alt Hacker NewsThe story about the "aha!" moment inspires me to find ways to physically play with ideas more:
> When the workshop returned the wooden balls, he tested building some molecules. This was when he had a moment of insight: there was a vast amount of information baked into the holes’ positioning. The model molecules automatically had the correct form and structure, because of where the holes were situated. This insight led to his next idea: what would happen if he utilised the atoms’ inherent properties to link together different types of molecules, rather than individual atoms? Could he design new types of molecular constructions?
In Surely You Must Be Joking, Mr. Feynman, Richard Feynman tells the story of how he managed to end a dry spell where he couldn't come up with good research ideas.
He was in a cafeteria, someone slipped, and accidentally threw a plate into the air. Feynman could see it spinning, and could see that it had a wobble that spun, and wondered if he could figure out the ratio between the two.
The piece of mathematics that he worked out had no particular purpose. But having it turned out to be essential later in the work that earned him a Nobel prize.
Never underestimate the value of play!