UC Merced Magazine | Commemorative Chronicle

A striking pattern emerged. In the minutes before a mathematician exclaimed “Aha!” or “I see it!” their behavior became measurably less predictable. Familiar patterns of moving between ideas gave way to unpredictable ones. Tabatabaeian and Marghetis con rmed the e ect with a computer simulation that showed how underlying mental changes can be detected through visible, symbolic behavior, making their method potentially useful far beyond mathematics. ey said it could work in any eld where thinking unfolds in observable steps, such as a chemist sketching molecular bonds, a designer shi ing between prototypes or an artist exploring new forms. e authors suggest their approach could help scientists better understand the microdynamics of creativity and, perhaps, even predict breakthroughs before they happen. "I nd math amazing because it feels like it allows us to learn about the fundamental nature of reality just by thinking really hard. How wild is that?” Marghetis said. “So I've always been amazed by those special moments when somebody is stumped by a mathematical problem and they suddenly achieve a deep insight into it. “ e fact that we were able to foresee when those moments of insight were likely to happen, minutes before they actually did — that was a dream come true for me as a scientist."

e fact that we were able to foresee when those moments of insight were likely to happen, minutes before they actually did —

that was a dream come true for me as a scientist.