Five Research-Backed Ways to Build a More Curious Life

Why does curiosity matter?

In the 1960s, scientists discovered a virus. This virus wasn’t harmful to humans—it didn’t cause any diseases—but groups of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and National Institutes of Health kept studying its biology anyway. They were just curious.

Six decades later, that same type of virus is helping cure blindness in children with a rare genetic defect that causes vision loss. Doctors in London recently used this adeno-associated virus to inject a healthy copy of a gene into patients with this defect. The result, according to The Guardian, is that these children can now make out shapes, play with toys, and see their parents’ faces. They can even read and write.

It's an astonishing discovery, one that never would have happened if those researchers hadn’t followed their curiosity all those years ago. The results of their explorations will now change the lives of countless children.

But what’s less obvious is that, as they let their curiosity lead them, the scientists were also helping themselves along the way. 

A growing body of research links curiosity—the natural human desire to learn, understand, and explore the world around us—to a slew of health benefits.

Curiosity helps people cope with the anxiety of uncertainty by moving them to seek new information and opportunities to grow. It inspires people to ask questions and listen intently, leading to closer relationships. And perhaps because of this, it leads to greater life satisfaction and more positive emotions.

In essence, life feels more meaningful to those who cultivate curiosity.

How does curiosity shift our sense of time and attention?

Time flies when you’re having fun. We’ve all heard this expression. And in these moments, we’ve all wished we could slow down time.

It turns out there is an easy way to do so: engaging with the unfamiliar.

When faced with novelty, our perception of time tends to stretch. Why? As we process something new, our senses are working overtime to process it. Our heightened attention and alertness lead us to pick up more details around us. That’s why the day often feels longer and richer when you’re exploring something new. 

Curiosity guides our attention to new and challenging stimuli. When it strikes, it feels almost like a craving—a need to seek out knowledge and to understand, whether about natural phenomena, the lives of those around us, or the purpose of life as we know it. It even ushers us into a flow-like state of deep focus in which we’re not even aware that time is passing.

What are five ways to live more curiously?

Engaging your curiosity doesn’t have to mean taking an expensive class online or watching that long documentary everyone’s been talking about. It can simply mean adjusting your perspective and patterns as you journey through your day. 

1. Ask better questions.
Our conversations can become trapped in routine and monotony. Instead of stopping at “How was your day?” try asking, “What surprised you today?” or “What made you look twice?” These kinds of questions invite specificity, spark better conversations, and ultimately strengthen relationships.

2. Treat the familiar as strange.
Try looking at a piece of fruit or a common household item as if it’s your first time seeing it. Notice its shape and texture. What’s behind these elements? What do you know about how it’s made? What you overlook can become fascinating just by considering it from a different perspective.

3. Reroute your habits.
Remember the connection between curiosity and novelty? Change up your routines to introduce more of the unfamiliar into your environment. Walk a different way to work. Browse a section of the bookstore you’ve never been to. Small changes in routine spark a sense of novelty, stirring your curiosity and increasing brain activity.

4. Delay the answer.
When a question arises, resist the urge to reach for your phone right away. Take a few minutes to sit with the question. Consider the possible answers and how people may have arrived at those. Immediately googling betrays your curiosity for a quick response, while letting the question linger grants your curiosity permission to lead you in unexpected directions.

5. Track your sparks.
At the end of the day, jot down something that made you wonder. Keep a running list—it can become a map for how you allocate your attention. Revisit the list every so often. You may notice a pattern of questions that guide you to a topic you should explore.

6. Enter The Humane Space.
The Humane Space is designed with your curiosity in mind. Whether you’re interested in learning unique vocabulary words, exploring the world’s most exotic locations, or connecting more deeply with yourself, there’s something for every curiosity style. Take a few moments every day to dive into new discoveries and lose yourself in wonder.

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In the information age, answers seem to be just a click away. But what would happen if we all spent more time sitting with questions, savoring the unknown, and seeking more deeply? Curiosity teaches us that just by trying to explore this question, you already have your answer.