Quick bits

Here’s a happy reason to take your book outside: You’ll see better! Researchers at the State University of New York College of Optometry measured responses of subjects’ brain cells to both indoor and outdoor light and found that bright outdoor light stimulates the brain’s visual region to improve “contrast sensitivity,” or the ability to differentiate shapes. The result? Less eyestrain. Study author Jose-Manuel Alonso, Ph.D., says sitting next to a window when reading inside delivers similar benefits.