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The Pandemic Is Literally Too Big For Our Brains To Handle
December 16, 2020 2:37PM EST
Millions of cases, hundreds of thousands of deaths… the COVID-19 pandemic can seem like too much to process – and scientists say that’s because the pandemic is literally too big for our brains to handle.
Researchers say the human brain isn’t made to process large numbers – in fact, Cornell professor Daniel Casasanto says large numbers were invented “very recently in human history”. He says that’s why people might feel less concerned about the pandemic now than back in the spring, even though the number of cases and deaths have grown exponentially.
Do you find it difficult to wrap your head around the pandemic numbers? What statistics do you focus on?
