When it comes to Burning Man , you often hear the word "transformation" thrown around a lot. But what exactly does that mean? How do you quantify such a heady term that means so many things to so many people? Well, a team of researchers attempted to find out, and they came up with some pretty captivating intel.

In a recent Burning Man blog post, author Daniel Yudkin, who is part of a research team funded by the Templeton Foundation and in conjunction with the Black Rock City Census, writes about efforts to "better understand the personal transformations people undergo in Black Rock City." 

On the 2015 Black Rock Census, they asked basic questions about the transformations people felt they experienced while on the playa. Almost 20% of people said they “absolutely” had a transformative experience at Burning Man, while 75% said they had an at least “somewhat” transformative experience.

"Yeah," you might say. "But how long did those feelings of transformation last once they got back to the default world?" Well, according to the graph below, a whopping 85% of playa participants said their experiences were "still persisting" aka going strong, many days, weeks, and even months after they returned to daily life. It's important to note that the census closed in October, six weeks after the event.

Now, back to that pesky fact that "transformation" is a highly personal term. Burning Man affects everyone differently, and quantifying that is difficult. A transformational experience on the playa could be something as simple as falling in love with deep house music, or a complete change in one's persona or identity. However, Yudkin and his fellow researchers shed a bit of light on the subject through specific questions in an attempt to pinpoint the kinds of transformations that occur the most.

About the graph above, Yudkin writes, "Most commonly, people felt different in their mind, and that they could be themselves or explore a new part of themselves. Other common types of transformation included feeling more socially connected to something larger than themselves, and perceiving people or things differently." 

The research team will not only publish more of its findings in the near future, it will also be out on the playa again in 2016, asking burners about their experiences while they're happening. If you find them, be sure to participate! You'll help explain to the world why people come back to the playa again and again.

For a link to more information about the research team, click here.