John Buntin is a GOVERNING staff writer. He covers health care, public safety and urban affairs.
E-mail: jbuntin@governing.comTwitter: @governing
City Life = Brain Damage?
The evidence is surprisingly strong, some neuroscientists say.
Attention and self-control are particularly harmed by urban life. The best antidote seems to be a big dose of nature. In particular, humans respond well to the the rich variety of places like New York's Central Park.
In contrast, researchers say, the denuded savanna of, say, the national Mall in downtown Washington does little to soothe the mind or promote sanity.
Could this explain the occasional madness of Congress? If the incoming Obama administration wants to bring sanity to Washington, DC perhaps it should plant some trees as part of that stimulus package...
Twitter: @governing
Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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