We necessarily function at a human ability scale when we assess the magnitude of challenges we confront. For example, we can recognize up to four objects at a glance. We have an auditory range of about ten octaves. We know how far we can jump, and when to cross a street. Although we have an…
In the relatively short time since the massacre at Columbine High School in April 1999, the incident has grown to embody the need for educational and gun-control reform in the United States. But it has also focused attention on how dangerous and stressful places schools can be—and not just the ones in which children are…
It is well known that, compared to adults, children tend to have a much easier time learning new languages and acquiring new skills, such as playing an instrument. A recent study of brain development in children suggests that there may be an anatomical reason for the ease with which children are able to acquire these…
Scientists have noted over the years a litany of consequences associated with underage drinking. According to Dr. Enoch Gordis, director of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the list includes: “interference with learning, social, and other competencies, fatal traffic crashes, [alcohol-related] injuries, homicide, suicide, and early, more frequent, and less safe sexual activity.”…
Among teachers, parents, and therapists who are interested in autism, Temple Grandin is a familiar name, a high-profile example that one can be diagnosed with autism and grow to lead a productive and independent life. In addition to her formidable achievements in the areas of animal science and livestock handling (she holds a Ph.D. in…
Centuries of Craving Caffeine, particularly in the form of tea and coffee, has enjoyed a long history of adoration and exaltation the world over, dating back nearly 5000 years to ancient China. When coffee was introduced in Europe in the seventeenth century, its powers of wakefulness were immediately recognized as a fortuitous boon, coming, as…
