Scientists have discover that when we are performing mental tasks, taking tests, adding or subtracting, some areas of our brains are very active. Scientists have also discovered that when some areas of our brains become active, other areas of the brain become dark.
The frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of the brain are called "the dark network" of our brain. The reason they are called this is because this are seems to be inactive when our bodies are active.
On the other hand, this area is very active when our bodies are inactive. Why?
It appears that while we are doing nothing at all, our mind is very active so we must be doing something.
But what could we be doing?
The answer has to do with the fact that while our bodies are at rest, our minds can be traveling at a warp speed.
The human body moves forward in time at the constant rate of one second per second whether we like it or not. That never changes. But the human mind can move through time in any direction and at any speed it chooses!
What do I mean? Pretend you are walking down a street and you see a man. Your mind immediately tells you his name is Joe and he has been asking you on a date for two months now (past). You anticipate that if he sees you he will ask you out again (future). You turn and walk the other way to avoid him (present). This mind time travel takes place in a split second.
Why did evolution design our brains this way?
Perhaps it is because experience is a terrible thing to waste. Time travel lets us pay for experience once and then enjoy it over and over again learning new lessons with each repetition. We only need to hurt our hand on the hot stove once to know not to do that again.
Some a new experience teamed up with a trip back in time allows us to learn a new lesson after the fact. Such as, wow, now I realized why she was so angry!
We can travel into the future when we can preview the consequences of any actions or decisions we need to make.
During all this time that our brains are traveling back and forth, the dark network of our brain is busy doing its thing. However, scientists have discover, that, while the dark network lets us visit the future, it doesn't just let us visit any future. When we visit futures that don't include us, the dark network remains quiet..Only when we move ourselves through time does it become alive.
Perhaps, most startling is how often we are exercising the dark network of our brain. People tend to overestimate how often they are in the moment because they rarely take notice of when they aren't. It is only when something demands their attention do they realize that they have spent time away from the present.
Next time you see someone who doesn't seem to be "with it", they may just be exercising their dark network of the brain.
