Hi everyone,
I'm excited to kick off a new Tech Notes series I call Field Notes exploring fascinating topics that spark curiosity. Every now and then, we'll take a step away from tools and dive into something I've been fascinated by, breaking it down into something fun, approachable and (hopefully!) interesting.
Curiosity is one of those skills that quietly makes us better at almost everything. It encourages us to ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions, and keep learning—skills that are valuable both in our work and everyday life.
This week's edition is a bit of a taster. Instead of focusing on one topic, I've rounded up some of my favourite ways to stay curious, keep learning, and discover something new.
So, think of this as an invitation to ask a few more questions this week. I hope something in here inspires you stop and wonder, "Why...?"
THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT WHY KEEP LEARNING?
Learning isn't just about gaining knowledge—it's one of the best ways to keep your mind active, adaptable and engaged throughout life.
Curiosity isn't just about collecting interesting facts—it's one of the best things you can do for your brain. Thanks to neuroplasticity Open link ↗, your brain continues to form new connections throughout your life, meaning it's never too late to learn something new.
Research has found that lifelong learning can...
Strengthen memory and help build cognitive reserve Open link ↗; your brain's resilience as you age. -
Improve creativity and problem-solving by helping you connect ideas from different fields. -
Physically reshape your brain. London taxi drivers, who memorise around 26,000 streets and thousands of landmarks to earn "The Knowledge Open link ↗", have been found to have a larger hippocampus; the part of the brain responsible for memory and navigation. -
In one long-term study Open link ↗, people who stayed mentally active throughout life were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease around five years later, on average, than those with lower levels of cognitive activity.
Think of your brain like a web: every new thing you learn adds another connection. The more connections you build, the easier it becomes to solve problems, spot patterns, and think creatively.
INTERACTIVE LEARNING FLEX YOUR CURIOSITY MUSCLES
The best professionals never stop learning. Spending just a few minutes each day exploring something new can sharpen your thinking, broaden your knowledge, and help you see the world from different perspectives.
Curiosity doesn't always have to come from books. Here are a few fun games and resources that make learning something new part of your everyday routine.
Wordle Open link ↗ - One I'm sure you have heard of. The classic five-letter word game. Great for vocabulary, pattern recognition and a quick mental warm-up.
Fun fact about the Wordle...
A 2026 study found Wordle performance was most strongly related to reasoning ability, verbal fluency, vocabulary and, good strategy use. The game rewards efficiently testing hypotheses and adapting your strategy based on feedback!
Wordle is actually a surprisingly "whole-brain" task. In one puzzle you're using;
Semantic memory ("Is crane even a word?"), -
Working memory ("Yellow A, green R, grey T..."), -
Executive function ("Should I test new letters or lock in what I know?"), -
Pattern recognition ("There aren't many English words ending in _IGHT."), -
Inhibitory control ("Don't reuse that grey letter!")
Globle Open link ↗ - Guess a mystery country using geography clues. The closer your guess, the "hotter" you get. Great for improving world geography. -
Pudding.cool Open link ↗ - A collection of beautifully designed interactive articles that make learning about the world both fun and memorable. -
Information is Beautiful Open link ↗ - Awesome infographics and interactive visualisations about science, technology, society and more.
Learning doesn't have to feel like work. Sometimes all it takes is five minutes and a little curiosity. If you start playing let me know and we can play together!
BETH'S FAVOURITES FEED YOUR CURIOSITY (WITH MY FAVOURITE PODCAST)
Science doesn't have to be complicated. If you're looking for something to make your commute a little more interesting, The Rest Is Science is literally my favourite podcast of all time.
Hosted by mathematician Professor Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens (better known as Vsauce Open link ↗ - also recommend his videos!), the podcasts covers everything from AI, to physics, to psychology, to space, and more.
They discuss what sounds like boring topics, in a digestible and interesting way by asking obscure questions, that most of us have probably wondered at some point (or maybe not...) - What actually makes something a vegetable? Why can't we just build a space elevator? What would happen if every insect on earth disappeared?
Beyond asking fascinating scientific questions, The Rest Is Science also shines a spotlight on real-world research through its partnership with Cancer Research UK. It's a reminder that curiosity doesn't just help us understand the world—it can also help save lives.
If this sounds interesting to you, you can check them out here Open link ↗ (or on Spotify).
To get you started here are a couple of my favourite episodes...
Your brain invents pain... Here's why Open link ↗ - how context, emotions, expectations, and evolution shape what we feel.
(Finite) numbers so large they'd actually destroy you Open link ↗ - explores how mathematicians create unimaginably enormous finite numbers that stretch far beyond human comprehension, without even reaching infinity.
Science is (literally) cool Open link ↗ - the epic science hidden in everyday kitchen appliances, from the physics of refrigeration to the wartime invention of the microwave.
KEEP LEARNING! LEARN MORE... ON YOUTUBE?!
You may be wondering, "Wow, Beth is so smart." "Where does she learn all of this?" "This must take hours of deep research." And you'd be right... I am very smart. 😌 But honestly, YouTube is one of the best places to learn something new in just a few minutes.
YouTube is one of the easiest ways to learn a little about a lot of things. Whether you're exploring a new topic or satisfying a random question, a great video can be the perfect starting point before diving deeper.
Here are some of my favourite videos to start redirecting your youtube algorithm...
The entire history of the world, I guess Open link ↗ - A super casual "meme-style" but suprisingly detailed summary of all of history in less 20 minutes. -
Cicada 3301: An Internet Mystery Open link ↗ - the internet’s most mysterious recruitment puzzle, tracing its elaborate trail of cryptography, hidden messages, and unanswered questions. -
ANØM: The Most Genius FBI Operation Open link ↗ - explains how the FBI secretly distributed encrypted phones to criminals, monitored their messages for years, and used the intelligence to coordinate hundreds of arrests worldwide.
Can you really reach anyone in 6 steps? Open link ↗ - explores the “six degrees of separation” theory Open link ↗, showing how a handful of shortcuts and highly connected people can make enormous social networks surprisingly small.
Check out my playlist of all these videos and even more cool stuff here!!!!!!!!! Open link ↗
And that’s all for now!
As you can probably tell, I am super passionate about this stuff. I hope this edition inspired you to ask a few more questions and explore! Please let me know if you find any of this interesting, or useful!
Next week, we'll be shifting gears and taking our first deep dive into one of the most talked-about topics today: AI. From AI literacy, incredible breakthroughs, to its impacts, and the future...
See this week's dose of wholesomeness here!!!!!! Open link ↗
And as always, if there’s anything I might be able to do to make your day a little easier, my door (and inbox) is always open.
Over & Out,
Bethy 🎀