Growing up in a city weakens the brain’s navigational skills
Country folk can find their way more easily
RURAL FOLK can blame Aesop—of the moralising fables—for centuries of stories that mock them as bumpkins. The ancient Greek storyteller’s tale of the Country Mouse and the Town Mouse was only the first to emphasise their supposed simpler tastes and habits when compared with more sophisticated urbanites. So listen for the cheers from Somerset to Kansas as neuroscientists announce that, in fact, it is city living that can dull the wits—at least when it comes to finding one’s way in the world.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Lost in the city”
From the February 8th 2020 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Science & technology
Should you worry about microplastics?
Little is known about the effects on humans—but limiting exposure to them seems prudent
Wasps stole genes from viruses
That probably assisted their evolutionary diversification
America’s departure from the WHO would harm everyone
Whether it is a negotiating ploy remains to be seen
Genetic engineering could help rid Australia of toxic cane toads
It is better than freezing them to death
High-tech antidotes for snake bites
Genetic engineering and AI are powering the search for antivenins
Can you breathe stress away?
It won’t hurt to try. But scientists are only beginning to understand the links between the breath and the mind