"In my lectures, there is such a flow of ideas that a person's cerebral cortex just shuts down," he explains. "The students' brains are overwhelmed. They simply cannot absorb any more stimulation."
When Kirshner sees the telltale signs of impending sleep, he knows that his lecture "is just too good."
Excess stimulation is only part of a two-pronged problem, Kirshner theorizes.
Beyond an excess of ideas, he says a lack of oxygen and inadequate ventilation in stifling Science Center lecture halls also contribute to the problem.
"The mechanical ventilation system and global warming combine to produce a kind of stupor," he says.
But Kirshner doesn't think boredom is to blame.
"I consider that belief to be unworthy of both students and faculty," Kirshner says.
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