<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Q &amp; A</h2>

How do we know? Throughout this year, a curious journalist called Tom Whitwell has been noting down the odd things he learned. This week, he published a list of discoveries. They make marvellous reading.

Want to know more? Good, that shows that you are curious, that you want to make sense of the world. That is to be expected. Fresh ideas excite us.

A 1964 study showed that infants as young as two-months-old are more interested in new patterns than shapes and forms they have seen before. From an early age, we all want to discover more.

This makes sense. Our minds have evolved in order to keep us and our families safe and healthy. Learning from the world means exploring our surroundings and questioning what happens. If you never ask which animal ate your neighbour, then you are unlikely to find out that lions are dangerous.

AstrophysicistScientists who try to understand the contents of the universe. Mario Livio defines two major "flavours" of curiosity. On the one hand, there is the survivalist instinct, which he calls "perceptual curiosity" - the feeling of uncertainty and intrigue that compels you to find out what made that noise under your bed.

On the other hand, there is "epistemicPertaining to knowledge. An epistemic constraint is a limit on what you can know. curiosity" - the pleasurable and exciting anticipation of learning something new.

It is this seemingly inexhaustible pursuit of knowledge that has pushed humanity towards many of its greatest achievements. The very enterprises of art and science aren sublime edificesA large structure or building. of curiosity.

They are an entire planet's attempt at answering the most compelling of questions, from the Large Hadron Collider's colossal pursuit of the Higgs BosonThe subatomic particle was first theorised in the 1960s, but observed in the LHC in 2012. Its existence does not challenge the Standard Model of particle physics. to MichelangeloAn Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect and poet. He lived from 1475 to 1564. 's dextrous depictions of the divine.

If in any doubt about the importance of curiosity, just think of the societies that actively attempt to curtail it. From Medieval Europe to ISISThe name originally belonged to a goddess worshipped in Ancient Egypt, but became tainted by association with Islamic State terrorists. today, oppressive regimes militarise ignorance. They encouragen disciplesFollowers. In the Bible, dedicated followers of Jesus were known as disciples. to believe that all that is worth knowing has already been found out.

Curiosity means challenging the status quoA Latin phrase referring to the current or present situation.. It also allows us to overcome social divisions. As the surgeon and writer Atul Gawande puts it, "Curiosity is the beginning of empathy." Could it also be humanity's most important attribute?

No, say some. Curiosity is merely a luxury. People only have time for wisdom and wonder once they already have food and shelter. You can survive being bored for a month. You cannot stay thirsty that long. Furthermore, our modern propensityThe tendency or likelihood to do something. for distraction shows a darker side to curiosity. Our smartphones trick us into scrolling forever and an abundance of information online numbs our ability to be creative.

Not so fast, say others. Curiosity is the essence of what makes us human. Science will never be complete, art can never be perfected. Curiosity is our most powerful instinct because it is infinitely rewarding. Unlike sugar or Netflix, we can never grow tired of it. Our ability to ask questions when faced with the great unknowns only makes us stronger and wiser.

What do we know? The word curious comes from the Latin for "to care" or "to worry". Curiosity is also linked to triggering a release of dopamine (the pleasure chemical) into the brain.

What do we not know? A precise definition of curiosity: whether it is a genetic trait; whether people can have more or less of it, or if it can be learnt. We also do not know to what extent other animals have curiosity.

Placebos - Harmless substances pretending to be medicines, that do not have any actual effects. Placebos are often used to test the effectiveness of drugs.

Astrophysicist - Scientists who try to understand the contents of the universe.

Epistemic - Pertaining to knowledge. An epistemic constraint is a limit on what you can know.

Edifices - A large structure or building.

Higgs boson - The subatomic particle was first theorised in the 1960s, but observed in the LHC in 2012. Its existence does not challenge the Standard Model of particle physics.

Michelangelo - An Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect and poet. He lived from 1475 to 1564.

Isis - The name originally belonged to a goddess worshipped in Ancient Egypt, but became tainted by association with Islamic State terrorists.

Disciples - Followers. In the Bible, dedicated followers of Jesus were known as disciples.

Status quo - A Latin phrase referring to the current or present situation.

Propensity - The tendency or likelihood to do something.