# Aging and time perception **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2025, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646 "2025-03-16T05:37:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/41 "2025-03-17T17:41:53Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Irene Ryan was 59 years old when The Beverly Hillbillies first aired. I would have thought she was at least 70. Hopefully that was makeup, and acting. But yeah she seemed really old. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/42 "2025-03-17T17:46:09Z")
Heart rate and metabolism go hand in hand—and metabolism might even mess with time perception. Cats, for example, have a resting heart rate between 140 and 220 bpm, which probably explains why my cats zoom around the house like tiny tornados… at exactly 3 AM. Some scientists think that animals with faster metabolisms (and usually quicker heart rates) might perceive time differently than we do. Research suggests they take in visual information at a higher “refresh rate” (aka flicker-fusion frequency). In simple terms, they see more snapshots of the world per second, making our movements seem slower to them. That’s why cats—and many other creatures—are great at spotting and reacting to rapid motion much faster than we can. Our world is like the slo-mo Matrix scene to kitties. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/43 "2025-03-17T17:50:52Z")
Time is flowing like a river to the sea. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/44 "2025-03-17T19:31:37Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Some scientists think that animals with faster metabolisms (and usually quicker heart rates) might perceive time differently than we do. What was that Star Trek (TOS) episode where creatures co-existed with our crew but they were just vibrating really fast? ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/45 "2025-03-17T20:18:02Z")
I’m not familiar with that TOS episode, but it reminds me of **Robert L. Forward’s** novel _Dragon’s Egg._ The Cheela are tiny, sesame seed–sized aliens living on the surface of a neutron star, where gravity is absurdly intense (and clocks run slower in strong gravitational fields—time dilation, courtesy of Einstein). Because the Cheela’s bodies are adapted to these intense conditions, their biological processes happen blindingly fast. Their entire physical and biological systems evolved to function at hyperspeed, so they zip through metabolic processes so quickly that seconds for them can be entire eras for us. Meanwhile, to the Cheela, we move in ridiculous slow motion, like super-sloths in a cosmic comedy reel. It’s a work of fiction, sure, but the physics behind it checks out. Good book! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/46 "2025-03-17T20:47:54Z")
I remember in 88’ when the Traveling Willburys formed. A bunch of legendary musicians all past the peaks of their careers forming a group. Now and even then I thought of them as a bunch of old guys putting out some pretty good tunes. Apparently “old” at the time was Orbison 52, Dylan 47, Harrison 45, Lynne 41, Petty 38. I’m past all of them now at 55 and don’t consider myself old. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/47 "2025-03-17T21:31:13Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > That’s why cats—and many other creatures—are great at spotting and reacting to rapid motion much faster than we can. > **[Cats have a faster reaction time than snakes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNPeST4RxI8%2F)** > > The average cat’s reaction time is approximately 20-70 milliseconds, which is faster than the average snake’s reaction time, 44-70 milliseconds. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/48 "2025-03-17T22:24:03Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > What was that Star Trek (TOS) episode where creatures co-existed with our crew but they were just vibrating really fast? > [@Tibby](#): > > I’m not familiar with that TOS episode > **[Wink of an Eye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wink_of_an_Eye)** > > "Wink of an Eye" is the eleventh episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Arthur Heinemann, based on a story by Gene L. Coon (under the pen name Lee Cronin), and directed by Jud Taylor, it was first broadcast on November 29, 1968. > In the episode, normally invisible time-accelerated aliens take over the Enterprise and attempt to abduct the crew for use as breeding stock. > In answer to a distress call, the Federation starship Enterpris... ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/49 "2025-03-17T22:35:03Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > attempt to abduct the crew for use as breeding stock Yeesh, where’s that eye-bleach when you need it… ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/50 "2025-03-18T02:19:55Z")
Similar theme on **The Wild Wild West** except the bad guy spilled alcohol on himself and the friction touched him off and he burned up real good. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/51 "2025-03-18T02:35:42Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > I get that feeling a lot when remembering my parents. As a kid, they seemed ancient—now I realize they were barely half my age when the memories took place. When I was a teenager my dad flew by himself to another country to prepare for us to move there. In one month he found an apartment for us to live in, and a small business to run, all in a city we had barely ever visited. I admired him tremendously for that, thought he was courageous with the wisdom of long life experience. I recently realized this all happened when he was 16 years younger than I am now. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/52 "2025-03-18T02:41:09Z")
Indeed cats have incredibly fast reflexes. I mentioned it here: > [@What's this thing that came out of my toilet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-thing-that-came-out-of-my-toilet/1015534/43): > > But, big water moccasins can certainly kill a small dog or cat. Their hemotoxic venom breaks down blood cells and tissue, causing > severe swelling, pain, necrosis, and potentially fatal effects if untreated. I’ve come across many moccasins around my house. Just another reason my cats are indoor kitties (although cats have quicker reflexes than snakes—20-70 milliseconds—and swat with extreme precision. They could come out on top in a showdown). 🐍🐈 Cats are marvels of evolution, and they’re kinda cute, too. But, my 5 cats keep me on my toes. They sneak up, swipe the chicken nuggets off my plate, and scamper off before I even know what hit me. Little time accelerated bastards! ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/53 "2025-03-18T02:57:30Z")
Have you looked into funeral insurance? … just kidding. I’m probably older than you and still kicking. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/54 "2025-03-18T20:43:14Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Do any of the old geezers on the board have similar “a few years ago” dates? For me, it’s the opposite. 2019, the last pre-Covid year, seems forever ago. And having come to parenthood fairly late in life (I’m 71, the Firebug is 17), I remember friends telling me that when they’re in high school or college or beyond, it’ll seem like just the blink of an eye since they were small. We adopted the Firebug in 2009, and that seems like the other end of time, eons and eons ago. > [@Jasmine](#): > > If she hadn’t died in 1973, she’d be 123 years old. > She was born in 1902 and was 71 when she passed. Similarly here: all my grandparents were born between 1898 and 1905, so they’d all be in their 120s now. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/55 "2025-03-18T21:34:08Z")
Teenager that was staying at our hourse for a couple days: Don’t you watch anything current? My thoughts: This show is fairly current. It’s about 15 years old. When I was his age a show that was 15 years old would be something like… Oh, I get it. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/56 "2025-03-18T21:38:11Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > When I was his age a show that was 15 years old would be something like… Vaudeville? 😆 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/57 "2025-03-18T23:48:07Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I thought this thread was gonna be about the perception of time as one gets older… I was reminiscing with my kids when they were young about how long a year felt when I was little, and how summer vacation stretched on forever… and realized “Hey, fun fact: a year is 1/10th of your life, but only 1/40th of my life.” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/58 "2025-03-19T00:01:32Z")
Another factor is that “70 is the new 50” kind of thing. We feel younger because compared to previous generations, our bodies act younger. I remember my dad’s friends throwing him an Over The Hill party when he turned 40, and a lot of his crowd retired at 50 or 55. At which point they could barely climb up that hill that they were over. My dad always wanted me to play golf: “You really should have a ‘lifetime sport’, son, that you can play in your 50s and 60s.” With an electric cart, of course. Well, daddy-o, I’m in my 70s and playing soccer (all ages, we have kids from the high school varsity team and a lot of 30 and 40 year olds, and we all get very aggressive). I still run and bike to other cities, none of which my folks (or certainly not grandparents) could do at my age. I blame my heart meds and this damn kale salad… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/59 "2025-03-19T00:22:27Z")
> [@digs](#): > > My dad always wanted me to play golf: “You really should have a ‘lifetime sport’, son, that you can play in your 50s and 60s.” With an electric cart, of course. Fuck golf. 😃 My lifetime sports are bicycling and hiking. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646/60 "2025-03-19T14:03:00Z")
It’s amazing what adequate childhood nutrition, a life of work in mostly safe, mostly non-physical labor, and modern meds can do. Of course bad diet & lazy lifestyle can undo a lot of those gains. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-and-time-perception/1015646.md?page=4)