GoKawiilEvidence that reading for fun is related to structural brain changes, improved mental health and reduced risk of cognitive decline. Plus, go prospecting for clean-burning hydrogen gas underground and discover the oldest galaxy ever seen.
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Brain–computer interfaces decode users’ brain signals.Credit: Kevin Frayer/Getty
A new brain–computer interface (BCI) is the first of its kind to translate its user’s speech and movement at the same time. The device, tested in two people with forms of paralysis, uses artificial intelligence to convert electrical brain activity into text that appears on screen and to prompt a personalized animated avatar to move — all within seconds of the user’s intent. The work is “a step towards more multifunctional BCIs” that better capture the expressivity of communication than do current technologies, says bioengineer and study co-author Samantha Brosler.
Nature | 5 min read
Reference: Nature Neuroscience paper
280 million years The age of the Universe during the heyday of galaxy MoM-z14 — the oldest galaxy ever seen, which has been spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope. (BBC Sky at Night | 3 min read) Reference: The Open Journal of Astrophysics paper
Reading for pleasure is linked with structural brain changes and a laundry list of positive effects, including improved mental health and reduced risk of cognitive decline. A survey of evidence for the benefits of cracking a book also notes that starting young is linked to better attention, memory, executive function, academic achievement and fewer mental health problems. The key, says neuropsychologist and co-author Barbara Sahakian, is pleasure. “Read for enjoyment, as you will read more often and longer,” she says.
New Scientist | 4 min read (free registration required)
Reference: Psychological Medicine review
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