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.

“Scripps Bee Winner Out-Spells Record 515 Contestants” by Scott Neuman, npr.org

“”Koinonia,” a Greek word meaning Christian fellowship or communion that appears a number of times in the Bible, put 14-year-old Karthik Nemmani of McKinney, Texas, over the top at the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night.”

“Why No One Answers Their Phone Anymore” by Alexis C. Madrigal, theatlantic.com

“Telephone culture is disappearing.”

“A Brief History of America’s Appetite for Macaroni and Cheese” by Gordon Edgar, smithsonianmag.com

“Popularized by Thomas Jefferson, this versatile dish fulfills our nation’s quest for the ‘cheapest protein possible.’”

“5 Tips to Sleep Better on Your Next Trip” by Tanya Mohn, nytimes.com

“We all have tricks to beat jet lag and get a good night’s sleep when traveling, but these five tips will help, no matter where you roam.”

“It Was America’s First English Colony. Then It Was Gone” by Andrew Lawler, nationalgeographic.com

“Two decades before Jamestown, settlers arrived in what is now North Carolina. What happened to them is a mystery, but there are some clues.”

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’s Going On In Your Child’s Brain When You Read Them A Story?” by Anya Kamenetz, npr.org

“When we read to our children, they are doing more work than meets the eye. ‘It’s that muscle they’re developing bringing the images to life in their minds.'”

“There is No ‘I’: How the Brain Creates the Narratives of Your Life” by Jon Kabat Zinn, bigthink.com

“Your brain creates all the narratives in your life, from fear to loneliness to anxiety, etc. But it’s possible to train your brain through mindfulness to transcend its innate urge to storify everything.”

“Amelia Bloomer Didn’t Mean to Start a Fashion Revolution, But Her Name Became Synonymous With Trousers” by Lorraine Boissoneault, smithsonianmag.com

“In the 1850s, women’s rights activists briefly adopted a new style in an effort to liberate themselves from heavy dresses.”

“The Gift of a Box Full of Darkness” by Steven Petrow, nytimes.com

“At the bottom of my box — after two deaths and a divorce — I found the gift of gratitude.”

“The Concept of the American ‘Backyard’ is Newer Than You Think” by Emily Petsko, mentalfloss.com

“Backyards are as American as apple pie and baseball. If you live in a suburban or rural area, chances are good that you have a lawn, and maybe a pool, some patio furniture, and a grill to boot.”

We will be taking a little “brain break” for the next couple of weeks. Don’t worry—We will be back and better than ever for Memorial Day weekend!