It's happened to all of us: We're in the shower, or on a walk, and boom — a big idea or a brilliant solution appears out of nowhere. These sorts of insights often seem to arise without explanation. But researchers increasingly find there is a science to cultivating creativity. This week, social psychologist Sheena Iyengar shares research and case studies of innovation, and discusses what these examples tell us about the alchemy of creative breakthroughs. Looking for a last-minute holiday gift for a fellow fan of Hidden Brain? Consider giving them a gift subscription to Hidden Brain+!
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This is Hidden Brain. I'm Shankar Vedantam. Otto Lilienthal was a 19th century design engineer who was fascinated by the idea of flying machines. He meticulously studied the shape of the wings of birds and invented a flying apparatus that allowed him to glide short distances. On Sunday, August 9, 1896, Otto went to a hilly region about 50 miles from where he lived in Berlin.
He strapped into his glider like a human stork and took three successful flights. But on his fourth attempt, a strong gust of wind launched Otto up about 50 feet and then careened him toward the earth. He tried to wrestle the glider out of a crash, but failed to do so. The plunge broke Otto's neck. He died shortly afterwards.
A few years later, two bicycle mechanics in Ohio realized what was wrong with Otto's glider. It required the pilot to move his body to change the center of gravity of the machine. This system gave the pilot limited balance and control. It would be like trying to maneuver a bicycle only by leaning to one side or another.
Orville and Wilbur Wright knew a great deal about balance and control from their work on bicycles. While idly twisting a cardboard box one day, the brothers realized they could warp the shape of a fixed wing through a set of wires. In effect, they could provide a pilot with a handlebar. Tetz confirmed that this system provided significantly more control than Otto's glider.
The rest, of course, is history. Otto Lilienthal had built a machine that mimicked the mechanics of birds. He was an actual engineer. The Wright brothers borrowed from the much more unlikely source of bicycle physics. The history of invention is full of stories like this. People who have knowledge and training and skills can find themselves stuck.
And then someone comes out of left field and solves the problem. Today, we take a close look at the process of creativity. Insights and epiphanies often seem to arise without explanation. But researchers increasingly find there is a science to generating them. The Alchemy of Invention, this week on Hidden Brain.
We all have problems.
Whether it's trying to solve a complex issue at work or figuring out how to get your toddler dressed in the morning, all of us grapple with challenges big and small. On the bright side, these problems often come with aha moments. You're on a walk or in the shower when boom, a big idea or a brilliant solution appears out of nowhere. Where do epiphanies come from?
And what can we do to make them appear more frequently, more predictably? At Columbia University, social psychologist Sheena Iyengar has spent many years studying the surprising origin of powerful ideas. Sheena Iyengar, welcome to Hidden Brain.
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