GOOGLE PLANNING INTELLIGENT MESSAGING APP?

Rumors are swirling.  According to reports, Google may be developing an app that uses artificial intelligence to allow users – as they chat with friends - to contact a chatbot to answer questions or conduct searches.   Apparently, this app will compete with Facebook’s similar technology.

At this time, not much is known about the details of the app or when it might become available.   One scenario that might play out, however, would have a user interacting online with friends when a question or issue arose that would benefit from a Google search. Conceivably, the user would be able to contact the bot on the fly and continue the interaction while the bot conducted the search.

Stay tuned.

DOES TEXTING AFFECT GIRLS' GRADES?

A recent study reported by the American Psychological Association indicates that compulsive texting by teens, especially girls, may have a negative effect on their school achievement.

Researchers surveyed more than 400 students in the Midwest - in grades 11 and 8 - and found that girls in particular are apt to suffer an adverse effect on their academic work.

Rather than the frequency, the compulsive nature of texting seems to be at the heart of the issue. According to researchers. girls and boys text with about the same frequency, but for different purposes - boys apparently text to "convey information", while girls text "to nurture relationships", which may be more distracting.

For a closer look at the APA report, click here

WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING ADMITTED TO AN IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE?

So you want to go to an Ivy League college.  Great.  You definitely should apply.  But what are your chances of getting in?

If we take the stats from this past year's admissions - admitting for the class of 2019 - we can see that the acceptance rates are quite low (between 5 and 15 percent) compared to the average acceptance rates for the majority of other colleges in the nation (60 to 70 percent in recent years).

Here is a list of Ivy colleges - including Stanford, the Ivy college of the West - with the number of applications, number of acceptances, and resulting rate of acceptance, according to Business Insider and other sources:

Total Apps/Accepted (Accept Rate)

Stanford 42,487/2,144 (5.05)

Harvard 37,307/1,990 (5.33)

Columbia 36,250/2,228 (6.1)

Yale 30,237/1,963 (6.49)

Princeton 27,290/1,908 (6.99)

Brown 30,397/2,580 (8.49)

Penn 37,267/3,697 (9.9)

Dartmouth 20,504/2,120 (10.3)

Cornell 41,907/6,234 (14.9)

In addition to the low acceptance rates for all these colleges, six of the nine lowered their rate from the previous year, while one stayed the same, indicating that, as far as the Ivies are concerned, it was slightly more difficult to get admitted to the class of 2019.

For the class of 2020, the rates may rise or fall slightly, but clearly these colleges are among the most selective in the US, if not the world.

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For more help getting into the college of your choice, see Dr. Droge's book, College Admission by clicking HERE

3 WAYS THE BRAIN CREATES MEANING

Several years ago, information designer Tom Wujec gave a brief TED Talk in which he zeroed in on three regions of the brain that help us to make sense of the world around us.

These three spheres - Ventral, Dorsal, and Limbic - control what we see, what we feel, how we make connections, and more.

As timely now as it was then, Wujec's 6-minute presentation explains how using these regions strategically can help us to understand and to solve the problems and complexities we face today.

CLICK HERE TO SEE WUJEC'S TED TALK

A VISUAL HISTORY OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE

If you are interested in how we view the world of knowledge, and you have not yet viewed researcher Manuel Lima's TED Talk about the evolving ways of mapping and visualizing the information around us, you may want to take a few minutes to see and hear what he has to say.

From using "trees" as a form of illustration (e.g. genealogy, law, organization) to using complex diagrams and drawings of "networks" (e.g. brain, universe), Lima explains the history of visualizations and the current means of mapping knowledge.

CLICK HERE TO SEE LIMA'S TED TALK

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SCIENTISTS CREATE SUPER-INTELLIGENT AND LESS ANXIOUS MICE

Researchers from Canada and Britain have discovered that manipulating a particular gene in mice can result in improved learning, memory, and problem-solving.  

In addition, the mice in the study became less anxious.

Focusing on the gene that controls the PDE4B enzyme, which is found in the brain and elsewhere, scientists were able to make mice smarter, with noticeably decreased levels of fear and anxiety.  The mice became faster learners and less fearful of normally "scary" events, such as the presence of cat urine.

The discovery, published in the science journal  Neuropsychopharmacology, has prompted a move toward similar increased studies, with a focus on animals, and with a hope that the results might eventually transfer to humans as well.  Such a transfer could mean potentially significant aid in the battle against brain difficulties, especially as related to aging.

INTELLIGENT CHILDREN

Intelligent Children
click here to preview or buy book

STUDY SAYS HIGHER EDUCATION MAY LEAD TO LONGER LIFE

According to a recent study, getting a college degree or even a GED from high school may be connected to longer life.  In fact, scientists now compare the benefits of higher education to those achieved by quitting smoking – lower mortality rates.

In the study involving information from more than one million people, researchers from the University of North Carolina, New York University, and the University of Colorado report a link between higher education and increased life expectancy.

The researchers suggest that – through the lens of healthy behavior - education should be viewed similarly to diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption – that is, when it comes to living longer, pursuing higher education is as relevant as pursuing healthy choices regarding eating, drinking, or smoking.

The study suggests that government policies focused on improving educational attainment would result in an improved survival rate in the United States.

COLLEGE ADMISSION: A Simple, No-Nonsense Guide To Getting Into The College Of Your Choice
Click Here

HOLOGRAMS TO CONNECT US TO THE FUTURE

Imagine that years after you pass on, somehow your great great grandchildren or other people of the future could speak to you "face-to-face".  Imagine that they could ask you questions about your life and that you could tell them what it was like to live in your time.  A project underway right now may make such a scenario a "real" possibility in the not-too-distant future.

Researchers at the University of Southern California are in the process of developing for the humans of today the ability to create an extraordinary, life-like, 3D hologram that can actually converse with humans of the future.

The project -- New Dimensions in Testimony -- uses cutting edge technology to produce images of selected people, manifested as holograms that look remarkably like the subject.  The images are so "real" that it appears as if the person is actually present in the room.  Using further technology (think Siri from iPhone fame), the hologram will be able to ask and answer questions, and virtually converse with people in the future. 

The first subject being used in the project is a survivor of the holocaust, but the expectation is that when the project is complete, anyone with a story to tell would be able to take advantage of such technology, presenting an extraordinary change in the way information and legacies are passed down to family members and to others of the future.

GOOGLE'S VIRTUAL REALITY - FOR YOU

Google wants to help you to view videos and other images in 3D.  All you have to do is use its virtual reality viewer called Cardboard, along with your smartphone.

The Cardboard viewer certainly does not pretend to be high-end.  It really does look a bit like a cardboard box fitted with simple lenses.  And, though Google is launching a campaign for Cardboard at the moment, it was actually given away last year at its I/O developer conference.

With Cardboard (and a smartphone) users will be able to get a 3D view of various images, like personal pics and images in Google Earth.  The ostensible goal of this project is to provide the masses with an inexpensive way to engage the world of Virtual Reality.

Read more about it.

STUDY SAYS HUMAN ATTENTION SPAN NOW LESS THAN GOLDFISH

A study conducted by Microsoft indicates that the attention span of humans - particularly those immersed in social media - is less than the attention span of a goldfish.  

The research says that today's humans have an attention span of eight seconds, while a goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds.

Fifteen years ago, at the incipient stages of the mobile movement, the human attention span was 12 seconds. According to the researchers, the drop to eight seconds is due in large part to increasing engagement in the digital world.

Microsoft used information obtained from more than 2,000 participants in the study, some of whom had their brains monitored by electroencephalograms (EEGs).

In a related finding, the study also indicates that humans are getting better at multitasking.  

SHAKESPEARE NOT REQUIRED FOR MOST ENGLISH MAJORS

How much should Shakespeare be a part of a college English major's life?  Tough question.  How about this?  Should an English major be required to take at least one course focused on Shakespeare?

Not according to the powers that be in higher education, apparently.

Though it may come as a surprise to the average person, a course in Shakespeare is not required in most highly regarded U.S. colleges.  In the Ivy League alone, only one college requires it.

A 2015 study for The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) found that only 4 colleges - out of at least 50 of the highest rated colleges in the U.S. News & World Report rankings - required their English majors to take a course focused on Shakespeare.  That means, of course, that 92% of those highly ranked colleges would not have such a requirement.

The study - referred to by ACTA as "The Unkindest Cut" - included the top 25 schools in the category of Liberal Arts Colleges, and the top 25 in the category of National Universities.  Two colleges in each of those categories require the Shakespeare course.

According to the study, the four colleges that do require a Shakespeare course for their English majors are Harvard, UC Berkeley, The US Naval Academy, and Wellesley.

In regard to actual requirements for English majors, the research reported that some of the no-Shakespeare-required colleges give equal weight to courses in Shakespeare and courses such as "Gender, Sexuality, and Literature: Our Cyborgs, Our Selves", "Pulp Fiction: Popular Romance from Chaucer to Tarantino", "Renaissance Sexualities", and "Love and Ecstasy: Forms of Devotion in Medieval English Literature".

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BRIGHTEN UP - Smart Tools in Reading, Writing, Memory, Vocabulary, Spelling, etc.
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WILL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TAKE OVER THE WORLD?

It's easy to be an alarmist.  Heads turn when one screams.  But where is the line between alarmist and cautious realist?

We have heard the alarm about artificial intelligence - "AI" - for quite a while - the better we get at developing artificial intelligence, the closer we get to computers taking over the world.  Hardly a week goes by that we do not hear of technological advances that permit computers to replace employees, and to drive cars and trains and planes better than we do, and, generally, to perform at a higher level than humans. 

According to an article in The Daily Mail , this "evolution" is not going unnoticed.  Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, Inc., reportedly said in an interview recently that computers may actually be dangerous to our society.  This is a turnaround from his previous position that had dismissed warnings that computers and artificial intelligence would take over the world.  And Stephen Hawking and Tesla executive Elon Musk apparently have issued their own warnings as well.

The enormous benefits of advanced technology are clear, but, according to some of the most respected scientists, the fast-paced progress must not go unmonitored. 

The message of caution in simple terms is at least this - the smarter that computers get, the more vulnerable that humans become in diverse areas of society, such as in the economic arena with significant job losses resulting from robot/computer technology displacing the human workforce at rates much higher than present.

Many think that job-loss, however, is just one of many potential ills that unchecked technological advance may harbor - and a lesser ill at that.  Think "Terminator" and other popular sci-fi films if your imagination fails you.

The alarm has been sounded.  The important question is - will it be heeded?

BRIGHTEN UP by clicking here.

GETTING SMARTER ABOUT U.S. TOURISM

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, tourists from Canada (nearly 23 million) and Mexico (17+ million) again led the charge into tourist-friendly USA in 2014.

Tourists from the following countries visited as well (listed in order, in millions):

UK (3.9)
Japan (3.5)
Brazil (2.6)
China (2.1)
Germany (1.9)
S. Korea (1.6)
Australia (1.4)
Colombia (1.2)
France (.961)
Italy (.934)

BOOKS ABOUT SMART KIDS

If you are interested in smart kids, you will want to read these books:

The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley

"In a handful of nations, virtually all children are learning to make complex arguments and solve problems they’ve never seen before. They are learning to think, in other words, and to thrive in the modern economy. Inspired to find answers for our own children, author and Time magazine journalist Amanda Ripley follows three Americans embed­ded in these countries for one year."
(Click the image below to Look Inside.)





Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by John Medina

"What’s the single most important thing you can do during pregnancy? What does watching TV do to a child’s brain? What’s the best way to handle temper tantrums? Scientists know."




Intelligent Children: A Brief Introduction To What Today's Smart Parents Know About Increasing A Child's Intelligence by Dr. Edward Droge

"Smart isn’t what it used to be. The understanding we have gained about intelligence in recent years has turned old notions on their heads and has created a giant wave of insight and encouragement for parents and children everywhere.  In this clear, crisp, reader-friendly introduction to the subject, Dr. Droge, a Harvard-Yale educator, provides a wealth of information about what today’s smart and savvy parents know about increasing intelligence.  Areas discussed include IQ, learning, memory, genius, parent-child language interaction, and reports on theories and research of important scholars and educators in the field."
$2.99

Click Here to Look Inside

(The above description-blurbs are excerpted from the book's Amazon page.)

BEST RECENT BOOKS ABOUT INTELLIGENCE

A diverse offering.  All published in the past year.  In no particular rank.


Search: How the Data Explosion Makes Us Smarter by Stefan Weitz

"Search is as old as language. We've always needed to find something in the jumble of human creation... Author Stefan Weitz explores the idea of access to help readers understand how we are inventing new ways to search and access data through devices in more places and with more capabilities."  
(Click image below to Look Inside.)






The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind
by Michio Kaku

"For the first time in history, the secrets of the living brain are being revealed by a battery of high tech brain scans devised by physicists. Now what was once solely the province of science fiction has become a startling reality. Recording memories, telepathy, videotaping our dreams, mind control, avatars, and telekinesis are not only possible; they already exist." 
(Click image below to Look Inside.)




Gender Intelligence:  Breakthrough Strategies for Increasing Diversity and Improving Your Bottom Line by Barbara Annis and Keith Merron

"World-renowned experts on gender intelligence Barbara Annis and Keith Merron suggest it’s time to move beyond arguments based on politics and fairness, building an economic business case for gender diversity in the workplace."
(Click image below to Look Inside.)

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SuperIntelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom

"Superintelligence asks the questions: What happens when machines surpass humans in general intelligence? Will artificial agents save or destroy us? Nick Bostrom lays the foundation for understanding the future of humanity and intelligent life." 
(Click the image below to Look Inside.) 




How Successful People Think Smart: 7 Ways You Can Develop Their Mind Power by Dr. Jill Ammon-Wexler

"Why are some people so successful?  The secret is how they use their brain power.  Here's how YOU can duplicate their secrets. This fast-reading book shows EXACTLY how the brains of successful men and women are different – WHY they’re smarter, faster, more creative and unstoppable and end up on top."
(Click the image below to Look Inside.) 


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(The above description-blurbs are excerpted from the book's Amazon page.)

NEW STUDY: MUSIC TRAINING FOSTERS EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIORAL BENEFITS IN CHILDREN

Those hours of practice, practice, practice on a musical instrument are helping children in many ways beyond musical prowess, according to research results reported recently.

The study by the College of Medicine at the University of Vermont found that learning to play a musical instrument can help children grow emotionally and behaviorally, as well as improve motor skills and attention.

Researchers reviewed brain scans of more than 200 children, aged 6 to 18, and found an association between playing a musical instrument and "motor planning and coordination, visuospatial ability, and emotion and impulse regulation."

The research was reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

FUNNY TEST RESPONSES

Some test-takers see the world in ways that others might not imagine.

For example - this actual test response* might be considered correct, but it's probably not what the teacher was looking for -

Question - "What ended in 1896?"

Answer - "1895"

And then there's this one -

Q - "Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?"

A - "On the bottom."

And this one -

Q - "To change centimeters to meters, you __?__."

A - "Take out centi"

Here's hoping we can keep our sense of humor this year in every field connected to intelligence, including education.

(*Appeared on "Dose". To see more test answers like this, click here )

(To browse Dr. Droge's book, GETTING SMARTER FASTER, CLICK HERE.