Logitech has produced a 170 keyboard that's focused on rapid trigger gameplay for PC pros looking to get an edge over their rivals in games like Call of Duty and FortniteTech17:12, 28 Mar 2025Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid keyboardWannabe pro gamers cant go wrong with this excellent lightweight beast of a keyboard.Yes it costs a hefty 170, but what youre getting here as a PC gamer is a top-spec device thatll boost your gaming prowess across titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.Article continues belowThe TKL Rapid is a wired gaming keyboard that USB-Cs straight into your computer.Its just over 14in wide and less than 6in deep and really packs a punch for the size.Makers Logitech have designed the keyboard with speed of gaming in mind, to try to give an edge to online multiplayer blockbusters.That means the tech focuses on responsive, precise and consistent experience with rapid triggers.Whether you want incredibly sensitive reaction or a more measured adjustment to fit your style, the TKL is customisable to your gaming play.The lighting on the device is excellentREAD MORE: Daily Star's newsletter brings you the biggest and best stories sign up todayYou can literally adjust every single key on the board, tweaking the beautiful-clicking magnetic-analog linear switches so that they fall ideally beneath individual fingers.Players can alter the actuation so that certain keys, say for a gun reload, need as little press as possible to trigger, speeding up the gameplay.You can even assign specific moves or combos, like an in-game double jump, to a single key.Or you can add two distinct commands to a single key depending on how deep you press it - so a light touch could reload while a full press could trigger that double jump, all without lifting your finger.That flexibility is impressive through the Logitech G-Hub gaming software.And it all feels intuitive to do thanks to the onboard memory you can take your specifications with you to gaming sessions outside the home, saved directly on the hardware.It has that lovely PC clicking sound on the keysREAD MORE: Assassin's Creed Shadows review: Bigger is better as series hits a whole new highGamers can also deactivate certain keys to stop mishits and a light sync technology built-in means you can customise RGB lighting on the keys to colour out certain parts of the keyboard visually.and look amazing from afar.The hardware itself has an aluminium backplate and feels of premium build quality.The a volume wheel on the top and silicone sound dampening to make sure things click on the quiet.The RGB colour patterns underneath each key are varied when you cycle through the presets(Image: Logitech)This is a superb gaming keyboard, focused on speed and comfort.Its not cheap but It looks good, feels good and is well worth a buy if youre looking to up your game.Article continues belowVERDICT 5/5

MindsEye, which comes from former Rockstar lead developer Leslie Benzies, will arrive on console and PC this June here's all we know about the highly-anticipated game so farTech17:00, 28 Mar 2025Updated 17:10, 28 Mar 2025MindsEye looks impressive already(Image: Build a Rocket Boy)If the idea of a new game from the lead developer on GTA for GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, GTA 4 and GTA 5 gets you in the door, then MindsEye looks likely to give you plenty of reasons to stick with it.While Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to arrive in 2025, the first game from Build A Rocket Boy will debut in just a few months. Set in Redrock City, a place where technology is king, players navigate an urban sprawl and the surrounding areas where AI is a part of everyday life.Article continues belowWhile the game was originally conceived as part of an ambitious game creation tool, it's not a standalone title that's being published by IO Interactive, the studio behind Hitman and now we know when we can play it, too.Players can explore a sci-fi world in just a few short months(Image: Build a Rocket Boy)MindsEye will launch on June 10, 2025, so it's closer than you may have been expecting. It'll debut on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC.The game stars Jacob Diaz, a former soldier who has a neural implant called the MindsEye which "haunts him with fragmented memories of his past and holds the key to humanity's future"."Fight to uncover Jacobs truth in a world where AI, high-tech experimentation and unchecked military power shape every encounter. What starts as a personal quest unveils something so large it threatens the spark in everything alive, as the danger of the sentient robots rises propelled by human greed."MindsEye is the studio's debut title(Image: Build a Rocket Boy)We cant wait for players to immerse themselves in our tightly crafted game, MindsEye, with thought-provoking story where technology and ambition collide, and the inevitable consequences unravel. said Leslie Benzies, Game Director of MindsEye in a press release.The game will launch at 54.99, but preorders will get players access to bonus missions built in ARCADIA, the aforementioned game building tool."Arcadia is Build A Rocket Boys proprietary no-code-required powerful building tool, publishing system, and library of assets. Play Arcadia is available on console, PC, and Everywhere for players who purchased MindsEye."There are also pre-order bonus skins, weapons and vehicles, as shown below.There's plenty of additional treats for pre-orders(Image: Build a Rocket Boy)For more on titles from ex-Rockstar devs, check out this horror title dubbed "Silent Hill meets rural Britain".Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Nintendo Switch 2 C button turns the Switch 1 into a Wii U says rumourMichael BeckwithPublished March 28, 2025 5:47pmUpdated March 28, 2025 5:47pm A Nintendo Land port or even a sequel for Switch 2 would rule (Nintendo)If the latest claims about the Switch 2s new C button are right, then Nintendo may have figured out how to get DS games running on the next gen hardware.While the biggest questions surrounding the Nintendo Switch 2 are its launch line-up, its release date, and price, there are a number of smaller, but no less intriguing, mysteries surrounding the consoles functions.One such example is the mysterious new button that was spotted on the Switch 2s right-hand Joy-Con controller, back when images of the console leaked in December.There are a handful of theories already floating around, such as it being tied to some kind of AR functionality, but the latest, and possibly most exciting suggestion, is that its for turning the Switch 1 into a Wii U GamePad.Basically, by pressing the button, you can connect your Switch 2 console to the original Switch (presumably through a wireless or Bluetooth connection), which can then be used as a second screen for playing games.This claim comes from Xbox leaker eXtas1s, who has recently started chiming in with Nintendo rumours. Just this week, he said Metroid Prime 4: Beyond would not be at the Switch 2 showcase and while hes yet to be proven right, the game did see a new trailer at yesterdays Switch 1 showcase which could mean its not getting a new one next week.In a recent YouTube video, eXtas1s talks about how such a feature could be used for co-op, allowing friends to not only use separate screens for multiplayer, but also their original Switch consoles, in case some of them lack a Switch 2.However, if this is accurate, such functionality could also be Nintendos way of giving the Wii U another go, allowing for asymmetrical experiences that use two screens.At the very least, this would make it possible for Nintendo to port certain Wii U games that are too reliant on its GamePad controller, like Star Fox Zero and the excellent Nintendo Land.Not to mention, it would make ports of DS and 3DS games more viable, particularly ones that made the most of those handhelds dual screens. In turn, this would allow the Switch 2 to host games from every past Nintendo consoles.Such functionality would certainly be a boon, that would make Nintendos online library of retro games more appealing. Coincidentally enough, a Nintendo patent from 2023 did depict a new kind of dual screen console, so its an idea the company has at least considered.More TrendingItd also be the sort of weird Nintendo style ingenuity that some people feel is so far missing from the Switch 2, which at the moment just appears to be a more powerful version of the original Switch.The Switch 2 does seem to have a couple of extra tricks up its sleeve already though. The reveal trailer unsubtly teased computer mouse functionality for its Joy-Cons (which would be perfect for DS and 3DS games that made liberal use of the stylus) and another patent suggests the Switch 2 can be flipped upside down, to access the large port at the bottom.Hopefully, Nintendo will confirm exactly what the C button does at the showcase next week. The one thing that can be said about it is that, as the leaks suggested, it is indeed labelled with the letter C unlike in the initial official images.Some have theorised the C stands for camera and is thus tied to the aforementioned AR functionality. Others believe it could be for cast and itll be possible to display games on your TV while still playing in handheld mode, which, again, was something the Wii U GamePad could do. Its a bit blurry but that is most definitely a C (Nintendo)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

So who is going to play Link? (Nintendo)Nintendo has an exact date for its Legend Of Zelda movie, but we wouldnt worry about booking your tickets yet.Given how profitable The Super Mario Bros. Movie wound up being, it wasnt at all surprising to learn that Nintendo had greenlit a feature film based on The Legend Of Zelda.What was surprising was that it wouldnt be another animated flick, but a live action one. Not to mention Sony Pictures will be co-financing and distributing it, so its going to be weird seeing both Nintendo and Sonys logos attached to the movie (although given what else happened this week, maybe not that weird).The lack of info suggested it would be many years till fans get to see anything of the movie in action. As of today though, we know the exact date the Legend Of Zelda movie will hit cinemas and, predictably, its not exactly soon.What is the release date for the Legend Of Zelda movie?According to Nintendo, The Legend Of Zelda will release on March 26, 2027, which is just under two years away and less than a year after the second Mario movie, which is scheduled for April 3, 2026.As a reminder, Nintendo announced The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2018, but the company didnt share any details until 2021 and even then, it was limited to just a cast list.Fans had to wait more than a year for the first teaser trailer, with the movie finally releasing on April 5, 2023. Considering the Zelda movie was only announced in November 2023, it wouldnt have been unreasonable to assume it would release in 2028 or even 2029. Will Epona be in it? (Nintendo)That said, Nintendos still keeping details under wraps, and, at this rate, it may not share any cast details or a teaser trailer till later in the year, if not 2026.What is interesting about the announcement, is that Nintendo made it exclusively on its new Nintendo Today! app, which launched in the wake of yesterdays Nintendo Direct.More TrendingAt time of writing, theres no mention of the release date on any of Nintendos social media accounts and we doubt this is going to be the sole exception when it comes to news in the future.Nintendo described the new app as a means of sharing news and updates directly with fans. So you should expect more big reveals like this to come through Nintendo Today! before anywhere else.As for what else is known about the Zelda movie, Wes Ball is on board to direct it, having previously done the Maze Runner movies and last years relatively well received Kingdom Of The Planet Of Apes.The script, meanwhile, is being penned by Derek Connolly. Aside from the Jurassic World trilogy, he has some familiarity with adapting games, as he also did the script for Detective Pikachu. Theres no telling if the movie will adapt a specific game or be something entirely original (Nintendo)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Overdoing it could give you heart disease or cancer

By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 | Comments (0) | Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2025. Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is planning to migrate the Social Security Administrations computer systems from the COBOL programming language to something more modern, according to a new report from Wired. And while its not yet clear what Musks band of dipshits plans to do exactly, Wired reports they aim to do it within a few months, a laughably audacious timeline for such a task. Everything from the code that issues Social Security numbers to the payment schedules are written in COBOL, which was created in the 1950s, but the DOGE team seems to believe it can make a snap transition with the help of artificial intelligence, according to Wired. The DOGE team has already been reportedly running highly sensitive government data through AI, as the Washington Post reported last month, so why not use it to cheat-code your way to a more modern programming language? The reason, of course is the risk of cascading failures during any rush-job that might mean missed payments or beneficiary information getting wiped from the system entirely. As Wired notes, the Social Security Administration had actually planned on migrating away from COBOL under a more realistic five-year timespan in the late 2010s, but that effort was derailed by the covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted countless plans in 2020. More than 65 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and any hiccups would be devastating for people who rely on the program to stay alive. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently told the All-In podcast that if Social Security checks didnt go out one month, his mother-in-law wouldnt call and complain. Lutnick claimed, a fraudster makes the loudest noise, suggesting that only people who are fraudulently receiving Social Security would be concerned about payments stopping. BREAKING: Trumps billionaire Commerce Secretary says that seniors wont care if they dont get their Social Security checks and that anyone who does complain is a fraudster. [image or embed] Social Security Works (@socialsecurityworks.org) March 21, 2025 at 11:19 AM Lutnicks logic doesnt hold water, obviously. Millions of people whove paid into Social Security their entire lives have a perfectly reasonable expectation that theyll receive the money they were promised. And Lutnicks mother-in-law hypothetically would get help from her billionaire son-in-law if she didnt get her check any given month. Most Americans who rely on Social Security dont have a hyper-rich relative to bail them out.The Social Security overhaul by DOGE is being led by Steve Davis, according to Wired, who is often described in news reports as the real day-to-day leader of the pseudo-agency. Davis joined SpaceX in 2003 and went on to become the head of Musks Boring Company in 2018 before being brought to Twitter in 2022 and then running Musks political action committee America PAC during the 2024 presidential election. Davis is seen as extremely loyal to Musk, with another top lieutenant of the Musk empire, Jared Birchall, quoted as saying If Elon asked Steve to jump out of a window, he would do it, according to the 2024 book Character Limit. Wireds report doesnt name any of its sources within the Social Security Administration, but the news outlet has been reliably reporting on some of the DOGE teams most galling cuts since Musk started taking a chainsaw to the federal government. Musk, whos previously called Social Security a ponzi scheme, was given enormous power by President Donald Trump to unilaterally cut anything he wants, a nakedly illegal powergrab that continues to this day, despite several court challenges. Congress has yet to properly challenge Musks meddling with their power of the purse, but there are rumblings that some Republicans may finally be growing a spine. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, for example, signed on to a letter Thursday objecting to the Trump regime withholding $2.9 billion of funding allocated by Congress.Musk and several people from DOGE were interviewed on Fox News by Bret Baier on Thursday night in a rather transparent attempt to calm fears over their ongoing destruction of the government. One of the DOGE staff, Joe Gebbia, talked about digitizing the records for retirement in the government, something that makes sense if done responsibly. But the DOGE team seems to think the reason government systems are so antiquated are that nobody ever thought of updating them before. The real reasons are two-fold. First, it takes large sums of money to migrate systems properly without disruption, which brings us to the second reason: Any disruption means millions of people could see critical services upended. The Fox News interview was at times incoherent, as Musk promised that people getting Social Security would get more money after he was done rooting around in the systems. In fact, what were doing will help their benefits, Musk said. Legitimate people, as a result of the work of DOGE, will receive more Social Security, not less. I want to emphasize that. As a result of the work of DOGE, legitimate recipients of Social Security will receive more money, not less money.Musk even said he wanted people to check back on his claim in the future. The claim that people would be getting more money from Social Security in the future simply makes no sense, and its hard to figure out why hed bother saying such a thing. Only Congress can tinker with how much money would be paid out to beneficiaries. But Musks many lies have rarely had any real consequences.IT expert Waldo Jaquith, who used to work for the U.S. governments 18F department (which was recently abolished), wrote on Bluesky that Musks plans for Social Security computer systems were a really bad idea. This is profoundly stupid and will definitely fail, and its just a question of whether our social security system fails along with it, Jaquith wrote. Jaquith went on to explain that there didnt appear to be any real reason for this rushed push away from COBOL, especially if people are getting their Social Security payments reliably and on-time right now, as they have for decades. I cannot think of a single legitimate reason for DOGE to perform such a modernization, especially on such a time scale. A lot of my work is around helping agencies triage how to deal with old systems. If the old system works, *leave it alone*! Start with stuff thats broken! Jaquith continued.Jaquith speculated that the real goal in migrating to a new system was to create a technical chokepoint for the flow of money to allow individuals or groups to be punished extralegally, saying that its all likely just a fig leaf covering the real goal of fascism. Protesters are expected at more than 200 Tesla locations around the world on Saturday as a peaceful show of force against Musks illegal power grab. But not all of the protests against Musk have been peaceful. Federal authorities charged a 36-year-old man in Nevada just yesterday for allegedly setting fire to multiple Tesla vehicles at a Collision Center in Las Vegas. That man has been charged with both state and federal crimes, with no less than Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel weighing in to say that Tesla dealerships will be defended against terrorism by the federal government. As promised, acts of violence and vandalism will not be tolerated, and today law enforcement personnel acted quickly to arrest an individual on charges including arson, Patel said in a statement Thursday. Under Attorney General Bondis leadership, we will continue to pursue these investigations with the full force of law and will bring to justice anyone responsible for these attacks. Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published March 27, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published March 27, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 26, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 26, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published March 26, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published March 25, 2025

By Germain Lussier Published March 28, 2025 | Comments (0) | The Woman in the Yard is now in theaters. Image: Universal As terrifying as the idea behind The Woman in the Yard is, when you realize what its actually about, its even scarier. That should be a positive thingscary is good, right? But in this case, it shifts the films expectations and aims in such a radical way thatas bold as the choice is, it doesnt quite work. That first ideathe one shown in the trailersis this. A mom named Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) has recently been widowed when her husband, David (Russell Hornsby), died in a car accident. Shes struggling to keep it together with two rambunctious kids (Peyton Jackson and Estella Kahiha) when a mysterious woman appears in their yard. Dressed all in black, her face covered in a veil, the woman tells Ramona Todays the day as she calmly sits outside, gazing back at the house. The reason we can endure most of the classic horror scenariosunstoppable slashers, killer ghosts, murder traps, etc.is that none of them feel possible. We deal with them because in reality, most of us would never actually deal with them. The Woman in the Yard hits in the opposite way. Any of us can imagine the guttural terror wed feel if someone so devilishly challenged our safest space. Its beyond unsettling. And so, director Jaume Collet-Serra (Black Adam, Jungle Cruise, Carry On) uses that to his advantage. Tension builds slowly as we explore the familys fear through charged parental interactions, canted camera angles, and long shots highlighting the expansive nature of the home. Within that set-up, like the family were left wondering a few things: who is this woman and why is she there? The answers come slowly, as the film instead focuses on what the woman can do as opposed to why shes doing it, leading to a few fun sequences. Eventually, though answers do come. And thats when the movie takes its turn. Danielle Deadwyler, Peyton Jackson, and Estella Kahiha in The Woman in the Yard. Universal Clearly, whatever the answers are in The Woman in the Yard, we want them to be surprising, interesting, and scary. Solving these mysteries is why were there. And, fortunately, the answers check all of those boxes.Unfortunately, to achieve that, the script by Sam Stefanak has to pivot away from the typical horror tropes, which causes some issues. Now, to explain that in enough detail to make my point, I have to talk about some spoilers. I wont ruin the ending or spell out every single reveal, but to fully dissect why the films traditional horror elements dont fit cleanly with its ultimate intentions, I have to reveal those intentions. If you plan to see the movie, skip past the next photo to avoid the spoilers. At a certain point, we learn the titular character is there not to haunt Ramona, its there to help her. Since the accident, shes been wracked with guilt and grief and has been praying for the strength to kill herself, even knowing itll leave her kids orphaned. Todays the day refers to the day Ramona will finally muster to courage to do that, and the woman is there to facilitate. Yeah. We know. Kind of messed up. Those revelations come in a few of the best scenes in the movie, but they also seemingly mark the end of one story and the beginning of another. The first is the supernatural horror movie we thought we were watching. The second is about what a person hoping to end their own life must go through. And both of those stories have different expectations. Once we know there are real-life stakes at play, all the supernatural things like shadow monsters or creepy hauntings feel out of place and insignificant. Did they happen? Did they not? Why would they happen at all? The idea of a mother of two killing herself simply is too serious for any of that. So were left with these diametric and opposing forces, both in the film and outside it. Plus, the idea of Ramona taking her own life is so much scarier than anything else, but not in a silly, horror movie way. The implications are disturbing and staggering, so as the film dives into it, things rightfully get uncomfortable and challenging. Again, this should be a good thing, but its a betrayal to the movie itself. You feel gaslit about why you sat down to watch the movie at all, and guilty that you didnt take it as seriously as it deserved to be. As shocking and brash as the reveal is, it doesnt quite work.Peyton Jackson is the breakout of The Woman in the Yard. Universal What does work, besides Collet-Serras direction, are the performances of the family. Deadwyler gives an intense, captivating portrayal of a woman on the edge that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Kahiha and Hornsby have less to do, but each fills a warm, loving void much needed in Ramonas life and the movie. Ultimately, though, the breakout is Jackson: hes a commanding, charismatic presence and probably the person the audience most relates to. Well be seeing much more of him. In the end, were glad Universal and Blumhouse had the guts to make and release The Woman in the Yard. Using the horror genre to tackle important issues is becoming increasingly rare, especially in a wide release, so kudos to that. You just wish those issues felt more cohesive within the horror narrative, and not like a big red mark on an otherwise clean surface. If the film had more fully embraced one side or the other, it wouldve worked better. The Woman in the Yard is now in theaters. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Germain Lussier Published January 14, 2025

Salt makes almost everything taste better we add it while cooking to enhance the flavor of other ingredients, sprinkle some into baking to balance out sweetness, and enjoy it in our favorite snacks, like chips, pretzels, and microwave popcorn. Besides these obvious sources, many highly processed foods foods we wouldn't ordinarily consider salty contain an unexpectedly high amount of sodium, such as canned goods, salad dressings, cold cuts, various cheeses, flavored yogurts, ketchup, and much more.While lower salt consumption has long been recommended for people with cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure, researchers from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare have presented new research showing a strong link between higher sodium intake and the risk of obesity. This research is set to be presented at the European Congress of Obesity in May 2025.Why We Crave SaltDietary salt, typically in the form of sodium chloride (NaCl), is necessary for essential bodily functions, such as regulating fluid balance and supporting nerve impulses and muscle contractions. When sodium levels drop, the "salt-thermostat" in our brain activates, triggering a craving for more salt.Long ago, when our ancestors lived in oceans, the cells of those early lifeforms evolved to thrive in a solution as salty as seawater. As our predecessors became terrestrial and moved to dry, hot environments, salt became scarcer, and the craving for sodium likely developed as a survival mechanism to ensure adequate intake.Today, that early evolutionary make-up, coupled with the easy access to salt that modern life provides, leads to plenty of opportunities for overconsumption. Studies have shown that when animals are deprived of salt, they often "overshoot," consuming far more sodium than necessary to restore balance, suggesting that salt homeostasis tends to go in only one direction.Read More: Why Is the Ocean Salty?Connecting High Salt with ObesityA study led by Annika Santalahti and her team explored the growing body of evidence linking salt intake with obesity. They analyzed data from the National FinHealth 2017 Study, estimating sodium intake through food frequency questionnaires and urine samples.Statistical analysis revealed that the median salt intake was above recommended levels, with men consuming over 12 grams and women over 9 grams daily. The World Health Organization recommends no more than 5 grams per day, while the American Heart Association suggests only 2.3 grams, about 1 teaspoon.Additionally, the researchers found that participants with higher sodium intake or high urine sodium levels were more likely to suffer from general or abdominal obesity, with the latter increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.These results strengthen the evidence of an association between sodium intake and obesity, with similar findings observed for both dietary sodium and urine sodium concentration. It is important to gain more understanding about the biological mechanism of the relationship, said the study authors in a press release.Processed Foods Are the CulpritWhile the study emphasizes that the link between salt and obesity isn't fully understood, the authors note that, over time, high salt intake might affect satiety hormones (which control hunger and signal when we're full) or could simply serve as a marker for the overall quality of the foods we eat.Further research is needed on the overall nutrition and nutrition quality of those with high sodium diets, but also research on the biological mechanisms of high sodium intake, for example on satiety, the gut microbiome and body composition, explained the authors in the news release.They also point out that the food industry plays a significant role in the population's salt intake, as most of the sodium we consume comes from processed foods rather than unprocessed natural products. In addition, broader changes in the food environment, such as whether meals are home-cooked or consumed from restaurants or takeout, also influence how much salt we consume.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:American Heart Association: Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood PressureEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity: 32nd European Congress on ObesityPhysiology and Behavior: Salt craving: The psychobiology of pathogenic sodium intakeHaving worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When shes not immersed in a popular science book, youll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.

Generative AI (Gen AI) tools like ChatGPT have become an ever-present part of many peoples personal and working lives. And whether they are causing more harm than good to our cognitive skills or problem solving is a growing concern. Experts are worried that dependence on Gen AI is making users who lean heavily on these tools dumber, according to research findings.In a recent paper, a team from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University found that higher confidence in Gen AI is associated with less critical thinking, while higher self-confidence is associated with more critical thinking amongst a group of 319 knowledge workers from a wide range of fields.Their findings showed that while Gen AI tools can improve efficiency at work, they may also inhibit critical engagement with work and can potentially lead to long-term overreliance on the tool and diminished skill for independent problem-solving.Decline in Critical Thinking SkillsThis declining analytical engagement translates to less fact-checking, and more time reading through AI-generated text rather than creating content, amongst more.For Anjali Singh, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas, Austin who wasnt involved in the study, this moving away from creative tasks, and offloading them on to Gen AI instead, is one of the major concerns emanating from this paper. If you practice less of those kind of skills, your critical thinking is likely to get negatively impacted, says Singh. Unfortunately, though, the answer to this question is far more complex. Singh believes that the impact of AI on cognition really depends on how we use it and on who is using it.She also points out that the Microsoft study focused on professionals and experts in their field. Her own research concerns novices, a group that can include students or people who are new to a profession or field. It's for them that Gen AI tools can be especially harmful, she says, as they may rely on them to carry out more tasks, or thinking on their behalf than experts in their field. As a result, it can, in the long-term, lead to a decrease in what kind of cognitive skills they use in a given context, and how they use them.Read More: AI and the Human Brain: How Similar Are They?Artificial Intelligence in EducationAnother paper published in 2024, for example, found university students facing high levels of academic workload and time pressure resorted to using ChatGPT more frequently, ultimately increasing levels of procrastination, affecting their memory, and harming grades amongst some participants in the research. On the flip side, others are enthusiastic about the potential of Gen AI to help build cognitive skills, or make us smarter, with other studies underlining a positive influence in some cases.A study published last year, for example, found that incorporating ChatGPT in classwork resulted in significant improvements in some students critical, creative, and reflective thinking scores compared to those who didnt use it.As technology in education continues to grow, we suggest that ChatGPT can be a valuable mechanism for academics in higher education to consider, the researchers wrote.They are not alone in backing ChatGPT and similar tools in educational settings. Rossella Suriano, a researcher in the department of Cognitive, Psychological and Pedagogical Sciences and Cultural Studies at University of Messina, led a study that found a positive influence of ChatGPT on critical thinking skills.The study highlighted that interaction with ChatGPT can indeed promote the development of complex critical thinking skills, Suriano says. But, in her view, thats also contingent on how these tools are used.This research suggests that using it actively and consciously, ChatGPT can become a valuable tool for developing advanced cognitive skills in an educational setting, she says.How to Function with AI ToolsFor Suriano that means understanding how they function and, importantly, recognizing their limitations. Just as we would, or shouldnt necessarily, believe everything we read online, or a person tells us.The prompt we provide and the attitude with which we engage profoundly influences the response, she adds. Instead of diminishing cognitive capacity, when used correctly, these tools could actually enhance our ability to think and reflect independently. There is still more to learn as much of the research investigating Gen AIs influence whether helpful or harmful on our cognitive abilities is short-term in nature; thats a problem that needs to be resolved, says Singh, particularly when it comes to younger people.Even for experts, it is yet to be seen what the impact that Gen AI is having in the long term, says Singh. There hasn't really been enough time to see the kind of impact these tools will have on our cognition.Unfortunately, that means any answer to the question of whether ChatGPT and other Gen AI is making us dumber is somewhat vague; it could, but it also might make us smarter, if used in the right way.Read More: The Pros and Cons of Artificial IntelligenceArticle SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University. The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge WorkersInternational Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. Is it harmful or helpful? Examining the causes and consequences of generative AI usage among university studentsComputers and Education: Artificial Intelligence. ChatGPT effects on cognitive skills of undergraduate students: Receiving instant responses from AI-based conversational large language models (LLMs)Learning and Instruction. Student interaction with ChatGPT can promote complex critical thinking skillsSean Mowbray is a freelance writer based in Scotland. He covers the environment, archaeology, and general science topics. His work has also appeared in outlets such as Mongabay, New Scientist, Hakai Magazine, Ancient History Magazine, and others.