At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“HELPING OTHERS MAKES US HAPPIER—BUT IT MATTERS HOW WE DO IT” by Elizabeth Dunn, ted.com

“Learn how we can make a greater impact — and boost our own happiness along the way — if we make one key shift in how we help others. ‘Let’s stop thinking about giving as just this moral obligation and start thinking of it as a source of pleasure,’ Dunn says.”

“WHEN LIBRARIES ARE ‘SECOND RESPONDERS'” by Deborah Fallows, theatlantic.com

“Everyone knows about first responders. I’ve come to think of libraries as playing a crucial role as ‘second responders.'”

“FRANCES ARNOLD TURNS MICROBES INTO LIVING FACTORIES” by Natalie Angier, nytimes.com

“Instead of synthesizing new biochemicals from scratch, the Nobel Prize-winning chemist puts nature to the task—with astonishing results.”

“MEET THE PRODUCT DESIGNER WHO MADE MID-CENTURY AMERICA LOOK CLEAN AND STYLISH” by John Wall, smithsonianmag.com

“From refrigerators to cars to Air Force One, Raymond Loewy’s distinctive ‘cleanlining’ sold products.”

“ON WALT WHITMAN, UNSUNG NEWSPAPERMAN” by Philip Eil, lithub.com

“But to only focus on Whitman the poet is to miss a large part of the picture: he was a reporter who who wrote hundreds of articles, edited newspapers, and often sang the praises of journalism and the principles of a free press.”

At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“WHAT THE CHILDHOOD YEARS OF TIGER WOODS AND ROGER FEDERER CAN TEACH US ABOUT SUCCESS” by David Epstein, si.com

This article is excerpted from Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World.

“THESE ARE THE HARDEST-TO-SPELL WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE” by Mallory Hughes, cnn.com

“The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a week away and it is sure to be filled with a plethora of problematic words.”

“WHEN NIAGARA FALLS RAN DRY” by Ben Crair, smithsonianmag.com

“While seemingly a natural wonder of the world, the destination on the U.S./Canada border has been subject to human meddling for years.”

“WHERE DOES THE OXYGEN WE BREATHE COME FROM?” by Jason Bittel, washingtonpost.com

“If you guessed ‘trees,’ you’re in for a surprise.”

“WHEN SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE TRIED SOLVING A REAL MYSTERY” by Jake Rossen, mentalfloss.com

“It looks as if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will eventually come to be considered an even greater detective than he made out Sherlock Holmes to be.”

At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“SCIENTISTS EXPLAIN A COMMON FIGHT IN BASKETBALL” by Merrit Kennedy, npr.org

“Are the players just pretending to be so sure it’s out on their opponent? Or could there actually be a difference in how they experience the event that has them pointing a finger at the other player?”

“8 MORNING ROUTINES OF HISTORY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE” by Emily Petsko, mentalfloss.com

“Everyone always wants to know how great artists, thinkers, and leaders achieved greatness. What did they do right?”

“JAMES HOLZHAUER EXPLAINS THE STRATEGY BEHIND HIS JEOPARDY WINNING STREAK” by Joe Pinsker, theatlantic.com

“There are three things that give the seemingly unstoppable contestant an advantage—and this isn’t the first time he’s succeeded on a game show.”

“THE SUGAR IN FRUIT DOESN’T MAKE IT BAD FOR YOU, DESPITE SOME TRENDY DIET CLAIMS” by Carrie Dennett, washingtonpost.com

“There was a time when we didn’t question whether fruit was good for us, when we more or less took ‘eat your fruits and veggies’ to heart. Today, many people are worried that fruit is too high in carbs, sugar and calories.”

“HOW AN OIL SPILL 50 YEARS AGO INSPIRED THE FIRST EARTH DAY” by Lila Thulin, smithsonianmag.com

“Before Earth Day made a name for the environmental movement, a massive oil spill put a spotlight on the dangers of pollution.”