talents is very exciting. As

“The human brain is the most complex and mysterious organ in the human body, and its potential is still not fully understood.”

This quote shows how fascinating the human brain is.

In short, the 10% brain myth is interesting but not true. By learning about brain science, we can see how amazing our brains really are.

Historical Origins of the 10% Brain Myth

The idea that we only use 10% of our brain comes from old science ideas. These ideas were wrong from the start.

Early Scientific Misinterpretations

In the 19th century, science didn’t know much about the brain. This lack of knowledge led to the belief that most of the brain was unused.

19th Century Neuroscience Limitations

In the 19th century, scientists had few tools to study the brain. They mostly looked at brains after people died. This led to wrong ideas about how the brain works.

William James and the “Untapped Potential” Quote

William James, an American thinker, is often linked to the 10% brain misconception. He talked about “untapped potential” in the brain.

How His Words Were Taken Out of Context

James’ words about “untapped potential” were misunderstood. He meant that people could do more, not that only 10% of the brain was used.

Aspect	19th Century Understanding	Current Understanding
Brain Function	Limited knowledge, relying on post-mortem exams	Advanced imaging techniques like fMRI and PET scans
Neuroscience Tools	Rudimentary experiments and observations	Sophisticated neuroimaging and diagnostic tools

The 10% brain misbelief started with old science mistakes and a wrong quote from William James. Knowing where it came from helps us see why it’s so common.

How the 10% Brain Myth Gained Mainstream Acceptance

The 10% brain myth became popular because of wrong information and smart marketing. It stuck around because of many reasons.

Role of Media in Spreading Misinformation

The media helped spread the 10% brain legend. They made it seem true with exciting science stories.

Sensationalism in Science Reporting

Science news often picks the most interesting parts. This can make real facts seem wrong. It makes the 10% brain myth seem true to many people.

Commercial Exploitation of the Concept

Companies made money off the 10% brain fallacy too. They said their products could make your brain better.

Products Claiming to “Activate” Dormant Brain Areas

Many self-help books and apps said they could unlock your brain. They used fake science to make people want to buy them.

The Einstein Connection: Genius and Brain Usage Myths

Albert Einstein’s brain has always fascinated people. Many think we only use a small part of our brains. This idea links genius to brain use.

Claims About Einstein’s Brain Utilization

Some say Einstein’s brain was special because he used more of it. But, Scientific American says there’s no proof. They think geniuses might have something unique in their brains.

What Studies of Einstein’s Actual Brain Revealed

Einstein’s brain was kept and studied after he died. It showed some special things, like more glial cells in some spots. But, it didn’t show he used more of his brain than others.

Feature	Einstein’s Brain	Average Brain
Glial Cells to Neurons Ratio	Higher in certain areas	Variable
Brain Structure	Unique features observed	Varied among individuals

“The notion that Einstein’s brain was ‘special’ has been exaggerated… The available data do not support the notion that Einstein’s brain was unusually ‘active’ or that he used a larger percentage of it.”

This part clears up the misconception about Einstein’s brain. It shows what’s real behind the stories.

The Scientific Reality: Brain Structure and Function

Exploring the brain’s structure and function shows the truth. The human brain is very complex. Knowing its parts helps us understand how it works.

Basic Anatomy of the Human Brain

The brain has many parts, each with its own job. The cerebrum handles sensory info, movement, and thinking.

Major Regions and Their Purposes

The cerebrum has two sides: left and right. The left side deals with words, logic, and thinking. The right side is for spatial skills, recognizing faces, and music.

The cerebellum is at the brain’s back. It helps with movement and keeping balance. The brainstem links the cerebrum to the spinal cord. It controls breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Specialized Regions and Their Functions

The brain also has special areas for specific tasks. Broca’s area helps with speaking, and Wernicke’s area with understanding words.

How Different Brain Areas Work Together

Brain areas work together for complex tasks. This teamwork is key for solving problems, remembering things, and even walking.

The brain’s detailed structure and function debunk the 10% brain myth. It’s a highly active organ. Different parts work together for human behavior and thinking.

Evidence Against the 10% Myth neurons firing art

Evidence Against the 10% Fallacy

New studies in neuroscience have proven the 10% brain myth wrong. This myth says 90% of our brain is unused. But, brain scans, evolutionary facts, and how much energy the brain uses all show it’s not true.

Brain Imaging Studies

Tools like fMRI and PET scans show our brain is always working. Scientific American says even simple tasks make our brain active.

What Modern Scans Actually Show

Scans show our brain has special areas for different jobs. Even when we’re not doing anything, parts of our brain are still working. For example, the default mode network is active when we’re not focused.

Evolutionary Arguments

From an evolutionary view, having unused brain parts is bad. Our brain uses a lot of energy, and natural selection favors efficiency.

Why Maintaining Unused Brain Tissue Would Be Disadvantageous

The brain uses 20% of our body’s energy but only makes up 2% of our mass. It’s expensive to keep unused brain parts, so evolution would likely get rid of them.

Energy Consumption of the Brain

The brain’s high energy use shows it’s always working. Even when we’re not doing hard tasks, our brain is still active.

The Brain’s Disproportionate Energy Usage

The brain uses a lot of energy for its size. This shows it’s very important and always busy. It’s not like it has big parts that don’t do anything.

In summary, brain scans, evolution, and energy use all prove the 10% brain myth wrong. Our brain is always active and has special areas for different jobs. It’s unlikely that any big part of it is unused.

Neuroimaging Technologies Revealing Full Brain Activity

Scientists now map brain activity with great detail thanks to new tools. These tools have shown that most of the brain works, even when we do simple things.

fMRI and PET Scan Findings

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans help us understand the brain. Medical News Today says these tools show different parts of the brain work for different tasks. This proves not just a small section of the brain is used.

Visualizing Brain Activity During Various Tasks

Studies with fMRI and PET scans show the brain works hard for all tasks. For example, a simple task might use not just the motor cortex but other brain parts too.

EEG Studies of Brain Activity

Electroencephalography (EEG) studies also show the brain is fully active. EEG looks at the brain’s electrical signals, helping us see how it works in different situations.

Electrical Activity Throughout the Brain

EEG shows the brain’s electrical signals are everywhere, not just in some spots. This shows the brain works together as a whole, even when it’s not busy.

Neuroimaging Technique	Primary Use	Key Findings
fMRI	Measures blood flow and oxygenation	Widespread brain activity during tasks
PET Scan	Measures metabolic activity	High metabolic activity across brain regions
EEG	Measures electrical activity	Electrical activity throughout the brain

Dr. Marcus Raichle, a famous neuroscientist, said, “The brain is a highly active organ, even at rest.” This supports what many studies have found, showing the 10% myth is absolutely wrong.

The Cost of Maintaining Brain Tissue

Our brains need a lot of energy to work. This is why they are so expensive to keep going. The idea that we only use 10% of our brain is wrong.

Metabolic Demands of Neural Tissue

The brain uses a lot of energy. It uses about 20% of our body’s energy. But it only makes up about 2% of our body.

This is because our brain is always working. It needs to keep our body moving and thinking.

Why the Brain Requires So Much Energy

The brain needs a lot of energy for many reasons. Here are a few:

Our brain is always active, even when we’re not moving.
It has to keep the right balance of chemicals inside our cells.
It makes and breaks down special chemicals that help us think.

Evolutionary Pressure Against “Unused” Brain Matter

Having extra brain tissue is not good for us. It costs a lot of energy. And it could even cause problems if it doesn’t work right.

Natural Selection and Efficient Brain Design

Nature wants us to have brains that work well but don’t waste energy. This is why our brain is so good at what it does. Different parts of our brain do different things.

10% Brain Myth image: A detailed cross-section of brain tissue, captured with a high-resolution microscope lens. Intricate neuronal networks and glial cells are illuminated by a warm, diffused lighting, revealing the complex web of energy-consuming processes that sustain the brain's functioning. The image should convey a sense of the brain's metabolic activity, with mitochondria and other organelles visible, highlighting the energetic demands of maintaining healthy neural tissue. The composition should balance technical precision with an artistic, almost ethereal quality, inviting the viewer to contemplate the extraordinary energetic cost of the brain's remarkable capabilities.

Understanding how our brain works is very important. It shows us why the 10% brain myth is not true. Our brain is complex and works very efficiently.

Brain Plasticity and Adaptability

The brain can change and adapt throughout life. This is key for learning new things and getting better after brain injuries.

How the Brain Rewires After Injury

When the brain gets hurt, it can fix itself by making new connections. This is called neuroplasticity. Medical News Today says the brain can change itself after injury. It moves functions to other parts to make up for damaged areas.

Case Studies of Recovery After Brain Damage

Many people have shown their brains can heal from big damage. For example, people who had strokes can get back lost functions. Their brains make new paths to help.

Reorganization of motor control
Compensatory mechanisms in cognitive functions
Role of rehabilitation in enhancing recovery

Learning and Neural Connections

When we learn something new, our brain makes new connections. This makes our brain stronger and can even make new paths.

How Practice Strengthens Neural Pathways

Doing something over and over makes our brain’s connections stronger. This is why we need to keep practicing to get better at something.

So, the brain’s ability to change and adapt is very important. It helps us recover from injuries and learn new things. Knowing about brain plasticity can help us improve our minds and get better from brain damage.

Harmful Effects of Believing the 10% Myth

Thinking the 10% brain myth can harm our view of the brain. It makes us not see how complex the brain is. It also makes us not understand the harm of brain damage.

Misunderstanding of Neurological Conditions

This widely held falsehood messes up how we see brain problems. For example, if we think 90% of the brain is unused, we might not see how serious brain injuries are. We might not get how bad neurological diseases are.

Condition	Common Misconception	Reality
Brain Injury	Unused parts of the brain can compensate for damaged areas	Brain injuries can have significant and lasting impacts
Neurological Diseases	Diseases only affect “unused” parts of the brain	Diseases can affect any part of the brain, regardless of “use”

Vulnerability to Pseudoscientific Claims

Scientific American says believing the 10% brain myth makes us easy targets for fake science. This includes pricey “brain training” programs and untested ways to improve thinking.

Expensive “Brain Training” Programs

Some companies say their brain training can use the “unused” 90% of the brain. They claim it boosts thinking skills. But, there’s no real science backing these claims.

Unproven Cognitive Enhancement Methods

Also, some products promise to boost thinking by “awakening” unused brain parts. These claims are often fake and can cost a lot of money.

Real Ways to Optimize Brain Function

The 10% brain myth is not true. There are real ways to make our brains better. We can use evidence-based methods and live healthy.

Evidence-Based Cognitive Enhancement

There are proven ways to make our brains smarter. Studies show certain activities can really help.

The Role of Physical Exercise

Exercise is great for our brains. It makes our memory better and helps our brain grow. Medical News Today says exercise is a key to brain health.

Mental Stimulation and Lifelong Learning

Doing brain puzzles and learning new things is good for our brains. It keeps our brain healthy and strong.

Lifestyle Factors Affecting Brain Health

Our lifestyle affects our brain health too. Things like sleep, food, and stress matter a lot.

Sleep, Nutrition, and Stress Management

Good sleep helps our brain remember things and get rid of bad stuff. Eating right and managing stress also helps our brain stay sharp.

A vibrant, high-resolution image depicting cognitive enhancement. In the foreground, a human brain glows with an inner light, conveying a sense of heightened mental capacity. The middle ground showcases various technologies - from neural implants to futuristic headsets - that augment and optimize brain function. The background features a sleek, minimalist laboratory setting, with clean lines and muted tones that create a sense of scientific advancement. Warm, directional lighting casts dramatic shadows, adding depth and visual interest. The overall mood is one of innovation, progress, and the limitless potential of the human mind.

What Does It All Mean?

The idea that we only use 10% of our brains is a big lie. It has shaped how we see our brains and how smart we think we can be. But studies and brain scans show we use a lot more of our brain than that.

Challenging this misconception helps us see how amazing our brains are. It shows us how much our brains do every day. This makes us value the ways we can make our brains better.

Instead of believing old myths and stories, we can choose to live smarter. We can pick habits that science says are good for our brains. This makes us think better and feel better too.

It’s important to share real facts about our brains. We should tell others the truth about how our brains work. This helps us all understand ourselves better.

FAQ

What is the 10% brain myth?

The 10% brain myth says we only use 10% of our brain. It claims the other 90% is unused.

Is it true that we only use 10% of our brain?

No, this is a myth. Studies show our brain works in different ways. Even the parts not working seem to do important jobs.

Where did the 10% brain myth come from?

The myth’s start is unclear. It might come from a wrong idea about psychologist William James’ work.

How has the 10% brain myth been perpetuated in popular culture?

It’s seen in movies, TV, and books. It’s used to explain special abilities. For example, “Lucy” shows a character using 100% of her brain.

What does neuroscience say about brain function?

Neuroscience says our brain is complex and connected. It has special areas for different tasks. Studies show simple tasks use many brain areas.

How does the brain use energy?

The brain uses a lot of energy, about 20% of our body’s energy. This energy helps brain cells work and supports neural activity.

Can we really “unlock” hidden brain potential?

No, there’s no proof for unlocking hidden brain power. Our brain can change, but not by tapping into hidden areas.

What are some evidence-based ways to optimize brain function?

To improve brain function, try regular exercise, enough sleep, and cognitive training. Eating well also helps brain health.

How does brain plasticity relate to the 10% brain myth?

Brain plasticity means our brain can change with new experiences. But, it doesn’t mean 90% of our brain is unused.

What are the consequences of believing in the 10% brain myth?

Believing this myth can lead to false hopes for brain improvement. It can also confuse people about brain health and abilities.

Sources:

Veerakone, R. (2024, March 4). Do we only use 10 percent of our brain? – MIT McGovern Institute. MIT McGovern Institute. https://mcgovern.mit.edu/2024/01/26/do-we-use-only-10-percent-of-our-brain/

Palmer, O. (2023, September 25). Debunking the myth: The science behind the 10% brain usage fallacy – Thescienceblog. Thescienceblog. https://www.thescienceblog.net/debunking-the-myth-the-science-behind-the-10-brain-usage-fallacy/

Lee, M. (2023, November 7). Misconceptions: the truth about brain usage: debunking the 10% myth — communicating psychological science. Communicating Psychological Science. https://www.communicatingpsychologicalscience.com/blog/misconceptions-the-truth-about-brain-usage-debunking-the-10-myth

August 15, 2025

Flat Earth Middle Ages Myth: Why Medieval People Knew the Earth Was Round
Ever had someone toss this one at you? “Back then, people thought you’d sail right off the edge!” Sounds dramatic. Makes for a great campfire tale. Too bad it’s pure fiction.

Ask any medieval mapmaker or ship’s captain and they’d probably give you a look somewhere between confusion and pity. Of course the Earth was round. They’d been navigating its curves for centuries. The “flat Earth Middle Ages” is actually a myth cooked up much later, mostly in the 19th century, by people who wanted to make the past look foolish and their own era look brilliant.

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How We Got Stuck with This Story

Picture a bunch of Victorian writers sitting around mahogany tables, the scratch of quill pens mixing with the clink of afternoon tea. Convinced they lived in the most enlightened age ever, naturally. Books like The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828) and History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science (1874) started spinning tales about poor Columbus trying to convince stubborn scholars he wouldn’t tumble into the void.

Here’s the twist: the real argument wasn’t about shape at all. Columbus thought the Earth was smaller than it actually was, meaning Asia would be closer than expected. The scholars who opposed him? They had a better grasp of the planet’s actual size. Columbus got lucky that America happened to be sitting where he thought Asia would be.

What Medieval Folks Actually Knew

Medieval scholars weren’t stumbling around in ignorance. They had solid evidence staring them in the face:

Ships and horizons: Stand on a medieval dock long enough, breathing in the tar and brine, listening to the creak of rope against wood, and you’ll see it yourself. A ship’s hull vanishes first, its mast lingering like a matchstick before it too dips away. No magic. Just a round planet doing its thing. Every sailor knew this trick of perspective.

During lunar eclipses, that curved shadow creeping across the moon’s face told the whole story. Medieval astronomers weren’t idiots. They could connect the dots. Round shadow, round Earth. (Sometimes the simplest observations are the most convincing.)

Ancient math that actually worked: Some Greek guy named Eratosthenes had already nailed Earth’s circumference back in the 3rd century BCE, getting within shouting distance of the real number. Medieval universities didn’t just forget this stuff, they taught it.

These weren’t fringe ideas whispered in dark corners. University students learned about spherical Earth. Islamic scholars preserved and expanded on the knowledge. Medieval artists painted the world as a globe. The evidence was everywhere if you bothered to look.

Why This Myth Just Won’t Die

Part of the myth’s staying power? It scratches that itch we have to believe we’re smarter than everyone who came before us. There’s something satisfying about imagining our ancestors as bumbling fools who thought ships would plummet into space.

Plus, “flat Earth” is visual catnip. It’s easier to picture than the messy reality of medieval scholarship, which involved actual math and careful observation and international exchange of ideas. Boring! Much better to imagine trembling sailors afraid of sea monsters at the world’s edge.

The Real Story Behind the Story

Myths about science aren’t just wrong facts! They’re stories we tell ourselves about who we are. The flat Earth myth says more about 19th-century writers and their need to feel superior than it does about actual medieval beliefs.

When we dig into why certain “historical facts” stick around, we usually find they’re serving some purpose in the present. Sometimes the most persistent lies are just really good stories that make us feel better about ourselves.

So if someone insists medieval sailors feared “falling off the edge,” you can smile, sip your coffee, and know the real punchline. The only edge they worried about was the one on their sword.

Sources
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Myth of the flat Earth. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myth_of_the_flat_Earth
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Flat Earth. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth
- History Facts. (n.d.). Did people in the Middle Ages really believe the Earth was flat? Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://historyfacts.com/science-industry/article/did-medieval-people-think-the-earth-was-flat/
- History for Atheists. (2016, June). The great myths 1: The medieval flat Earth. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://historyforatheists.com/2016/06/the-great-myths-1-the-medieval-flat-earth/
August 8, 2025
When Math Became Art: Building My Interactive Spirograph Generator
A childhood toy sparked a digital obsession

TL;DR – Why This App is Worth Your Time

I took the childhood wonder of spirograph drawing and rebuilt it as a browser-based spirograph generator app that animates mathematically perfect curves with color gradients, variable line widths, and even 3D-style distortion. This isn’t just nostalgia. It’s a full-on math-art experience. Whether you’re an educator, artist, coder, or just curious, this tool turns parametric equations into mesmerizing visuals that feel both playful and profound.

🎨 Launch the Interactive Spirograph Generator

I vividly remember being ten years old, hunched over a plastic spirograph set, watching in pure amazement as simple gears created these impossibly intricate patterns. The rhythmic clicking of the pen against the gear teeth, the anticipation as each loop revealed more of the design, it felt like magic. That childhood wonder never really left me.

Fast-forward twenty years, and I found myself staring at parametric equations in a late-night coding session, when it hit me: these formulas were creating the same mesmerizing patterns I’d loved as a kid. That spark of recognition led me down a rabbit hole that culminated in something I’m genuinely excited to share, an Interactive Spirograph Generator that brings mathematical art to life in ways those plastic gears never could.

Beyond the Toy Store Version

What started as nostalgic tinkering evolved into something much more sophisticated. While traditional spirographs are limited by physical constraints, this digital version lets you explore mathematical relationships that would be impossible to achieve with gears and plastic rings.

The mathematical foundation is elegantly simple. Think of hypotrochoids and epitrochoids as the graceful paths traced by points on circles rolling around each other—like an intricate clockwork dance. The equations themselves are surprisingly straightforward:

Hypotrochoid equations (circles rolling inside):
- x = (R-r)cos(t) + d×cos((R-r)/r × t)
- y = (R-r)sin(t) – d×sin((R-r)/r × t)
Epitrochoid equations (circles rolling outside):
- x = (R+r)cos(t) – d×cos((R+r)/r × t)
- y = (R+r)sin(t) – d×sin((R+r)/r × t)
Where R, r, and d control the size relationships, and t traces the curve through time. Simple inputs, infinitely complex outputs.

Watching Math Come Alive

The real magic happens when you hit “Start Animation.” Instead of static images, you watch each pattern draw itself in real-time, with a small indicator showing exactly where the virtual pen travels. There’s something hypnotic about seeing mathematical precision unfold at your chosen pace, from a meditative crawl at 0.1x speed to a rapid 4x blur that reveals the full pattern in seconds.

The color system alone took weeks to perfect. Sure, you can stick with solid colors for that classic look, but the gradient transitions are where things get interesting. Colors flow smoothly between hues with customizable repeat cycles, and here’s where I got a bit carried away, I added z(t) color integration, where a third mathematical dimension controls the color variations. Suddenly, your spirographs aren’t just moving through space; they’re breathing with color.

Variable line width was another happy accident. While testing different rendering approaches, I discovered that changing the line thickness throughout the pattern added this incredible sense of depth and movement. What started as a bug became one of my favorite features.

The z(t) Breakthrough

This is where I probably got too excited for my own good, but the results speak for themselves. Traditional spirographs exist in two dimensions, but what if we added a third? The z(t) parameter creates complex distortions that transform simple curves into something that feels almost three-dimensional on your screen.

Here’s how the magic works: the z(t) function generates values that modify the original x and y coordinates. Instead of just plotting the classic spirograph equations, the final coordinates become:
- Final x = original x + z(t)
- Final y = original y – z(t)
This creates a push-pull effect where the z values simultaneously stretch the pattern horizontally while compressing it vertically, or vice versa. When z(t) oscillates between positive and negative values, the entire pattern appears to breathe and undulate.

In Symmetrical Mode, the app uses balanced distortions with z = A(sin(ft) + cos(ft)), where both sine and cosine contribute equally, creating patterns that pulse with perfect symmetry. Custom Mode gives you complete control with z = A×sin(n×t) + B×cos(m×t), letting you craft asymmetrical distortions. When the frequencies n and m are different, you get these fascinating interference patterns where the distortion itself becomes a complex wave riding on top of your spirograph.

The result? Distortions that range from subtle warping, like viewing the pattern through gentle water ripples, to dramatic transformations that barely resemble their original spirograph ancestors.

A Gallery of Mathematical Personalities

Rather than overwhelming users with infinite possibilities, I crafted twelve presets that each showcase different mathematical relationships. The “Infinite Slinky” preset uses epitrochoid equations with z(t) modulation to create this mesmerizing slinky-like motion that seems to roll endlessly across the screen. “Glacial Eye” produces cool, crystalline patterns with a glowing center that genuinely resembles looking into a frozen mandala.

My personal favorite is “Electron Donut” as it creates these donut-shaped patterns that look remarkably like electron orbital visualizations. There’s something deeply satisfying about stumbling across patterns that mirror natural phenomena through pure mathematical chance.

🎨 Launch the Interactive Spirograph Generator

From Curiosity to Creation

Getting started is deliberately simple. New users can dive straight into the presets. I recommend beginning with “Glacial Eye” because the color transitions are genuinely mesmerizing. Click “Start Animation” and watch the mathematics unfold.

Once you’re hooked (and you will be), the real exploration begins. The basic parameters are intuitive and powerful:
- Outer Radius (R): Controls overall pattern size and scope
- Inner Radius (r): Determines complexity through its ratio with the outer radius
- Pen Distance (d): Changes how the drawing point relates to the inner circle’s center
Small adjustments to any of these create dramatically different results. For the mathematically adventurous, toggling between hypotrochoid and epitrochoid modes reveals completely different pattern families. The z(t) parameters open up three-dimensional possibilities that would be impossible with physical gears.

The Unexpected Joy of Mathematical Art

What began as nostalgic programming has become something much more meaningful. Every preset represents hours of experimentation, tweaking parameters until mathematics produced something unexpectedly beautiful. The app has shown me that the boundary between logical precision and creative expression is much blurrier than I’d imagined.

There’s genuine magic in watching a complex pattern emerge from simple mathematical relationships. The “Neon Tangle” preset creates these vibrant, seemingly chaotic tangles that somehow resolve into perfect symmetry. “Noir Petal” produces elegant dark petals with sophisticated curves that feel almost organic despite their mathematical origins.

Why This Matters Beyond Pretty Pictures

In our increasingly digital world, tools that make mathematics visual and interactive serve a crucial purpose. They bridge the gap between abstract concepts and tangible understanding, showing that mathematical precision can be a pathway to beauty rather than just a means to solve problems.

The app has found its way into classrooms, art studios, and the screens of curious minds who simply enjoy watching mathematical principles create something timelessly elegant. It’s proof that the tools we build for our own curiosity often serve purposes we never anticipated.

🎨 Launch the Interactive Spirograph Generator

Your Turn to Explore

Ready to rediscover the magic of mathematical patterns? Load up the app, select the “Electron Donut” preset, and prepare to lose yourself in the hypnotic dance of circles and curves. Start with the presets to understand the possibilities, then venture into custom parameters to create something uniquely yours.

The mathematics may be centuries old, but the wonder of watching equations bloom into art feels as fresh as that first childhood encounter with a spirograph. Sometimes the best way to understand something complex is to play with it until it becomes beautiful.

Have you ever surprised yourself by creating something beautiful through code? I’d love to hear about the moment you realized technology could be a canvas for art.

Sources:
- Author Unknown. (n.d.). Spirograph. En. Retrieved July 31, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirograph
July 31, 2025
Can AI Read Your Thoughts?
With AI systems seeming to predict our every move, from Netflix recommendations to predictive text, many wonder if artificial intelligence can actually read our minds. The answer is both simpler and more complex than you might think.

Test Your Knowledge

How well do you understand what AI can and cannot do when it comes to your thoughts and privacy? Take our interactive quiz below to find out! The quiz covers key concepts about AI capabilities, brain-computer interfaces, and digital privacy helping you separate fact from fiction in the age of artificial intelligence.

The Reality Check

Current AI cannot directly access your thoughts. What feels like mind reading is actually sophisticated pattern recognition. AI analyzes your digital behavior like search history, clicks, purchases, social media activity, to predict what you might want or do next. Human behavior is surprisingly predictable, which makes these predictions eerily accurate.

Related:
- Thinking Clearly in a Messy World: Why Critical Thinking Still Matters
- How to Spot Science Misinformation: Your BS Detector Guide
What About Brain-Computer Interfaces?

While companies like Neuralink are developing brain implants that can translate basic neural signals into computer commands, we’re nowhere near science fiction-level mind reading. Current brain-computer interfaces can only interpret very simple intentions, like moving a cursor or typing basic words, and require direct surgical implants.

The Real Privacy Concern

The bigger issue isn’t mind reading, but mind inference. AI systems can build detailed psychological profiles from your digital footprint, potentially revealing more about your personality and preferences than you realize you’re sharing.
- Sources:
  Sahota, N.. (2025). AI Mind Reader: The Mind. Neil Sahota. Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://www.neilsahota.com/ai-mind-reader-the-mind-blowing-truth-about-thought-decoding/
- Author Unknown. (2024). Neuralink’s Brain Chip: How It Works and What It Means. Captechu. Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://www.captechu.edu/blog/neuralinks-brain-chip-how-it-works-and-what-it-means
- Gahrnn, M.. (2023). Digital Footprints & Privacy Concerns. McAfee. Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://www.mcafee.com/learn/digital-footprints-privacy-concerns/
July 29, 2025
Thinking Clearly in a Messy World: Why Critical Thinking Still Matters
Ever feel like your brain’s getting bombarded with too much information, and not all of it makes sense? You’re not alone. These days, everyone’s wading through a nonstop flood of opinions, facts, and half-truths. The tool that helps you stay afloat. Critical thinking. It’s not fancy or flashy, but it’s what helps you cut through the noise.

So, what exactly is critical thinking? It’s not about being a skeptic all the time, and it’s definitely not about knowing every fact under the sun. Thinking clearly and critically is more about how you think, how you question, evaluate, and make decisions based on reason instead of impulse. It’s the difference between accepting what someone tells you and actually examining whether it makes sense.

Why bother? Because in a world where misinformation spreads faster than facts, critical thinking gives you the tools to make better decisions, solve problems more effectively, and spot BS from a mile away. Basically, it helps you become a more informed, resilient person in this bewildering 21st century.

The Essential Skills: What Critical Thinkers Actually Do

Here’s what critical thinking looks like in practice:

Ask Better Questions: Don’t just absorb information. Interrogate it. Ask “why?”, “how do you know?”, and “says who?” Look for evidence. Demand justification. Think about that time you read a headline that turned out to be totally misleading when you dug deeper.

Think Like a Detective: Break down complex information piece by piece. Identify the main claims, trace them back to their sources, and check if those sources are reliable. A peer-reviewed study carries more weight than a random tweet, but even studies deserve scrutiny.

Avoid Mental Traps: Use logic to spot inconsistencies and sidestep common thinking mistakes, like jumping to conclusions or assuming correlation means causation.

See Other Viewpoints: Be genuinely open to considering perspectives that differ from your own, even ones that challenge beliefs you hold dear. Others might have valid points, even if you disagree with them.

Work Through Problems, Not Around Them: Use logic and reasoning to break problems into smaller parts, weigh pros and cons, and pick the best solution from your options.

Check Yourself (Seriously): Examine your own assumptions and biases. We all have them. Critical thinking means being self-aware enough to recognize when your own perspective might be limited or wrong.

Where This All Started: A Quick History

Socrates and the Power of Questions Socrates didn’t give people answers. He asked questions. A lot of them. And he expected good answers in return. That’s the root of critical thinking: don’t just accept something because someone said it. His famous method of questioning claims without solid reasoning basically immortalized the phrase “prove it.”

The Renaissance: Shaking Things Up This era was all about challenging the status quo. Thinkers like Thomas More questioned everything from religion to politics. Later, Francis Bacon and René Descartes pushed for more systematic, rigorous thinking. Their message? Question everything, even yourself.

From Philosophy to Everyday Skill John Dewey helped bring critical thinking into education, emphasizing that you need actual knowledge as a foundation for good reasoning. Without knowing stuff, critical thinking becomes an empty exercise. It was around this time that critical thinking moved from being a purely philosophical concept to something schools and employers actively wanted.

Critical Thinking Today: Wanted But Endangered

Everyone Wants It Universities and employers constantly talk about how important critical thinking is. “Analytical thinking” consistently ranks as one of the most sought-after skills globally, beating out even technical know-how.

But We’re Drowning in Bad Info Our digital world is a minefield of questionable data. Social media rewards hot takes, not thoughtful ones. Emotional posts spread faster than fact-checked ones. In this environment, critical thinking is your best defense against getting swept up in misinformation.

Schools Aren’t Really Teaching It Here’s the weird part: even though everyone says critical thinking is crucial, a lot of teachers never actually learned how to teach it. Traditional lectures and memorization still dominate many classrooms. We’re still telling students what to think instead of how to think.

Public Discourse Is a Mess Social media echo chambers, tribal thinking, and the speed at which false information spreads all work against rational discussion. Critical thinking is fighting an uphill battle in the attention economy.

The Ongoing Debates

Despite all the hype, there’s still plenty of disagreement about critical thinking:

What Is It, Really? There’s no single agreed-upon definition. Is it a general skill that works everywhere, or does it change depending on whether you’re doing science versus analyzing literature?

Knowledge vs. Process Do you need to know a lot of facts before you can think critically? Or can you learn the thinking process first? Most experts say you need both. It’s hard to think critically about something you know nothing about.

The Teacher Problem Even though we know critical thinking matters, plenty of educators never really learn how to teach it. That’s a big part of why students graduate without these skills.

Can You Be Too Critical? Some argue that excessive criticism can actually hurt understanding or make people overly cynical. Where’s the line between healthy skepticism and destructive doubt?

It’s Uncomfortable Let’s be honest, questioning your own beliefs is hard. Our egos resist challenges to our sense of being “right.” That’s part of why critical thinking doesn’t come naturally to most of us.

The Future: AI, Algorithms, and Human Brains

AI presents both opportunities and challenges for critical thinking:

The Risks As AI gets better at routine reasoning tasks, we might become lazy and let machines do our thinking for us. Plus, AI systems aren’t neutral. They can reflect the biases of their creators or perpetuate existing inequalities.

What Humans Still Do Best AI can process information faster than we can, but humans excel at ethical judgment, creative thinking, and seeing connections across different fields. These uniquely human abilities will become more valuable, not less.

Staying Sharp We need to learn how to work with AI without becoming dependent on it. That means staying curious, asking good questions, and maintaining our ability to think independently.

Critical thinking will be essential for navigating an increasingly complex information landscape. It’s our best tool for distinguishing reliable information from manipulation and making good decisions in a world where the stakes keep getting higher.

Start Where You Are

You don’t need to be a philosopher to think critically, just curious, honest, and willing to slow down and really consider things. Start small. Question something today. Check a source. Ask “how do they know that?” Consider a viewpoint you usually dismiss.

Your brain is incredibly powerful, but like any tool, it works better when you know how to use it well. In a world full of noise, clear thinking isn’t just helpful, it’s essential!

Sources
July 27, 2025
Master the Scientific Method: Crush Misinformation Fast!
Ever wonder why some health claims sound convincing but turn out to be complete nonsense? Or how scientists can be so confident about things like vaccines and climate change? The secret isn’t some mystical scientific intuition—it’s a tried-and-true process called the scientific method.

And honestly? Once you understand how it works, you’ll become way better at spotting BS in your daily life.

What Exactly Is the Scientific Method?

Think of the scientific method as a recipe for discovering truth. Just like following a recipe helps you bake a decent cake (instead of creating a kitchen disaster), following the scientific method helps researchers find reliable answers instead of just confirming what they want to believe.

The beauty of this process is that it forces you to question your assumptions, test your ideas fairly, and follow the evidence wherever it leads—even when it’s not where you expected to go.

Why Should You Care?

Here’s the thing: we’re all bombarded with “scientific” claims every day. Your Facebook feed probably has at least three posts right now claiming that some superfood will change your life or that scientists have “proven” something shocking.

But here’s what most people don’t realize—real science doesn’t work in dramatic headlines and miracle breakthroughs. It works through careful, methodical investigation. When you understand this process, you can spot the difference between legitimate research and clever marketing disguised as science.

The Six Steps That Change Everything

The scientific method isn’t complicated, but it is thorough. Let me walk you through each step, and then you can try it yourself with our interactive simulator below.

1. Observation

Everything starts with noticing something interesting. Maybe you observe that your friend who drinks green tea never seems to get sick, or you notice that plants in certain parts of your garden grow differently.

Real science begins with genuine curiosity, not with trying to prove a point you already believe.

2. Research Question

This is where many people go wrong. Good science asks specific, measurable questions. “Does green tea boost immunity?” is okay, but “Does drinking 2 cups of green tea daily reduce cold symptoms in adults?” is much better.

The more specific your question, the more useful your answer will be.

3. Hypothesis

A hypothesis isn’t just a guess—it’s an educated prediction that you can actually test. It should have two parts: what you think will happen, and under what specific conditions.

Good hypotheses are like promises you make to the universe: “If I do X under these exact conditions, then Y will happen.”

4. Experiment Design

This is where the rubber meets the road. How will you test your hypothesis fairly? You need control groups, large enough sample sizes, and ways to measure your results objectively.

The goal is to design a test so fair that even if you’re wrong, the results will convince you.

5. Data Collection

Run your experiment and collect the data—all of it, not just the parts that support what you hoped would happen. Real scientists are obsessed with accuracy, not with being right.

6. Analysis and Conclusion

What does your data actually show? Sometimes the answer is “my hypothesis was wrong,” and that’s completely fine. Wrong hypotheses teach us just as much as right ones.

Good scientists follow the data, not their egos.

Try It Yourself: Interactive Scientific Method Simulator

Ready to see how this works in practice? I’ve created an interactive simulator where you can walk through real scientific investigations step by step. You’ll make the same kinds of decisions that researchers face, see actual experimental results, and learn why some approaches work better than others.

<p>Your browser doesn’t support iframes. <a href="https://logabear.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/scientificmethod.html" target="_blank">Click here to open the Scientific Method Simulator</a></p>

The simulator lets you choose from three different scenarios—investigating plant growth, memory and music, or hand washing effectiveness. Each one teaches you something different about how good science works.

What I love about this simulator is that it shows you something crucial: science often gives us surprising results. The best scientific thinking happens when we let the data guide our conclusions, not the other way around.

The Real-World Payoff

Once you've played with the simulator and understand how the scientific method works, you'll start noticing things:

That article claiming "scientists prove coffee cures cancer" based on one small study? You'll recognize that single studies don't "prove" anything, especially with dramatic claims.

The supplement company citing a "clinical trial" with 12 participants? You'll know that's nowhere near a large enough sample size to draw reliable conclusions.

The social media post about how "Big Pharma doesn't want you to know" about some natural cure? You'll understand that good scientific discoveries get replicated and published, not hidden.

Why Scientists Are Actually Pretty Humble

Here's something that might surprise you: real scientists are incredibly cautious about their claims. They use words like "suggests," "indicates," and "may contribute to" because they understand the limitations of their work.

When you see someone making absolute claims based on science—"this PROVES that" or "scientists have DISCOVERED the secret to," that's usually a red flag. Good science builds knowledge gradually, not through dramatic revelations.

The Bottom Line

The scientific method isn't perfect, but it's the best tool we have for understanding our world reliably. It's self-correcting, transparent, and designed to minimize bias and error.

More importantly for your daily life, understanding this process helps you navigate our information-saturated world with confidence. You'll know which health claims to take seriously, which news stories to dig deeper on, and which "scientific" marketing claims to ignore.

Science isn't about blind trust in authority—it's about having a reliable process for figuring out what's actually true. And now you know how that process works.

Want to dive deeper into spotting science misinformation? Check out our complete guide to detecting BS science claims. And if you found a piece of questionable "science" in the wild, comment below—we love a good fact-checking challenge!

Sources:
- Gerde, H.K., Schachter, R.E. & Wasik, B.A. Using the Scientific Method to Guide Learning: An Integrated Approach to Early Childhood Curriculum. Early Childhood Educ J 41, 315–323 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0579-4
July 23, 2025
How to Spot Science Misinformation: Your BS Detector Guide
You see it everywhere: “Scientists HATE this one weird trick!” or “New study PROVES everything you know about [insert topic] is WRONG!”

But here’s the thing—I used to fall for this stuff all the time.

I remember sharing an article about how microwaves “destroy food nutrients” without even checking if it was true. My mom called me out on it. Embarrassing? Absolutely. But it taught me something valuable: we all need better BS detectors.

So how do you separate legitimate science news from complete nonsense? You don’t need a PhD, just some healthy skepticism and a few tricks I’ve learned the hard way.

The Clickbait Circus

What screams “fake news”:
- ALL CAPS and excessive exclamation points
- Words like “BREAKTHROUGH,” “MIRACLE,” “SHOCKING,” “SCIENTISTS DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW”
- Claims that one study “proves” or “disproves” everything we know
Real science doesn’t work like that. It’s more like… well, imagine trying to solve a 10,000-piece puzzle. You don’t suddenly find the one piece that makes the whole picture clear. You build it slowly, piece by piece.

Research shows that classic clickbait headlines often use hyperbolic and formulaic language to create information gaps that arouse curiosity, and more than half of misinformation experts agree that misleading but not outright false content counts as misinformation.

Legitimate researchers use careful language: “suggests,” “indicates,” “may contribute to.” If someone claims one study overturns decades of research? Yeah, that’s your first red flag.

Quick example: “SHOCKING: Coffee PROVEN to cure cancer!” vs. “Study suggests coffee consumption may be linked to reduced risk of certain cancers.”

See the difference? One sounds like a carnival barker. The other sounds like, you know, actual science.

The Vanishing Source Trick

Here’s where things get sneaky. You’ll see claims like “studies show…” but when you go hunting for the actual study? Good luck.

I’ve spent way too many evenings going down rabbit holes, clicking link after link, only to find they all lead back to the same blog post from 2003. No actual research in sight.

Red flags to watch for:
- Vague references to “European scientists” or “a major university”
- Links that lead to other blog posts instead of real research
- Sources that mysteriously don’t exist when you search for them
Your move: Can you actually find the study? Is it published somewhere legit? If you can’t trace the claim back to real research, treat it like that suspicious sushi at the gas station—probably best to pass.

Cherry-Picking Season (It’s Year-Round)

Oh, this one drives me nuts. It’s like judging a restaurant based on one Yelp review while ignoring the other 847 reviews.

Cherry-picking happens when people intentionally or unintentionally select evidence that fits their narrative while ignoring contradictory data. Science misinformation loves to grab one small, preliminary study and parade it around like it’s the final word. Meanwhile, there might be dozens of larger, better studies saying the complete opposite.

Here in Norfolk, we know something about weather patterns, right? You wouldn’t declare it’s always sunny here based on one nice day in February. Same logic applies to science.

Take the bias detection training quiz!

What to watch for:
- Focusing on tiny studies while ignoring larger ones
- Taking quotes completely out of context
- Conveniently forgetting to mention study limitations
Reality check: Science works through consensus. Research shows that disagreements across data sources can actually drive different conclusions about intervention efficacy, which is why looking at multiple studies together matters more than any single finding.

The Fake Expert Problem

This might be my biggest pet peeve. Just because someone has “Dr.” in front of their name doesn’t mean they know what they’re talking about outside their field.

I once saw a dentist giving definitive advice about climate change. Now, I trust my dentist with my teeth, but atmospheric science? Not so much.

Watch out for:
- Doctors commenting way outside their expertise
- Credentials from institutions you’ve never heard of (and Google hasn’t either)
- Experts with obvious financial conflicts they don’t mention
Quick check: Does this person actually research this topic? A simple Google Scholar search can tell you if they publish real work in the field. It takes two minutes and can save you from sharing nonsense.

Conspiracy Brain

Look, I get it. Sometimes it feels like powerful interests are hiding things from us. And occasionally, they are! But when someone claims that thousands of scientists worldwide are all in on some massive cover-up… come on.

Scientists are competitive. They love proving each other wrong. If there were easy ways to cure cancer or disprove climate change, researchers would be fighting to publish those findings, not covering them up. That’s how careers are made.

Red flags:
- Claims about widespread cover-ups by scientists
- “They don’t want you to know” language
- Dismissing all mainstream science as propaganda
Reality check: Science thrives on disagreement and new discoveries. The conspiracy would have to be impossibly huge and involve people who actually hate each other professionally.

What Actually Looks Legit?

After years of getting fooled (more than I’d like to admit), here’s what I look for now:
- Multiple studies from different research groups reaching similar conclusions
- Authors who admit what they don’t know and acknowledge limitations
- Clear information about who funded the research
- Careful, measured language about findings
- Links to actual research papers, not just press releases
It’s not as exciting as “SCIENTISTS DISCOVER ONE WEIRD TRICK,” but it’s how real knowledge gets built.

My Personal BS Detection Routine

Before I share anything science-related now, I ask myself:
1. Who published this, and do they have a good track record?
2. What are the author’s actual qualifications in this specific area?
3. Can I find the original study, and does it actually say what this article claims?
4. Does this contradict what most experts in the field believe? If so, why?
5. Who benefits if I believe this information?
Honestly? I still mess up sometimes. Nobody gets it right every time. But I’m getting better at catching the obvious fakes.

When You’re Not Sure, Just Wait

Here’s something I’ve learned: real scientific breakthroughs don’t disappear overnight. If something is truly important, you’ll hear about it from multiple legitimate sources over weeks or months, not just in one viral Facebook post.

It’s okay to wait. It’s okay to say “I don’t know yet.” That’s actually pretty scientific thinking.

The Bottom Line

Science misinformation exploits our desire for simple answers and dramatic stories. But real science is messier than that. It’s uncertain, constantly evolving, and rarely gives us the clear-cut answers we want.

The best defense isn’t blind trust—it’s learning to ask better questions and being okay with complexity.

Remember: falling for misinformation doesn’t make you dumb. It makes you human. We all want to understand our world better. The trick is getting better at telling the real explanations from the fake ones.

Sources:
Got a piece of science misinformation you’d like us to investigate? Comment below—we love a good fact-checking challenge, and honestly, reader suggestions often lead to our best posts.
July 22, 2025
Current List of Science Apps
Explore a collection of interactive math and science apps designed to make abstract concepts more intuitive. From spirograph visualizations to lessons on bias, correlation, and sample size, these tools are built for hands-on learning and exploration.
July 3, 2025