The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, defines awe as “that goose-bumpy sensation that we get in the presence of something profound: something greater, more powerful, or more eternal than ourselves. It arises when we encounter things that challenge our sense of what’s normal or possible.” In my research for a recent book, I had the opportunity to touch the bark of a tree more than 5,000 years old, to kayak through a congress of resplendent bald cypresses, to watch a magnificent dance of leaves in an old-growth forest, and to observe a blood-red sunrise over a grove of aspens. Each was awesome; each was an experience that engaged my senses, stimulated my creative instincts, and propelled my fingers across a computer keyboard faster than I thought possible. My imagination was truly energized! Let’s examine that connection. What the Research on Awe Says A research review reveals several studies that have either examined the relationship between awe and creativity or identified mechanisms (such as curiosity and cognitive flexibility) that underscore this …