Have you ever wondered how your brain manages to hold information in mind for a short period of time? For instance, when you read the Wi-Fi password off of a cafe’s menu board and have to hold onto it in... View Article
Tag Archive: science
A news article summarizes results from three neuroscientific research papers that provide evidence-based strategies to enhance memory consolidation. The first paper suggests that if you would like to enhance your memory for prospective events or information, start asking yourself whether... View Article
University students are made well aware of the importance of having a consistent sleep schedule, and the role that high quality sleep plays in cognitive performance. But how can shorter breaks improve memory? Are rest periods of just a few... View Article
In a recent McGovern Institute study described in an article by Anne Trafton, researchers have identified the brain circuit that is responsible for maintaining the motivation to learn new things or engage in daily activities. The circuit was specifically involved... View Article
Neuroscientist Nathan Michaels makes the analogy that brains are like machines. In this article, he states that all machines are made of a combination of structural elements that work together to produce a specific function. Machines also require inputs in... View Article
Professors at MIT just finished a study of 250,000 students worldwide involving online teaching techniques in higher education. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences and was meant to explore behavioural interventions to improve... View Article
The United States Medical Licensing (USMLE) program has announced that, come January 2022, its Step 1 exam scoring will be evaluated by pass/fail rather than a 3-digit number. This news has not been taken lightly by students and physicians, as... View Article
Like physical fitness, mental fitness is becoming a priority for an increasing number of individuals. Memory loss is a common fear that many of us try to curb with various mental exercises. However, it takes more than a few crossword... View Article
Many college students are given the advice of “a good night’s sleep” when aiming for a good grade on a test. But researchers at MIT have found that the consistency of quality sleep matters more for academic achievement than just... View Article
Technology continues to set the pace of change in business at a lightning-fast speed. When new technology and new ideas are introduced constantly, business owners need to provide their workers with the skills to adapt. This means that workers are... View Article
Researchers from the University of Michigan have determined just how much of a nature dose you need in order to reduce stress. It is well known that taking time to be in nature leads to a decrease in stress hormone... View Article
There is a popular belief that the left brain is the logical, rational and analytical side of the brain, while the right hemisphere is associated with emotion and creativity. Perhaps building on this idea of lateralization, some also hold that... View Article
On New Years Eve, 1983, Isaac Asimov wrote about his prediction of the state of the world and technology in the year 2019. Now that we have reached 2019, it is worth reflecting on his predictions. Some of Asimov’s most... View Article
Two decades ago, British linguist Richard Hudson defined hyperpolyglots as people who are fluent in at least 11 languages. Hyperpolyglots are rare but have existed for centuries, and neuroscientists are trying to understand the nuances that set them apart from... View Article
Cognitive scientists have known for several years that adults have a harder time learning a new language than children. However, it has never been clear just when this change occurs, and how long this “critical period” lasts. Researchers at MIT... View Article
The underpinnings of human cognition remain mostly a mystery. Despite the advancement of tools and technology in neuroscience, our understanding of the brain and its functions is pretty superficial. Part of the problem lies in how we describe neuroscientific phenomena.... View Article
Memory is a complex concept that can be distilled into three steps: encoding, storage, and retrieval. In 2015, neuroscientists at MIT proposed a revision of this theory after finding that there are certain stored memories in the brain that cannot... View Article
Researchers at Princeton University explored the relationship between attention and learning during decision making in a study using eye tracking and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The findings of Leong and colleagues could contribute to the world of education and... View Article
According to an EdSurge article by Esther Wojcicki, the US spends more per student ($7,743) than other OECD nations, yet has fallen badly in the most recent PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) test scores, released on December 3, 2013: “US students slipped... View Article