First, we asked John to elaborate on how the evolutionary aspect of our psychology contributes to our fascination with mysteries, particularly those involving high-stakes events.
He shared: “Survival is a key element of evolution. We have a keen interest in information that we think might help us survive. Humans who did not have this strong interest were more likely to die and to leave no genes in children. Humans with a high curiosity about survival matters were more likely to survive and reproduce — those are our ancestors. We also have that curiosity and apply it to mystery cases (and to fictional mystery stories). For instance, I would not fly on certain airlines.”
#4 Wistman's Wood In England Is An Age-Old Forest That Has Been Allowed To Grow Naturally Without Human Intervention Or The Influence Of Large Animals
#6 The Medieval Eltz Castle Located In Wierschem, Germany, Has Been Owned And Occupied By The Same Family For Over 850 Years, 33 Generations To Be Exact
John, in the article, noted that individuals might feel more content with their own lives in light of disasters that befall others. We asked him to share how this phenomenon of comparative well-being contributes to the appeal of mysteries for the general public. John wrote: “Right now I am reading a fascinating fictional story of human misery, Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver. The story has strengthened my desire to avoid substance abuse, poverty, and Appalachia. I find the story unsettling, but reading it helps me see how fortunate I have been in life since the moment I was born. If something bad happens in my life, I think about how fortunate in general I have been relative to others.”
#7 Mme Abomah Was Known As The Amazon And The African Giantess. She Was Once The World`s Tallest And Most Beautiful Lady In The Late 1800s And Early 1900s. In The Early 1900`s She Traveled All Over The World As The Tallest Woman. She Stood Over 8 Feet And Could Easily Support The Weight Of A Man
#8 This Is A Tree That Has Been Struck By Lightning And Exposed Its Vascular System. Nature Is Very Complex. A Tree's Vascular System Carries Water And Minerals From The Roots To The Leaves
John's article suggests that people derive satisfaction from joining the excitement of chasing the truth in dramatic events. We were curious to know how this aspect of participation and engagement with unfolding mysteries relates to the psychological concept of "flow," where individuals become deeply immersed and engaged in an activity and how might this influence the level of interest people have in real-life mysteries versus fictional ones.
“People like a challenge. When trying to meet an interesting challenge, we may go into flow -- where we feel focused, energetic, and content. I am driven to keep reading my Copperhead book by the desire to know what happens next to the unlucky boy. When I read I feel a sense of flow. I feel the same strong curiosity when I read about mass murders, whether by deadly mushrooms, knife, or whatever,” answered John.
#11 A Very Old Skeleton Was Found In A Cave In Cheddar, England. People Called Him "Cheddar Man". Scientists Tested His Dna And Found That Someone Who Is Alive Today And Lives About Half A Mile Away Is Related To Him
#12 On The Night Of 016 1982 A Passenger On A Commercial Jet Was Looking Out The Window As The Plane Flew Over The Colorado Mountains When He Spotted Headlights Blinking Sos. The Passenger Brought This To The Attention Of The Pilots Who Radioed The Location
And lastly, in his article, John also mentioned enjoying both real-life mysteries like the Oscar Pistorius trial and fictional mysteries like "The Woman in White." He shared how these two types of stories differ in their psychological impact on readers or observers. “Good writers make a fictional mystery story seem real, so there is not much difference in the emotional impact between fictional stories and real ones. A big difference occurs between a tragic story that is distant from me and one that involves me or my loved ones. With distant stories, I have an emotional buffer that protects me.”
#15 Poon Lim, The Longest Time A Person Has Ever Survived At Sea On A Life Boat
#17 On November 12, 1833, There Was A Meteor Shower So Intense That It Was Possible To See Up To 100,000 Meteors Crossing The Sky Every Hour. At The Time, Many Thought It Was The End Of The World, So Much So That It Inspired This Woodcut By Adolf Vollmy
#18 The Amazing Praying Mantis Embedded In This Precious Amber, Just Over A Couple Of Centimetres, Has Been Preserved, Resisting Time, For More Than 30 Million Years
#19 The Huaorani Tribe, Also Known As Waorani Or Waos, Is An Indigenous Group Residing In Eastern Ecuador Within The Amazon Rainforest
