Are you bi- (or even multi-) lingual? Good for you! Whether you grew up speaking more than one language or put the effort into learning a tongue other then your native one, you will benefit from your skill in a multitude of ways. Enhanced communicational abilities are only the first – and most obvious – advantage that comes with knowing and learning languages. But there are a host of other benefits you may never have considered before… (more…)
When you devote a considerable amount of your time trying to convincing people why it’s awesome to learn foreign languages, it’s hard not to roll your eyes at some of their standard rebuttals. “Why should I learn [Spanish], there’s a reason I live in America!” “I won’t learn [Spanish], people should just learn English.” Disregarding the blatant lack of ambition all of these statements reflect, it makes you wonder why people have seemingly lost sight of the necessity of acquiring a second, maybe even a third language. It’s the 21st century in a highly globalized, technologically advanced world – the necessity should be obvious, finding the tools and materials has never been easier. (more…)
If you enjoy your afternoon nap to get the creative juices flowing again, this is great news for you: Studies show that our creative problem solving skills will be improved by rest. But only if you slip into a phase of rapid eye movement (REM), which usually means at least one hour of sleep. During REM sleep, all of the information in our brain flows freely between different networks, which is quite similar to what occurs during dreams: We encounter seemingly unrelated ideas and concepts that can later help us make sense of something. Apparently, REM sleep has the same effect on our ability to find creative solutions to new tasks and problems we are presented with. So if you want/need to be creative, a nap might be the best approach!
Here is an article posted by the University of California, San Diego that details the study and its results: (more…)
How about learning another language? We’re always eager to turn you into a polyglot – or at least make you multilingual – so here is the latest attempt at convincing you how necessary it is to learn languages. Or in this case: how much fun it can be.
Education First is an education company with a focus on language training. A large part of their organization is based on educational travel. In promotion of their language programs, in October 2010 the company released a number of beautifully made videos of students and their experiences in various cities around the world. If you had already considered participating in an exchange program to both get to know another culture and learn another language, these clips will definitely increase your longing. If you think that going abroad to learn a language is only an option for students: It’s not! The EF programs target anyone age 16 and above, the length varies anywhere from 2-52 weeks. So go on, go abroad and learn a new language!
And even if it’s not going to be a language course, why not take a vacation to get to know the native language of your travel destination firsthand? But before your leave: Get the matching Brainscape app! There’s no better traveling companion… (more…)
This is the final part of our Food for Thought recipe series. I hope you enjoyed it or even found something you might want to try at some point. Maybe I could at least give you some ideas about what to cook next time you’re in need of brain food. Bon Appetit and feel free to share your own recipes!
If you are just joining us, you’ll definitely want to check out parts 1, 2, and 3 of our Food for Thought series.
Looking for a timesaving but effective way to improve your performance in a pending exam? How about chewing gum? You may wonder how this could possibly have any positive effect on the results of your test. Researchers were unable to pinpoint why exactly gum boosts memory, attention, and cognitive reasoning skills (among others) – but the results of different studies clearly showed that it does. Most likely, the minimal physical activity involved in the act of chewing has an effect similar to that of more strenuous tasks which will also boost test performances. But beware: While chewing gum before the test can help you out for a while, this effect will not last, especially if you continue chewing during the test; it will merely become a distraction. (more…)
It’s recipe time again! Brainscape’s newest project is to teach you how to prepare healthy, tasty meals in 30 minutes or less that will give you the boost you need while studying. If you’ve missed Part 1 and Part 2 make sure to go back and check for those as well. As always, we prepared a soup, a salad, a sandwich, an entrée and have a snack recommendation for you. Happy cooking! (more…)
If you follow our blog and try to follow some of the study tips we give you, you should know that it’s important to take a vacation from time to time. But then again, it’s not always feasible to simply take a trip to some far away – or not so far away – land. Especially when you need it most. Well, these videos may not be the real deal, but why not take a few minutes out of your busy day to take at least a visual trip? Mashable compiled a gallery of 10 time lapse videos that will take you on a tour around different cities or landscapes. I took on the arduous task of watching all of them and below are my highlights, compiled for your viewing pleasure. There should be something in there for everyone… (more…)
Brainscape is always concerned about your health – and your brain – so we try to supply you with food tips to help you learn and live better. Our newest project: Quick and easy recipes that allow you to implement all these tips and include the brain foods we list into your diet. Read on below for a smart soup, salad, sandwich, entrée and snack recipe. And if you see something you like, make sure to also check out Part 1. (more…)
Being bilingual is pretty awesome, in case you didn’t know yet. Some people grow up with two languages; others have to put a lot of time and effort into becoming fluent in another tongue as an adult. I grew up in Germany as a German monolingual, then started learning English in school from age 10. But somehow, no matter how proficient I became, I never considered myself bilingual – until I made the move to New York. Maybe it’s the experience of having lived in an English-speaking country for five months now, or the daily practice I’ve been getting. Whatever the reason, it seems like I have finally, truly become bilingual. And there are some peculiarities that come with speaking – and thinking and writing – in more than one language on a daily basis that I thought worth sharing. (more…)
