Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to focus on how these words work in writing. See our corrections policy. Editors develop a particular relationship with vocabulary. Not the spelling-bee kind — the working kind. When you spend your days fixing other people's sentences, you ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's editorial standards. Some statistics may have been updated since original publication. When teens and young adults are immersed in their smartphones, what do you think they're doing? Scrolling their Instagram feed? Chatting to friends ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's latest editorial standards. What do Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, the Duchess of Cambridge and Noam Chomsky all have in common? Apart from being extraordinarily successful, they love to read. Research studies have long confirmed that ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's latest editorial standards. Ah, summertime (in the northern hemisphere at least!). That blissfully balmy time of year where school's out, vacations are scheduled, and the beach beckons. Sunshine and family make great company, but sometimes ...Read More
Editor's note: This article was reviewed and updated in July 2026 to meet Expert Editor's latest editorial standards. As any avid book reader can tell you, immersing yourself in a great book can make your brain come alive. It sounds romantic, but science is now proving this to be ...Read More