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.

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“When Pulling a Lever Tallied the Vote” by Owen Edwards, smithsonianmag.com

“An innovative 1890s gear-and-lever voting machine mechanized the counting of the ballots so they could be tallied in minutes, not hours or days.”

 

“Are Athletes Really Getting Faster, Better, Stronger?” by David Epstein, ted.com

“When you look at sporting achievements over the last decades, it seems like humans have gotten faster, better and stronger in nearly every way. Yet as David Epstein points out in this delightfully counter-intuitive talk, we might want to lay off the self-congratulation. Many factors are at play in shattering athletic records, and the development of our natural talents is just one of them.”

 

“Immigrating To The U.S.? Get Ready For A New Gut Microbiome (And Maybe More Pounds)” by Maanvi Singh, npr.org

“Moving to the U.S. can seriously mess with immigrants’ microbiomes, according to a new study that tracked the digestive health of refugees coming to Minnesota from Southeast Asia.”

 

“16 Books You Should Read This November” by Literary Hub Contributers, lithub.com

 

“Why Sports Parents Sometimes Behave So Badly” by Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, nytimes.com

“Youth sports organizations are increasingly reporting scenarios in which parents yell, threaten or physically assault coaches, referees, players or other parents.”