Linear Time Exists Only in Our Heads – Scientists' Discovery

The article argues that linear time is a cultural invention, not an innate property of the human brain. It cites the Amondawa tribe in the Amazon, whose language lacks abstract time concepts, and describes how the brain disables chronological thinking during sleep. The author concludes that losing track of time is a natural state, while clocks and calendars are artificial tools of civilization.

The article presents scientific evidence suggesting that linear perception of time is not an innate feature of the human brain but a cultural acquisition. As the first proof, it cites the isolated Amondawa tribe in the Brazilian Amazon, whose language lacks abstract time concepts such as 'week' or 'year' and has no grammatical constructions for past, present, or future. Tribe members have no concept of numerical age, changing their names as they transition between life stages. The second example is sleep: during sleep, cortical areas responsible for logic and sequence are deactivated, and the brain does not build chronological chains. The author concludes that clocks and calendars are inventions that enabled civilization but are not universal laws. Losing track of time during vacations or in nature is seen as a return to the mind's natural state. The material references SpaceDaily and is written by Rama Madrich.