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19 Sept 2026
10m

Why we should all be 'bookmaxxing'

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Short Wave

Reading for pleasure significantly enhances cognitive functions, including attention spans, memory, and executive function, while potentially mitigating brain aging and dementia risks. Recent research highlights that even simple habits, such as grandparents reading to grandchildren, can physically enlarge the hippocampus. Beyond literary benefits, solar activity poses a theoretical risk; while super flares from other stars could disrupt Earth's power grids and communication, historical geological data suggests such events are not guaranteed. Meanwhile, the discovery of a rare adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway in North Dakota reveals these apex predators moved at a leisurely walking pace of three to four miles per hour. Further analysis of these tracks and recent dental studies suggest that T-Rexes were warm-blooded creatures with body temperatures comparable to humans, challenging previous assumptions about their physiology and activity levels.

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