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A cool neuroscience trick makes it easy to tell if people are actually listening to you

The eyes can't lie.

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via Canva/Photos

A man and woman making eye contact.

Have you ever been talking to someone at a party and noticed that, instead of looking you in the eyes while you're speaking, they keep peering over your shoulder? It can feel insulting, because it sends a clear signal: I'm not paying attention to you.

That's an obvious sign someone isn't listening. But what if you're talking to someone and want to know whether they're actually taking in the information and enjoying what you have to say, rather than just smiling and nodding along? Researchers at Concordia University recently conducted a study suggesting you can tell when someone is truly listening by paying close attention to their eyes.

How to tell when people are actually listening to you

Researchers found that when people are intently listening, they blink less.

"We don't just blink randomly," Pénélope Coupal, an honors student at the Laboratory for Hearing and Cognition, said. "In fact, we blink systematically less when salient information is presented."

Co-author Mickael Deroche, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, adds, "Our study suggests that blinking is associated with losing information, both visual and auditory."

couple, eye contact, blonde lady, smiling woman, starting into eyes A man and woman making eye contact.via Canva/Photos

Researchers found that blinking isn't just tied to eyesight, but also to mental processing. When we try to focus on information in a distracting environment, we tend to blink less. In the study, participants wore eye-tracking glasses, and their blink rate slowed when they were listening to sentences compared with moments of silence between them.

So if you're speaking with someone at a party and notice they're staring at you intently and blinking slowly, chances are you have their full attention. Researchers do warn, however, that not everyone has the same blink rate, as some people naturally blink more often than others. Because of that, a better way to judge whether someone is listening is to notice whether their blinking slows down compared with their usual rate.

How to tell if someone is attracted to you

The research supports the idea that when people are attracted to someone, their blink rate tends to decrease.

Chase Hughes, a former U.S. Navy chief who specializes in interrogation skills and nonverbal analysis, writes on Medium that "blink-rate decreases when someone is interested in a person or topic. An increased or increasing blink-rate is indicative of a loss of interest or a response to stressful stimuli."

@marczell

Watch her blink rate. Less = locked in. 👀 #CIAProfiler #HumanProfiling #chasehughes #marczellklein #profiling #datingadvice #attraction

So what's the best way to determine whether someone is attracted to you? Hughes says to pay close attention to their gaze.

"[The] Number one way is, do they blink less often when you talk? Is their blink rate slowing down?" he told Marczell Klein on the Breakthrough Podcast. "And when somebody is really focused on someone else, you're gonna see their pupils dilate almost all the time. And you've probably seen that many times. And you're gonna see that blink rate start going down. They're gonna blink less and less often."


eye contact, brown-ahired lady, smiling woman, starting into eyes, man in a beanie A man and woman making intense eye contact.via Canva/Photos

It's hard being stuck in a conversation with someone who isn't listening, but it's great to have tools that can help you determine whether you're really getting through to them or if their mind is elsewhere.

Understanding the blink-rate theory can help you adjust how you communicate mid-conversation. If the other person is blinking rapidly and seems distracted, it may be a good cue to change what you're saying or how you're saying it. And if they're clearly not offering the common courtesy of listening, know it's time to excuse yourself so you can find someone who truly cares.

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Gen Z is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents but Denmark has a solution

"Since the late 1800s, every generation has outperformed their parents."

Gen Z; Millennials; technology; cell phones; social media; teens and technology; teens social media
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Gen Z is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents. Denmark has the solution.

Nearly every parent hopes their child will be better off than they are: smarter, more secure, and more well-adjusted. Many parents see this as a stamp of successful parenting, but something has changed for children growing up today. While younger generations are known for their empathy, their cognitive capabilities seem to be lagging behind those of previous generations for the first time in history.

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a teacher turned cognitive neuroscientist who focuses on human learning, appeared before Congress to discuss concerns about cognitive development in children. In his address to the members of Congress, he says, "A sad fact that our generation has to face is this: our kids are less cognitively capable than we were at their age. Since we've been standardizing and measuring cognitive development since the late 1800s, every generation has outperformed their parents, and that's exactly what we want. We want sharper kids."

kids, intelligence, sharp kids, generations, education, cognitive abilities Student smiling in a classroom, working on a laptop.Photo credit: Canva

Horvath explains that the reason this happens is that each generation has gone to school longer than the previous generation. Gen Z is no exception to the longer duration of time spent in school, but they're the first ones who aren't meeting this normal increase in cognitive development. According to the cognitive neuroscientist, the decline is due to the introduction of screens in the classroom, which started around 2010.

"Across 80 countries, as Jean was just saying, if you look at the data, once countries adopt digital technology widely in schools, performance goes down significantly. To the point where kids who use computers about five hours per day in school for learning purposes will score over two-thirds of a standard deviation less than kids who rarely or never touch tech at school," Horvath reveals.

In most cases, the decline in performance doesn't result in better strategies. The neuroscientist shares that the standardized testing has been adjusted to accommodate lower expectations and shorter attention spans. This is an approach that educators, scientists, and researchers went to Capitol Hill to express wasn't working. But not every country is taking the approach of lowering standards to meet lowered cognitive ability. Denmark went in the opposite direction when it realized their students were slipping behind.

France24 recently interviewed educators in Denmark following their seemingly novel approach to students struggling with cognitive development. Since the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year, Denmark has not only been having students turn in their cellphones, but they've also taken tablets, laptops, and computers out of the classroom. No more digital learning for the majority of the school day. Danes went old school by bringing back physical textbooks, workbooks, and writing assignments. The results have been undeniable. Even the students can't seem to deny the success of the countrywide shift in educational approach.

"I think the biggest issue has been that, because we kind of got rid of the books and started using screens instead, that we've noticed that a lot of the kids have trouble concentrating, so it's pretty easy to swipe with three fingers over to a different screen and have a video game going, for example, in class," Copenhagen English teacher, Islam Dijab tells France24.

Now, instead of computers being part of every lesson, Denmark uses computers very sparingly and with strict supervision. One student says that it has been nice not having screen time at school because she loves to read and write. But it wasn't just the lack of attention span children were developing, they were also developing low self-esteem and poor mental health due to the amount of time spent on devices.

kids, intelligence, sharp kids, generations, education, cognitive abilities Students focused and ready to learn in the classroom.Photo credit: Canva

The data showing the negative impact of screens on teens' brains has prompted a nationwide change in Denmark that extends outside of the classroom. Afterschool activities are eliminating or extremely limiting electronic use. There is also a national No Phone Day that encourages everyone to put away their devices for the day, and Imran Rashid, a physician and digital health expert, is petitioning parliament to ban social media use for children under the age of 15. The no phone movement in Denmark is a nationwide effort that hopes to right the ship before another generation feels the effects.

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Procrastinators share the extremely strange cleaning methods that actually work for them

Have you ever tried "the jellyfish"?

cleaning, cleaning tips, cleaning hacks, productivity, productivity hacks, adhd, twitter, x, social media
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Chronic procrastinators share their weird tricks for tidying up the house.

A lot of people struggle to keep their homes clean and tidy. It can be because they don't have the time, the know-how, or the ability to keep up with how quickly things get dirty again. But for many people, the biggest challenge is simply getting motivated to start. For those folks, finding the right approach can make a world of difference.

Social media users and mega-procrastinators are chiming in with their weird, quirky, and laughably inefficient cleaning strategies that actually work.

It started when an old viral cleaning hack, posted by a user named Pontifier on Hacker News, resurfaced on X:

"I have a cleaning technique I call ant mode. A colony of ants can accomplish a lot. They can move immense amounts of materials, and create well organized groupings of things.

In ant mode, I pick up one thing, and then I put it in a place it belongs. If I don't know where it belongs, I put it down with something else of the same type. I'm only ever picking up one thing, I'm only ever putting it down in one spot. I envision myself becoming a colony of ants.

It's very helpful when moving lots of things from one spot to another, and I pretend that I am one of multiple ants making the same trip back and forth. It's surprising how effective it is because there's no thought required. No second guessing. There's no wondering what to do next, it's just pick up something out of place and move where it belongs.

The best thing about ant mode, is that I can stop anytime, and I've accomplished something. Things are better than I found them."

The post on X went viral, racking up more than 300,000 views along with thousands of likes and comments.

People began confessing that "ant mode" sounded strikingly similar to habits they'd unknowingly picked up on their own.

"I do this all the time," a user replied. "Totally haphazard, no method, just clean something, put something away, wash [something], organize something. Totally at the mercy of whatever I happen to see in that exact moment. No order, no plan, just keep going. These are incredibly productive 10 minutes."

Others began chiming in with their own methods as well.

"The jellyfish"

User Sivori explained their own method, "the jellyfish," which involves wandering the house aimlessly while picking things up and tidying. It's not efficient, but it works.

"I call this action 'entropy walking', I walk from room to room never with hands empty and slowly decrease entropy," user Full Body Alchemist wrote.

Chaining tasks

Another form of structured wandering:

"Also you can 'chain' tasks together: return nail clippers to bathroom, oh shoot trash needs emptied, drop off the trash and notice a charger that should be in the bedroom. it's more efficient because now there's fewer wasted return trips," user Flat suggested.

"Kindred piles"

"I prefer the 'kindred piles' technique," user TheFutureIsDesigned added. "All items of Type A (let's say tools) go to pile A. Don't need to figure out what kind of tool it is or which specific drawer it should go into. First just pile up all the tools. Office supplies. Books. Cables-adapters-extension-cords: if it conducts electricity, it goes into a separate pile. Etc. Even if you don't have the storage space/subdivisions to super-organize everything, at least you have things grouped by properties."

The "GAP method"

"I do [something] similar, for similar reasons," user Thea Nyktos wrote. "I call it the GAP method. Grab, Assess, Put. Grab the nearest thing. Assess where it belongs. Put it there. Rinse and repeat as long as I have the energy."

Timers and counters

Some people swear that turning cleaning into a game or a race is the key to getting themselves motivated:

"I started saying I'll pick up 30 things and count items I put away until it's 30. Similar items or things next to each other count as one. Once I hit 30 it's noticeable cleaner and I'm usually in a good groove to keep going."

"Another trick is just to clean for 5 minutes, set a timer. everyone can spare 5 minutes. you will be amazed at how much you can pick up, how much space you can clear in that time."

One thing at a time

"This is how I get my kids to clean," user StarFox added. "Pick up ONE THING and put it away. Don't even look at everything else, just one thing. OK, good, now do ONE more thing.' And so on until the job is done. With four kids and two adults doing this, cleanup is a breeze."

If all of these methods sound horribly inefficient, that's kind of the point.

"Ant mode" has been a popular idea in ADHD subreddits and other forums for a few years now. It strikes a chord with people who have trouble completing a task from start to finish.

The general concept lines up with how most experts agree people with ADHD should approach cleaning and other tasks. They're often advised to use timers and gamification for short bursts of motivation and to work in "sprints" rather than long, sustained periods. This isn't necessarily because they can't focus, but because the idea of tackling a huge, multi-pronged task (like cleaning the entire house, for example) can be so overwhelming that it causes their brain to slip into a kind of paralysis.

You know what's not overwhelming? Picking up one thing and putting it away.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Though there is a strong link between the two, not all chronic procrastinators have ADHD, and vice versa. However, there is a lot of overlap when it comes to helpful strategies for both groups.

Some users in the X thread shared how being too focused on efficiency and perfection can ultimately cause them to get nothing done:

If you're not a procrastinator by nature and don't struggle with task paralysis, unstructured, inefficient techniques like the jellyfish or ant mode might seem extremely bizarre. But as the old expression goes, "don't let perfect be the enemy of good." For some people, just getting started at all is already a massive victory.

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Helicopters dump 6,000 logs into rivers in the Pacific Northwest, fixing a decades-old mistake

Forty years ago, restoration workers thought logs were the problem. They were wrong.

river restoration, washington, river fish, restoration, Yakama Nation, indigenous land, indigenoues tribes, salmon, trout, pacific northwest
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Restoration workers now see how "critical" wood is to the natural habitat.

For decades, river restoration in the Northwestern United States followed a simple rule: if you saw logs in the water, take them out. Clean streams were seen as healthy streams, fast-moving water was seen as optimal, and wood was treated like a "barrier" to natural processes, particularly those of the local fish.

Now, helicopters are flying thousands of tree trunks back into rivers to undo that thinking.

In central Washington, one of the largest river restoration efforts ever attempted in the region is underway. More than 6,000 logs are being placed along roughly 38 kilometers, or 24 miles, of rivers and streams across the Yakama Reservation and surrounding ceded lands.

Nearly 40 years ago, Scott Nicolai was doing the opposite kind of work, all in the name of restoration.

"(Back then) the fish heads — what I call the fisheries folks — we stood on the banks, and we looked at the stream," Nicolai, a Yakama Nation habitat biologist, told Oregon Public Broadcasting. "If we saw a big log jam, we thought, 'Oh, that's a barrier to fish. We want the stream to flow.'"

river restoration, washington, river fish, restoration, Yakama Nation, indigenous land, indigenoues tribes, salmon, trout, pacific northwest Fish find shelter for spawning in the nooks and crannies of wood. Photo credit: Canva

At the time, logs were removed in an effort to simplify the habitat. However, it soon became clear that wood provided vital "complexity," creating sheltered pockets for salmon and bull trout to spawn and supporting algae that feed aquatic insects. Logs also slow water, spread it across floodplains, and allow it to soak into the groundwater. That water is then slowly released back into streams, helping keep them flowing and cooler during hot, dry periods.

The consequences of removing this "critical part of the system" (in addition to overgrazing, railroad construction, and splash dam logging) were made all too clear over the years as the rivers dried up and wildlife populations declined.

"We're trying to learn from our mistakes and find a better way to manage," said Phil Rigdon, director of the Yakama Nation Department of Natural Resources.

That's why Nicolai is now helping lead a project for the Yakama Nation aimed at rebuilding river complexity by returning logs to their rightful place. Many of these streams are now unreachable by road, which is why helicopters are used. Logs are flown from staging areas and carefully placed at precise drop locations marked with pink and blue flagging tape.

river restoration, washington, river fish, restoration, Yakama Nation, indigenous land, indigenoues tribes, salmon, trout, pacific northwest Many of these streams are now unreachable by road, which is why helicopters are used.Photo credit: Canva

The wood comes from forest-thinning projects led by The Nature Conservancy and includes species such as Douglas fir, grand fir, and cedar. Although some of the timber could have been sold, it is instead being used as river infrastructure.

For tribal leaders, the work carries even deeper meaning. During the helicopter flights, they gathered along the Little Naches River for a ceremony and prayer.

river restoration, washington, river fish, restoration, Yakama Nation, indigenous land, indigenoues tribes, salmon, trout, pacific northwest Tribal leaders gathered by the Little Naches River for a ceremony and prayer.Photo credit: Canva

"It was very simple: to bring what was rightfully part of this land back to us," said former tribal chairman Jerry Meninick.

The aftermath of the original restoration project illustrates how human concepts, such as the belief in the superiority of "cleanliness," can be limited and sometimes cause more harm than good. The miracle of nature, however, is that when left to her own devices, she can heal herself.

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Europeans who moved to the United States share 13 reasons they prefer their new lives in America

"People who earn a lot of money can potentially earn A LOT more money in the US."

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Europeans share what they like most about living in the United States compared to Europe.

Moving across the world to a new country takes a lot of courage—and many people do it with the hopes of a fresh start and a better life. According to Pew Research Center, 53.3 million immigrants were reported living in the United States in January 2025—many coming from European countries.

While there are many differences between American and European culture, Europeans are fond of many things the United States has to offer. On Reddit, Europeans who moved to the United States opened up about the exact reasons they love living in America compared to Europe.

From finances to nature and more, Europeans shared 13 ways life got better when they moved across the pond.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"People who earn a lot of money can potentially earn A LOT more money in the US." - futurus196

"Americans are really good at: Eh, f*ck it. Let's do it! And then they'll do it, doesn't matter what it is, because there's a sense of community that's uniquely American. Invite the neighborhood to a pool party, call your friends last minute for a Saturday grill, pile up in car for a road trip to NYC or Vegas, organize a legendary bachelor party... It's fun-loving spontaneity and a sense of adventure that I have not found anywhere else." - CaaaathcartTowers

"I also like the outdoors and nothing beats the fresh morning air in Florida, I was tired of built up cities where you could not even open your car window at the lights or else you die from the diesel fumes. It's still crazy for me to see plants that my mom would have in a pot on the window sill in Romania grow here in the ground to be 10x the size." - ratonbox

"I think culture is easier to integrate and way more diverse than Europe, plus high salaries and more choices of climates. You literally cannot find a place in Europe with good job market and warm weather." - djmanu22

"I’m British but used to live in Munich, Germany. I had very well paid jobs in both countries. I’ve travelled all over the world. However, from the moment I stepped foot in the US (first as a tourist) I fell in love. I’m now living in SoCal and I just love the lifestyle. I love the weather, the beaches, the way of life. Also, being British over here is pretty cool, you generally always get a great reaction to your accent. I had plenty of opportunities elsewhere but I also know I will here. The US is at the epicenter of western culture, I love what the country stands for. No place is perfect, the US certainly not, but the positives far outweigh any negatives." - SDunited

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Nobody said it, I think one important aspect it's friendliness, open mind culture in America and an unlimited things to do and see if you have the money of course. Rich western European countries are socially inept compared to America. People are cold and unapproachable and [in] America it's the opposite. And America it really feels like a dream, never get bored, lots of indie culture, epic nature, national parks, amazing road drives ex. Pacific Coast, awesome states and cities like California, NY, LA, SF, or small towns..." - User Unknown

"Family here and in Spain. No one here wants to go back because the standard of living here is better. Bigger house, your own yard, higher salaries, etc. Additionally kids have a much better future. Unofficially unemployment rate for those 18-30 is 50%." - LolaStrm1970

"Better salaries, better social life (I love how kind and open Americans are, in my experience anyway), better opportunities, better healthcare (covered by my employer and it’s incredible). I also think the university system is way better here and top 20 universities in the US are better than any university I could go to in the UK minus Oxbridge. I’ve lived in the US, UK, EU, Asia and Middle East, and I love the US the most and believe that people take it for granted. It’s beautiful." - User Unknown

"On a big level, prices in US are lower without VAT and the inflation % is very low by comparison. Unemployment is extremely low in U.S. and it’s easier to find housing, rent out your home, and easier to find servicemen to fix things. On a small level, I have more (and cheaper) water, electricity, and gasoline. That means I can have air conditioning, a clothes dryer, and more. Simply put, I’m more comfortable in U.S. Final reason, I can drive to 5 different grocery stores in 5-10 min away, and the stores offer SO much variety because they have more shelf space. It’s a beautiful place to see a grocery store in the U.S. lol 😂" - Traveler5023

"US has its flaws. But after staying for a few years I found out it's really dynamic with great people from all over the world. The culture is mostly open to foreigners and I've never been discriminated against. It is easier to integrate. It is also more meritocratic so you can come as an outsider and do really well. You can have a really good quality of life here and earn great money that lets you e.g. save for retirement and potentially retire early. That's actually our plan. One day we'll retire back to Europe, however, we won't be relying on social security since we don't believe those systems will be in a good shape. We've also received outstanding health care here, even compared to back home, my wife gave birth to our little one and everything was pretty great." - Proper_Duty_4142

@thepasinis

Europeans vs Americans - Part 2!

"As much as the healthcare costs an exorbitant amount of money, I've been able to access treatments out here that I don't think would be as readily available in my home country. Other than that, my people are here. There's nothing for me in my country of origin." - Pour_Me_Another_

"People who are focused on work, money and those who gain a lot of personal validation from personal financial success over other aspects of life particularly tend to favor the US. The concept of having 'enough' tends not to feature as highly in their worldview." - jamesemelb

"I find Germany so boring… yeah, you can travel and have tons of vacations. But your day-to-day life is dull, I can’t tell for other European countries. The USA has a more rollercoaster approach to life; there are many ups and some downs, but you are always looking forward to the ride." - Zealousideal_Ad9966

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A centuries-long 'ant war' spanning 600 miles is eerily human in its complexity

"These are not normal ants."

argentine ants, invasive ants, ants in california, fire ants, idea soup, michael mcbride, ant wars, edutainment, interesting facts, fun facts, science
Photo credit: Canva

An image of an ant rolling a small stone-like object up a tree.

We often think of war as a strictly human phenomenon, but there are plenty of structured territorial battles that go on within the animal kingdom. Ants, in particular, engage in highly complex warfare, including "slave-making" (raiding other species' nests to steal young) and large-scale territorial conflicts between colonies.

In fact, there is one ant battle that’s gone on for so long that experts think it might be the longest non-human conflict in the world.

As explained by a video posted by Michael McBride, creator of the “edutainment” social media channel @IdeaSoup, this ongoing conflict spans a whopping 600 miles of the California coast. The main antagonist, if you will, is a "super colony" of Argentine ants, which have a unique set of superpowers.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

For one thing, Argentine ants ignore other nests of the same species. They also support several queens, rather than one. This allows them to create massive interconnected, cooperative colonies that span across continents.

In fact, they “co-colonized” alongside the Europeans during a “peak point” of colonization. ”The earliest record of the Argentine ant in the United States specifically is from around 1890, when ships carrying sugar from Argentina landed in New Orleans. They traversed 2,000 miles to reach the Golden State sometime around 1905, and have been waging war ever since. Some believe that the Argentine ant is the only non-human species capable of such widespread “globalization,” according to McBride. They are technically the largest society in the world.

The warfare that goes on between Argentine ants and other super colonies is "surprisingly complex," said McBride, with defined frontlines on which 30 million ants die every year. And yet, the Argentine ants have the upper hand in their ability to unite. They might not have the size that some species possess, nor large mandibles, nor a stinger for weaponry, but they do have relentless aggression, overwhelming numbers, and extreme organization.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

That, and their proclivity for chemical warfare. A major strategy Argentine ants implement is spraying toxic chemicals onto their enemies, which disorients the victim and marks them for other Argentine ants. A mob then surrounds the prey, pins them down, and dismembers them.

Showing that their greed knows no bounds, Argentine ants also rather easily take down spiders, flies, and other native insects. And when those resources are exhausted, they might find themselves in our own homes. Yes, these are the ants we might see lurking in our pet food bowls, kitchens, and dumpsters.

argentine ants, invasive ants, ants in california, fire ants, idea soup, michael mcbride, ant wars, edutainment, interesting facts, fun facts, science "The sun never sets on the Argentine Ant Empire." Kurzgesagt, YouTube

Gardens are a particularly precarious place for Argentine ants to dwell, because, get this, they are apparently capable of making negotiations with aphids. In exchange for the aphid's sweet secretion (yuck), Argentine ants will kill off their predators.

However, while Argentine ants have won many, many battles in California, they might not yet win the war. Some of their factions have broken off and formed their own empires, resulting in civil war and compromising their most winning strategy.

That, and fire ants, which also came from South America by way of Alabama, are a formidable foe, both in aggression and the ability to super-colonize. They're also larger in size and have venomous stingers. Basically, the war they waged in their homeland has now been moved to foreign lands. Who shall become the ultimate victor is still up to fate. Are you not entertained?!

Special thanks to @ideasoup on Instagram and Kurzgesagt on YouTube.

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