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The benefits of daydreaming - Elizabeth Cox

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TEDEd Animation

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On a daily basis, you spend between a third and half of your waking hours daydreaming. That may sound like a huge waste of time, but scientists think it must have some purpose, or humans wouldn’t have evolved to do so much of it. So, what exactly happens in the brain while you daydream? Elizabeth Cox takes a closer look at the science of daydreaming through the mind of a teenager.

Scientists think that there are positive sides to daydreaming. What do you think those positive sides are?

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Elizabeth Cox
  • Director Biljana Labović
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer, Hani Furstenberg
  • Storyboard Artist Wing Luo
  • Animation Supervisor Amarello Rodrigues
  • Lead Animator Hanna Rybak, Murilo Jardim
  • Animator Volodymyr Shtun, Ihor Karas, Vlad Zhelikhovskyi
  • Art Director Nuri Keli, Hanna Rybak
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Composer Weston Fonger
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Alexandra Zubak
  • Associate Producer Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Science Consultant Caitlin Mills

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