A University of Cambridge review published this week confirms that just six minutes of reading reduces stress by 68% — faster than music, walking, or a cup of tea — and that consistent reading across the lifespan is linked to lower dementia risk, better empathy, and slower cognitive decline. Also: the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has climbed to 6.71%, its highest level since July 2025, putting 7% within 34 basis points and threatening to deepen what's already the most stagnant housing market in years, driven by the Iran war's pressure on oil prices and inflation expectations. And Ohio State researchers found that children's tendency to look all over the place — distributed attention — protects them from the learning traps that adults fall into when we over-focus. Plus the $118K YouTube ad spend, the poacher trampled by elephants, the garden sculpture revelation, and the bat on the Scottish train.
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