内容正文:
04 科技和新知
(C)
Studies show that older people tend to remember the positive things in life rather than the negative things, while younger people remember the positive and negative equally well. The dominant psychological theory to explain this is that older people are aware of their limited time left, so they prioritize positive emotional experiences. But about a decade ago, I worked with biologist Robert Trivers on his idea that there was an evolutionary basis for older people’s increased positive outlook. Our research took us in the fascinating direction of exploring how the body uses its energy.
When our ancestors needed more energy than usual, perhaps while being chased by a tiger, they had to get that energy from somewhere in the body. Could they borrow it from the brain? That organ uses 20 percent of our metabolic (新陈代谢) output, whether we are solving math problems or watching television reruns. Due to this constant energy requirement, borrowing energy from the brain when our nee