Do you have the sense that life is speeding up the older you get? If so, you’re not alone. Can there be a reason for this perception? I’ve discovered three scientific theories that shine a little light on this mysterious experience.
The first is a phenomenon called “telescopy.” Telescopy [3] is simply the underestimation of time. It’s as though you’re looking through a telescope where the details of what you see give you the impression that an object in the distance is much closer than it actually is. Because of telescopy, our brains recall distant events as if they occurred only yesterday.
For example, at 67, I can’t believe 43 years have passed since the Beatles broke up. Every time I see Sir Paul McCartney on TV performing old Beatles tunes like “Hey Jude,” I’m amazed. Why? To me it seems as if 1970 was not that long ago.