How to use chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber
Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool
by Nick Kabrel
Learning and education
How to build a memory palace
Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’
by Lynne Kelly
The value of scribbling in the margins
Marginalia is far from inessential. It would be a shame if it died off in the digital age
by Richard Fisher
What the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology
Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can
by Tyler W Watts
Lab at the edge of the world
When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued
by Lea Page
What style of curiosity do you practise?
New research shows that people satisfy their curiosity in different ways. Are you a hunter, a busybody or a dancer?
by Richard Fisher
The loving tongue
In Spanish, I wasn’t the clumsy son of the town amputee. Learning the language catalysed my reinvention
by Timothy Hampton
The ‘secret strategy’ that could boost your ability to learn
It may sound illogical, but growing evidence shows the benefits of testing yourself before you start learning new material
by Ajdina Halilovic
Expert tips on using gestures to think and talk more effectively
The gesticulations that accompany your speech are so much more than mere hand-waving – they contain and convey meaning
by Susan Goldin-Meadow
What if we learned contemplation like we do arts or sports?
As with football or violin practice, young people could gain versatile life skills through routine contemplative training
by Michael R Sheehy
What does switching from paper to screens mean for how we read?
It’s well established that we absorb less well when reading on screen. But why? And can we do something to improve it?
by Lili Yu, Sixin Liao, Jan-Louis Kruger & Erik D Reichle
Lessons about learning from ancient Greek philosophers
What Aristotle and Epicurus can teach us about learning through collaboration, movement, place and embodiment
by Tom Bielik
Sport shows how to use performance benchmarks in a positive way
IQ scores and other contextless benchmarks are suffocating and misleading. We should look to sport for a healthier approach
by Leif Weatherby