City buildings make us ill

LOOKING at urban buildings for too long gives you a headache, according to a study.

Psychologists found that modern buildings – with their repetitive straight lines, windows and railings – can induce migraines because they differ so greatly from nature, making it harder for our brains to process what we are seeing. The extra work means our brains require more oxygen, which tends to cause headaches, said the University of Essex team.

Writing for The Conversation, coauthor Professor Arnold Wilkins said: ‘Because urban landscapes are not as easy to process, they are less comfortable to look at. Some patterns ... can trigger headaches and even epileptic seizures.’