Inspiration comes in many forms. Perhaps the best known example is that of James Watson who, along with Francis Crick, discovered the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) because of a dream Watson had about a series of spiral staircases. Although originally trained in physics, Crick began the study of biology after WWII. In 1951 he met James Watson, who shared his interest in discovering how genetic information could be stored in molecular form. It was with this intense background in mind that Crick had his insightful dream. Although not inspired by a dream, the following is another example of inspiration: Sir Isaac Newton had invented the calculus, and had formulated his laws of motion. One day he saw an apple fall from a tree. He wondered why the apple always fell toward the center of the earth; why not fall sideways or upward? He soon realized that if gravity extended as far out from t...
My alarm clock goes off every morning at eight, except for the few times when I have a breakfast date. Usually I wake up about an hour before that, or at least I partly wake up. It is important that I remain in a “not quite awake but not quite asleep” state, because I consider that time as the germination period for whatever seeds happen to have blown into my head.