In Search of Now: The Science of the Present Moment

The question of what it means to live in the moment is at the heart of this sprawling examination from science journalist Marchant (The Human Cosmos). Combining quantum mechanics, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology, Marchant discusses the possibilities that time is an illusion; that there’s no difference between the past, present, and future; and that humans believe their world into existence. She relays studies on how humans perceive information, explaining that the brain can take several hundred milliseconds to process signals, meaning that “later events can influence our perception of earlier ones, because the second stimulus comes in while the first is still being processed.” Elsewhere, she explains why humans’ perception of time is critical for their sense of self, highlighting how people with schizophrenia may lose the ability to make connections between the past, present, and future, leading them to “feel as though their thoughts and actions are being steered by external forces: God, aliens, TV.” These insights and others make for an arduous but gratifying journey through the nature of time. Adventurous readers will find this stimulating and enlightening. (Mar.)