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Is handwriting better than typewriting for learning? A study by Professor Audrey van der Meer at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and published in Frontiers in Psychology, has tackled this debate and found evidence that you're better off with a pen in your hand.

"We show that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard," says Prof van der Meer. "Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, is beneficial for learning."
Byteside Podcast

Engineering for a clean future

Rosie Barnes from the YouTube channel Engineering With Rosie drops by to share her knowledge on all things clean energy and community building.

Engineering for a clean future
Technology

Gone in 600 seconds: new Enovix EV battery charges in 10 minutes

While not quite as fast as a Nic Cage movie, the new electric vehicle battery technology from Enovix is still damn quick.

Gone in 600 seconds: new Enovix EV battery charges in 10 minutes
Ideas

Why one cute hamster says everything you need to know about what online learning should be

Online learning needs to be about relationships, not just info dumping, or it is destined to fail to support the messy, real world needs of students.

Why one cute hamster says everything you need to know about what online learning should be
Ideas

How to pitch Byteside

Your guide to delivering a great pitch to write a Byteside story so it catches our eye and delivers a well focused idea readers will love.

How to pitch Byteside
Ideas

Check out this nifty carbon-catching "artificial leaf" system

Researchers from the University of Chicago Illinois have created an "artificial leaf" system capable of capturing 100 times more carbon than other tech.

Check out this nifty carbon-catching "artificial leaf" system
Ideas

Lenovo's new eco-friendly laptops use recycled aluminium and vegan leather

Recycled aluminium and water bottles + vegan leather: all materials going into Lenovo's upcoming eco-friendly ThinkPad Z and Yoga 6 laptops.

Lenovo's new eco-friendly laptops use recycled aluminium and vegan leather
Ideas

Samsung adds Wi-Fi charging to its solar-powered TV remote

Last year, Samsung gave us all another reason to not lose our TV remotes under the couch: a solar-powered battery. Now, an upgraded version can recharge its

Samsung adds Wi-Fi charging to its solar-powered TV remote
Ideas

We discovered an undersea volcano that looks like the Eye of Sauron

A deep sea mapping expedition has found amazing new geological formations near Christmas Island that will reveal new scientific treasures.

We discovered an undersea volcano that looks like the Eye of Sauron
Networks

How 'The Million Dollar Homepage' has aged, and what it means for digital history

Researchers look back on the seminal marketing website and check the active links – and debate how to improve digital archives in future.

How 'The Million Dollar Homepage' has aged, and what it means for digital history
Ideas

Watch almost 200 Georges Méliès classic films for free online

Collected from across a wide range of YouTube sources, here's a playlist of 194 Georges Méliès classics in chronological order.

Watch almost 200 Georges Méliès classic films for free online
Ideas

Branson, Bezos, and the Kármán line: how everybody wins this month's space race

Billionaires posturing over commercial spaceflight is the ultimate cockfight, but with Virgin below 100km up everyone gets to say 'First!'

Branson, Bezos, and the Kármán line: how everybody wins this month's space race
Technology

Study shows free divers can drop heart rates as low as 11 beats per minute

New research shows elite free divers incredible control puts them in the same oxygen management league as dolphins, seals and whales.

Study shows free divers can drop heart rates as low as 11 beats per minute
Ideas

NASA's Martian helicopter just keeps crushing its targets

Now nine flights deep into its extended mission, Ingenuity keeps pushing its limits – and keeps proving it has what it takes.

NASA's Martian helicopter just keeps crushing its targets
Ideas

LEGO is prototyping bricks made from recycled bottle plastics

The company is investing $400M into sustainability projects, including turning recycled PET plastics into LEGO. And research is going well.

LEGO is prototyping bricks made from recycled bottle plastics
Ideas

Scientists discover Triassic era beetle perfectly preserved in dino-dung

It's 100 million years older than any insect we've seen before, all thanks to a scan on some fossilised Triassic era dinosaur droppings.

Scientists discover Triassic era beetle perfectly preserved in dino-dung
Ideas

We have never seen atomic imagery in this kind of detail before

Using advanced ptychography, Cornell University researchers have captured a picoscale image 3x better than the best electron microscopy.

We have never seen atomic imagery in this kind of detail before
Ideas

"Cold snap means it isn't real" and other climate change myths busted

It isn't "good for us", it won't fix itself, and weather isn't climate. We bust the big myths wheeled out again and again by deniers.

"Cold snap means it isn't real" and other climate change myths busted
Ideas

Pentagon report says UFOs can’t be explained – that really is a big deal

The big report has arrived, and with no clear explanations we don't have to say 'aliens' but we do have to take UFOs seriously.

Pentagon report says UFOs can’t be explained – that really is a big deal
Technology

Duolingo, the app that guilts you into studying languages, is about to IPO

The owl that keeps trying to remind you to work hard to achieve your goals is about to get an IPO cash injection.

Duolingo, the app that guilts you into studying languages, is about to IPO