Neuroscientist John Kounios scanned jazz musicians' brains to uncover the secrets of creative flow. They discuss brain processes during flow, the role of brain hemispheres in creativity, and techniques to achieve flow in creative pursuits. Exploring personal experiences and research on creative flow, they delve into the evolutionary basis of flow and how expertise plays a role.

Dr. John Kounios, a psychology and brain sciences professor at Drexel University, joins bestselling author Steven Kotler to explore the science of creativity and flow states. They discuss how EEG reveals brain activity during jazz improvisation and the impact of cognitive control on creativity. The duo highlights transient hypofrontality's role in high-flow individuals and the significance of 'aha' moments. Listeners will learn practical strategies to harness their creative potential by understanding these neural dynamics.

You've probably experienced a few aha moments in your life. Moments where an idea for a new business or piece of art, or a solution to a sticky technical, relational, or philosophical problem, suddenly popped into your mind.What causes these proverbial light bulbs to go off over our heads? What's going on in your brain when you experience an insight? And can you do anything to encourage more "aha" moments?My guest has spent his career researching the answers to these questions. His name is John Kounios, and he's a professor of psychology and the author of the book The Eureka Factor: Aha Moments, Creative Insight, and the Brain. We begin our conversation discussing how researchers define what an insight is, and examples of how scientists and musicians have experienced them. John then walks us through the stages that lead up to getting an insight and explains what is going on in our brains right before and at the moment we experience one. We end our conversation discussing ways you can increase your chances of receiving insights, including the kind of environment and even color that encourages them most.Get the show notes at aom.is/eureka.