It's time for a word puzzle. Ready? Think of a single word that forms a compound word or a common phrase with cake, grilled and string. Got it? The answer is cheese (cheese cake, grilled cheese and string cheese).

How long did it take you to get the answer? Was it immediate or did you have to think it out or did you not get it at all? Now think about what you were doing before you read the question. That might have more to do with how quickly you answered than anything else.

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Researchers at Drexel University performed this experiment on people who sometimes solve the problems quickly and confidently and other times would work methodically, running though possible choices until they arrived at the correct one. With the help of EEGs and fMRIs, the researchers discovered that brain activity preceding these so called "aha moments," or immediately knowing the answer, is markedly different from activity that comes before a methodical approach to the questions.

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The results suggest that people's brains are prepared to arrive at instant epiphanies before they are even presented with a problem. The brain activity leading up to the "aha moments" shows that thoughts are focused inwardly, with the brain reducing visual inputs producing a similar effect to closing your eyes to deeply concentrate. Researchers hope to parlay this information into instructions for how people can prepare to most efficiently solve problems. Unfortunately, the epiphany for how to prevent problems altogether is still a ways off. —Adam Raymond

What do you think?