Day Dreaming Could Be a Sign of an Efficient Brain

People with efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering. People who thought they day dreamed the most also performed the best on an intellect measuring test. Another study found that you're more likely to day dream when your working memory isn't being challenged, which shows just how important working memory is when it comes to day dreaming. If you're looking for more to listen to, check out constant wonder.

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Learn about why high school starts too early; why daydreaming might be a good sign; and finding life on Hycean planets.

High school starts too early in all but 3 US states — but things are changing by Steffie Drucker

Roy, S. (2014, August 26). AAP Recommends Delaying School Start Times to Combat Teen Sleep... Sleep Review. https://www.sleepreviewmag.com/sleep-health/demographics/age/aap-recommends-delaying-school-start-times-combat-teen-sleep-deprivation/
CDC. (2020, May 29). Schools Start Too Early. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/schools-start-too-early.html
National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS). (2017). Ed.gov; National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/tables/ntps1718_table_05_s1s.asp
Jacobs, F. (2021, August 27). Here’s how early school begins – and why it is bad for students. Big Think; Big Think. https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/heres-how-early-school-begins-and-why-it-is-bad-for-students
Sleep for Teenagers | Sleep Foundation. (2009, April 17). Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep

Daydreaming Might Be a Sign of an Efficient Brain by Reuben Westmaas

Daydreaming is Good. It Means You’re Smart | News Center. (2017). Gatech.edu. https://www.news.gatech.edu/news/2017/10/24/daydreaming-good-it-means-youre-smart
Godwin, C. A., Hunter, M. A., Bezdek, M. A., Lieberman, G., Elkin-Frankston, S., Romero, V. L., Witkiewitz, K., Clark, V. P., & Schumacher, E. H. (2017). Functional connectivity within and between intrinsic brain networks correlates with trait mind wandering. Neuropsychologia, 103, 140–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.07.006
A wandering mind reveals mental processes and priorities. (2012). Wisc.edu. https://news.wisc.edu/a-wandering-mind-reveals-mental-processes-and-priorities/
Levinson, D. B., Smallwood, J., & Davidson, R. J. (2012). The Persistence of Thought. Psychological Science, 23(4), 375–380. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611431465

Forget Earth-like planets — it's time to look for alien life on Hycean planets by Briana Brownell

New class of habitable exoplanets are “a big step forward” in the search for life. (2021, August 26). University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/new-class-of-habitable-exoplanets-are-a-big-step-forward-in-the-search-for-life
Madhusudhan, N., Piette, A. A. A., & Constantinou, S. (2021). Habitability and Biosignatures of Hycean Worlds. The Astrophysical Journal, 918(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/abfd9c

Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.

Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/school-should-start-later-daydreaming-perks-hycean-planets

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