The Experiment

“Little moments here and there all matter.”

Take zero, for example, the symbol for the absence of things.

The word “nothing” is applied in all manner of settings and in every case it reveals a different aspect of reality. Can something really come from nothing? Why do some animals spend all day doing nothing? What happens in our brain when we try to think about nothing? These are all questions scientists have asked and gained intriguing results.

Nothings can be difficult to attain: we haven’t reached absolute zero and most likely never will. Nothings can also be messy: what is described as the vacuum of space turns out to be not one, but many. And nothings can be powerful: sick people can get better after talking with a doctor even though nothing material passes between them. This effect, which is perplexing some of the best brains in medical science, has an equally powerful evil twin.

From zero to hero

What researchers are now realizing is that positive beliefs don’t just work by quelling stress. They have a positive effect too—feeling safe and secure, or believing things will turn out fine, seems to help the body maintain and repair itself. A recent analysis of various studies concluded that the health benefits of such positive thinking happen independently of the harm caused by negative states such as pessimism or stress, and are roughly comparable in magnitude.3