Reality Upgrade

For thousands of years, humans have lived the majority of their lives outdoors, only going inside to sleep if at all. Even then, windows were in scarce supply, so we lived in direct contact with the outside air almost all the time.

The first real air conditioner was invented in 1902, and ever since humans have been spending more and more time indoors. Especially if you work in an office, your only time outside at all might be walking from car to building and back.

It seems intuitive to some of us that spending all that time inside and away from nature is bad for your health, but this article from Discovery News adds even more evidence to the pile.

The article talks about the natural bacteria in the soil and air, which when we breathe them in (or eat them) have several major health benefits. Not only do they increase serotonin levels and decrease anxiety, they can also make us learn faster.

So your mother was right after all. Go outside, it’s good for you!