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The Intellectual Obesity Crisis
We evolved to crave sugar because it was a scarce source of energy. But when we learned to produce it on an industrial scale, suddenly our love for sweet things became a liability. The same is now true of data. In an age of information overabundance, our curiosity, which once focused us, now distracts us. And it’s led to an epidemic of intellectual obesity that’s clogging our minds with malignant junk.
The analogy of information as sugar is not just rhetoric. A 2019 study by researchers at Berkeley found that information acts on the brain’s dopamine-producing reward system in the same way as food. Put simply, the brain treats information as a reward in itself; it doesn't matter whether the info is accurate or useful, the brain will still crave it and feel satisfied after consuming it (at least until it starts craving more).
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How learning about the science of shyness helped me
I’ve managed to conquer my fears and build great friendships, says David Robson
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âThereâs a lot of bullyingâ: the shocking life of a teenage elite swimmer
Training to be a champion swimmer, Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell spent her teenage years locked in a punishing world of long hours, body scrutiny, racism and bullying. So can the rewards of elite sport ever justify the sacrifices?
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Iâm a recovering perfectionist. Hereâs how I embraced the joy of âgood enoughâ
The pursuit of perfection is a kind of prison. As a psychotherapist, I know how it can drain a person's world of colour, light and spontaneity
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âI can only love 100% or 0%â: Chris Packham on navigating a neurodiverse relationship
The naturalist and his neurotypical partner - and other couples with ADHD and autism - open up about how they have learned to love and be loved
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In ‘Where to Eat,’ Digesting the Complex New York Dining Scene
In her weekly newsletter, Nikita Richardson takes readers through New York’s five boroughs and offers suggestions, tips and advice for dining out.
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Is Shrimp Good for You? It’s Complicated.
Americans love their prawns. So how healthy are they — for us and for the planet?
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Opinion | Why the Pandemic Probably Started in a Lab, in 5 Key Points
The world must not continue to bear the intolerable risks of research with the potential to cause pandemics.
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Prostate cancer hopes raised after at-home spit test trials
Research suggests cheap and simple spit tests may be better at catching the disease than blood tests.
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How releasing our 'inner artist' can help keep us calm
From "craftivism" to easy, imaginative upcycling, being creative can bring a sense of peace – and quell the urge to acquire more and more stuff.
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Monday 3rd June 2024
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