Reading fiction may have unique benefits. For example, the amount of fiction people read seems to be a better predictor of language ability than nonfiction, research finds. And, perhaps even more importantly, research has found that fiction is linked to better social cognition — our ability to think about and interact with other people — and an increased understanding of the world as a complex place. (Sima, The Washington Post)
Read MoreChristopher Nolan‘s blockbuster “The Odyssey” is officially the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time with $1.352 billion worldwide, overtaking the benchmark set by 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” with $1.338 billion. (Rubin, Variety)
Read MoreSelf-reported drinking fell over the previous three years, from 62% in 2023 to 58% in 2024 and 54% in 2025, before holding steady this year. Gallup based the latest results on interviews with U.S. adults aged 18 and older in its July 1-19 Consumption Habits survey. (Saad, Gallup)
Read MoreThe highest court in Massachusetts has unanimously affirmed a lower court ruling prohibiting Quincy Mayor Tom Koch from erecting 10-foot-tall bronze statues of two Catholic saints on the facade of the city's new public safety building. (Blandino, USA Today)
Read MoreToday, 52% of Americans say they are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life – up from 37% in 2021. Another 9% are more excited than concerned and 37% say they’re equally excited and concerned, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 22-28, 2026. (McClain & Park, Pew Research Center)
Read MoreChatGPT and other artificial intelligence assistants have billions of users — but data on how people are really using the tools is sparse and fragmented. It’s one reason why researchers launched the AI Observatory, a public resource to measure how people use AI by analyzing anonymized chats from seven different sources. (TIku, The Washington Post)
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