Hint: The great Italian artist was interested in everything. Today, the term “genius” is bandied about to describe pop stars, stand-up comedians, and even footballers. But Leonardo da Vinci earned the description, explains Walter Isaacson in his lavishly illustrated new biography of the great Italian artist. From iconic paintings—“Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”—to designsRead More
Education is an odd bird: we all know it could be better, while at the same time it is the best it has ever been in human history. For the last two centuries, the world went through a great expansion in learning: our literacy rate skyrocketed from 12% to 88% worldwide, and Primary, Secondary andRead More
The brain is often described as being “like a muscle”. It’s a comparison that props up the brain training industry and keeps school children hunched over desks. We judge literacy and numeracy exercises as more beneficial for your brain than running, playing and learning on the move. But the brain-as-muscle analogy doesn’t quite work. ToRead More
Sitting at a desk, reading a textbook may feel like one of the least physical activities you can undertake, but the results of your studying depend on numerous biological factors, including your body clock. Learning and intellectual performance are firmly tied to the body’s internal time. Planet Earth’s rotation – once every 24 hours –Read More
It’s heads-down revision time for exams and dissertations. The pressure’s on, so you’ll want all the help you can get to aid your memory and raise your grades (without cheating). Nutrition experts say that eating well can make a real difference to your revision regime – so what brain-boosting food and drink do they recommend?Read More
Experts weigh in on some of the strange habits of cats and dogs. From dogs that demonstrate decidedly odd tastes in treats to cats that think outside the litter box, pets can exhibit some seriously strange behavior. This week, we asked the pros to field questions from readers wondering about their pets’ peculiar habits. THERead More
There are days when it all comes together for you, but this might not happen to be one of them. Many factors of productivity are beyond your control. Sometimes your train is late, or your morning alarm goes off, or some important work pops in. In such circumstances, there’s only so much you can do.Read More
