A study of Nobel-winning economists by Bruce Weinberg and David Galenson identifies two different life cycles of creativity — a surge in the mid-20s or in the mid-50s, depending on distinct attributes of personality. In the study, those who hit the peak in their 20s tended to be “conceptual” innovators. People of this type “think outside the box”, challenge conventional wisdom and come up with new ideas suddenly before they become immersed in the already accepted theories of the field. Those who hit the peak in their 50s tended to be “experimental” innovators. People of this type accumulate knowledge through their careers and find groundbreaking ways to analyse, interpret and synthesize that information into new ways of understanding. They rely on direct inference from facts, and their papers would have more references to specific items — such as places, time periods and industries or commodities. Weinberg said, “Our research suggests that when you’re most creative is less a product of the scientific field that you’re in and is more about how you approach the work you do.”

SNEAK PEEK

1. They all look alike!

“They all look alike” is a form of stereotyping, and even prejudice. We are certainly hard-wired to process (or not process) facial differences based on race. Who suggested that biases against other-race faces emerge at some of the earliest stages of sensory perception?

1. UC Riverside psychologist Brent Hughes

2. GR not wrong, but …

The Chameleon Theory, or f(R)-gravity, is an alternative model for gravity. Supercomputer simulations of galaxies using this theory show that Einstein’s General Relativity might not be the only way to explain how gravity works or how galaxies form. Who reported the result?

2. Durham University physicist Dr Christian Arnold

3. Just a few bursts

Short-term bursts of exercise (the equivalent of a weekly game of pickup basketball, or 4,000 steps) can activate the Mtss1L gene, and this promotes small growths on neurons. “You don’t necessarily need a fancy gym membership or have to run 10 miles a day.” Who said it?

3. Dr Gary Westbrook (OHSU School of Medicine)

4. Back to circus skills

Circus skills, from tightrope to trapeze, have long enraptured people. Why recall it now? Half of all serious mental health issues in adulthood begin before the age of 14. We need to focus on this age bracket. Who recommended “unique programs — like circus skills”?

4. UniSA researcher Dr Richard McGrath

5. Blue light at night

Just one hour of exposure to blue light at night (the kind of light produced by the screens of our many devices) raises blood sugar levels and increases sugar consumption, at least in male rats. Who spoke of protecting ourselves from these harmful effects of the blue light?

5. Anayanci Masís-Vargas (University of Strasbourg)

6. Spotted and striped

DNA evidence has it that the origins of our domestic cat are in the Near East and ancient Egypt. The striped cat was more common in ancient times, and the cats in Egyptian murals are striped. Spotted cats were uncommon until the Middle Ages. Who did the cat DNA tests?

6. Paleogeneticist Claudio Ottoni

7. The seven colours

Newton got his seven colours from the artist’s paint mixture colour circle (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and purple), not light mixtures. Going by that, what Newton called indigo is actually violet and what he called violet is actually purple. Who came up with this theory?

7. American physicist George Biernson

8. Sex appeal fails

Do ads with sexual appeals have an edge? People are more likely to remember these ads but not the brands or products featured in them, says a meta-analysis of 78 peer-reviewed studies over 30 years. Who concluded that there is no indication of “a positive effect”?

8. University of Illinois advertising professor John Wirtz

9. Yes, even today!

In a world of sympathetic villains and flawed heroes, people like fictional characters more when they have a strong sense of morality. Who found in a survey that “character morality is intricately tied to how much people like them” and even today people don’t like evil characters?

9. Matthew Grizzard (Ohio State University)

QUIZ No. 911

1. Computer codes for studying star formation can help us fight cancer. Who hit upon it?

– Dr Charlie Jeynes
– Sheila Adele Greibach
– Margaret Hamilton

1. Dr Charlie Jeynes

2. Who figured out that the movement of air through leaves shapes their internal workings?

– Andrew Fleming
– Elizabeth M. McClintock
– William McCalla

2. Andrew Fleming

3. Who found that inductive charging can slash the life of mobile phones with typical LIBs?

– David Anderson
– Renato de Albuquerque
– Melanie J. Loveridge

3. Melanie J. Loveridge

4. Who escaped Nazi camps twice and became an architect of the Sydney Opera House?

– Joseph Bertony
– Zvi-Gersh Preigerzon
– Pyotr M. Rutenberg

4. Joseph Bertony

5. Which anthropologist liked to study languages closely tied to the earth and agriculture?

– Emily Martin
– Horace Mitchell Miner
– Sidney W. Mintz

5. Horace Mitchell Miner