logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
4m 51s

Why does time fly when you're having fun...

American Public Media
About this episode

Have you ever experienced the term "time flies when you’re having fun"? It’s an unfortunate reality of life that time seems to crawl by when we’re waiting for something to happen, and go too fast when we’re having a blast. We asked Ruth Ogden, a psychologist at John Moores University, why this happens.


Is there a question you’ve been pondering for a minute? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll set aside the time to get it answered.

Up next
Oct 8
We’re back! Brains On Universe has a new headquarters
We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop u ... Show More
7m 30s
Jun 2025
A big update about Moment of Um and the Brains On Universe
We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit.In the mean ... Show More
2m 56s
Jun 2025
How do braces work?
They come in cool colors, catch popcorn kernels and sometimes even have spacers - it’s braces! Ever wondered how braces magically straighten teeth? We asked Dr. ArNelle Wright - a real life dentist! - to help us break down the science of these tiny metal wonders.Bracing for a tou ... Show More
6m 19s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
Time Is Way Weirder Than You Think
It’s not an exaggeration to say that “clock time” runs our lives. From the moment our alarms go off in the morning, the clock reigns supreme: our meetings, our appointments, even our social plans are often timed down to the minute. We even measure the quality of our lives with re ... Show More
53m 42s
Aug 2020
Does Time Exist?
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by actor and writer Mark Gatiss, theoretical physicists Carlo Rovelli and Fay Dowker to ask timely questions about time. Is time real, does it exist in the fundamental laws of physics, and if it doesn't, why do we experience the sensation of ti ... Show More
43m 36s
Jun 2023
It's About Time
Ever wondered how long five minutes truly feels, and why time can sometimes seem to fly by or drag on forever? ⌛🕒 Join us on this episode of 'Stories for Kids' where we'll compare different activities that fit into five minutes and learn various ways of measuring time. As we hel ... Show More
7m 17s
Mar 2021
Is time travel possible?
Will we ever get to rewind time, or fast forward through it? Sanden stops by to tell us all about how time works. He also has a couple ideas about how we might make time travel a reality! But one tricky thing about time travel is that it’s full of paradoxes — so we look into thos ... Show More
35m 13s
Aug 2022
Selfish Summer Strategies #7: Are You Having Fun Yet?
Have you forgotten how to have fun? Do you feel like you've lost the 'fun you'?  It's easy for life to become all about the 'to-do list', responsibilities, and stress. Fun drops to the bottom of the laundry pile. You don't have time for fun! Gotta get shit done!  Problem is, with ... Show More
10m 32s
Mar 2023
"Does time really slow down when you're in fear for your life?"
When he was a child, Eagleman fell off a roof and time seemed to run in slow motion. When he became a neuroscientist, he grew curious about the experience and collected hundreds of similar stories from others. But is it true that your brain can actually see in slow motion, like N ... Show More
30m 42s
May 2023
148. What Is Fun, Exactly?
Why does time fly when you’re having fun? How do you teach rats to play hide and seek? And what does all this have to do with Anne Boleyn? 
35m 18s
Nov 2021
Relative Time Management
Relative Time Management In my entire life, I've always found it interesting that there never seems to be enough time in the day. Still, most days, everything seems to get done. If it doesn't, the world didn't come to an end, and I survived to check off another item from my to-do ... Show More
12m 33s
Apr 2022
What Do You Do For Fun?
It's such a simple question that it causes people to get a blank look in their eyes.A few years ago, I visited friends who lived and worked on the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Yes, people live there - thousands of them. The drive into town is too far to commute - but that was okay w ... Show More
11m 45s