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How can you increase your concentration in the long term?

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Over the years, the ability to concentrate has decreased significantly. This is due to several phenomena, including the intensive use of continuous social networks. Discover our methods to understand how to increase your concentration in the long term.

Increase concentration in the long term

State of the ability to concentrate in 2024

With more and more distractions, it can be difficult to stay focused. Nowadays the ability to concentrate is 8 seconds per person, this idea depends on the generations. Young people growing up with digital devices and social media see this Concentration time decreases significant.

A meta-analysis conducted worldwide by Vivendi Brand Marketing confirms this the impact of digital practices Generation Z (after 1995) and Alpha (2010 to 2024). They are highly connected and big consumers of digital content, but also fans of continuous streaming. In fact, the ability to concentrate is significantly limited by droom scrolling and instant videos like Instagram Reels and, more recently, TikTok. This content, much appreciated by these generations, only lasts a few seconds and limits the ability to concentrate. Due to lack of exercise, the brain has atrophied somewhat.

However, the normal concentration capacity would be 75 to 90 minutes. Older generations are able to focus more and live a lifestyle away from fast-paced social media. They also held up Habits that stimulate the brain like reading, movies, crossword puzzles, gardening…
Also read – Covid-19: The time in front of screens among 10 to 14 year olds has doubled

Train your brain to increase your concentration in the long term

The brain requires constant stimulation through challenges, creative, physical and educational activities Improving concentration and well-being. Information overload, like doomscrolling, has a negative impact on concentration. Younger generations have been shown to be more anxious and affected by stress. Using different daily methods can help stimulate the brain.

  • Games challenge the brain and stimulate thinking functions. Some games as ChessTHE Crossword puzzleA puzzle, puzzles or Sudoku have a positive influence on the ability to concentrate. Practicing sports and entertaining activities also helps stimulate the brain.
  • Meditation helps the brain strengthen its muscles and reduce stress-related hormones that can affect concentration. With daily meditation, rumination decreases and brain capacity increases.
  • Nature walks and mindfulness. Lack of concentration can be associated with a constant stream of toxic thoughts that prevent individuals from focusing on their tasks. It helps to get some fresh air while focusing on the present moment relax and deal with stress and frustration.
  • Eat a healthy diet and consume good fats: Omega 3 and 6. They help maintain brain function. They are mainly found in fatty fish, vegetable oils, dried fruits, oilseeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, etc.).
  • By taking supplements you get all the nutrients necessary for good brain health: Zinc, magnesium, omegas, vitamins E and B. It is quite possible to find these contributions in the diet, but it is necessary to be strict. Dietary supplements provide temporary cures to bring the body's nutrient needs back into balance.

Also read – How do you get young people moving?

Simple methods to concentrate better

There are Organization techniques to increase your ability to concentrate. Whether at work, in class, while studying or simply watching a film without distraction.

  • The Pomodoro Method suggests taking 5-minute breaks after 25 minutes of work, which increases efficiency and reduces brain fatigue. Applications like Plantie allow you to manage this technique in a fun way.
  • Ultradian cycles encourage 90 minutes of work followed by a 30 minute to 1 hour break at each person's convenience.
  • Single-tasking involves focusing on one task at a time and using a list to organize and eliminate tasks one at a time.
  • Smartphones offer options to limit the time spent on certain applications to control information disclosure Reduce screen time. This makes it possible to effectively control the use of social networks and increase concentration time.

Also read – The benefits of mate during a high-fat diet

Written by Camille V.

Sources

– Vivendi publishes study on Generation Z and how it is redefining the entertainment industry www.vivendi.com. Accessed February 16, 2024.

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CASAPQ is asking for $242.8 million for sports and physical activity

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After presenting its preliminary budget report “For an active and healthy Quebec,” the Coalition for the Future of Sport and Physical Activity in Quebec (CASAPQ) made an urgent appeal to the government for a significant investment of $242.8 million in Sport and leisure physical activity in Quebec's 2024-2025 budget.

The goal of this advocacy group is to highlight the importance of sport and physical activity to the public health and economic well-being of the province.

Faced with an alarming sedentary lifestyle crisis, the coalition emphasizes the need for immediate government action to encourage active lifestyles from an early age. It calls for the prevention of diseases linked to inactivity to be given priority and for the prevention budget, which currently represents only 2% of the health budget, to be significantly increased.

CASAPQ also highlights the importance of professionalizing the sports environment and physical activity to ensure quality, safe and accessible support for all. “This need leads to a call for multi-year and predictable financing, essential to support sustainable growth of the sector,” specifies the coalition in a press release.

The coalition emphasizes that every dollar invested in sport and physical activity can generate up to $9.80 in economic benefits, “representing an unprecedented opportunity for the government to increase its impact on public health and the to maximize the economy.”

The coalition also insists that access to sport and physical activity should be equal for all Quebecers, regardless of where they live or their economic situation. It underlines the urgency of implementing inclusive policies that guarantee every citizen the opportunity to participate in regular physical activities that have a positive impact on their mental and physical health. (NP)

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A return to open source is desirable!

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Illustration DALL-E3 + Photoshop AI.Illustration DALL-E3 + Photoshop AI.

Microsoft's massive investments in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly through its partnership with OpenAI (ChatGPT) or its participation in the young French start-up Mistral, raise questions about the future of open source in the AI ​​field. Elon Musk himself intervened! Infomaniak is observing in Switzerland.

The billionaire, an iconic and controversial technology figure, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its founders because he feared they served the interests of Microsoft shareholders rather than real progress for humanity. This situation highlights a growing tension between open source principles, which advocate freedom and accessibility of code, and the business strategies of tech giants.

Redirected to open source

Open source, which has sometimes spurred innovation and collaboration in software development, appears to have been hijacked. Microsoft's multibillion-dollar investments in OpenAI illustrate a trend toward privatizing advances in AI, potentially moving these technologies away from the principles of sharing and accessibility that characterize open source.

The original goal of OpenAI, as the name suggests, was to develop artificial intelligence that was open and useful to everyone. However, Microsoft's recent investments appear to be aligning the company with fundamental commercial goals that are far removed from this altruistic vision.

Little outcry

In view of these challenges, according to various observers, a return to open source principles in the development of AI appears not only desirable but necessary. This would ensure that advances in AI benefit all of humanity and not just a handful of economic actors whose morals remain unclear.

The alliance between Mistral and Microsoft recently marked a turning point and ended the illusion of European technological independence. This collaboration has raised concerns about Europe's ability to maintain technological sovereignty amid the dominance of American AI giants.

Measures in Europe and Switzerland?

Faced with these challenges, the continent has begun to respond. The European Commission has opened an investigation into Microsoft's investment in Mistral, raising concerns about the impact of such partnerships on innovation and competition. The move is part of a broader EU effort to regulate the AI ​​sector.

In Switzerland, Infomaniak, which offers services derived from Mistral, is reassuring. “We will monitor this carefully and it in no way prevents the current model from continuing to operate as it is fully powered by our infrastructure. Until a few months ago, Mixtral did not exist, it is an area that is changing a lot,” Thomas Jacobsen, communications manager, told us.

Microsoft's investments in OpenAI and other companies raise fundamental questions about the future of open source and the direction of AI development. And even more fundamentally, when we see Microsoft integrating AI into its products, we tell ourselves that the outcome is pretty bleak right now.

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International Space Station | Flight from Florida to ISS postponed by 24 hours

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The launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which was supposed to transport three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut from Florida to the International Space Station (ISS) on the night of Saturday to Sunday, was postponed by one day due to weather, the operator said.

Posted at 12:41 p.m.

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Originally scheduled for 11:16 p.m. local time on Saturday (11:16 p.m.). [heure de l’Est] Sunday) at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, the launch had to be postponed to 10:53 p.m. local time on Sunday (10:53 p.m.). [heure de l’Est] Monday) due to “strong winds,” SpaceX said.

This flight, organized as part of the usual ISS crew rotation, was originally scheduled for February 22nd and was therefore postponed for the first time.

The Dragon capsule attached to the tip of the rocket, which is intended to carry the crew, has already been used on four manned missions.

This time the four passengers are members of Crew-8, the eighth regular rotation mission that SpaceX has carried out for NASA since 2020.

“To the untrained eye, it seems almost routine that SpaceX sends them there one by one,” NASA chief Bill Nelson admitted at a press conference this week.

American Michael Barratt is the only Crew 8 astronaut to have visited the International Space Station (ISS). This will be his third stay on board.

However, it will be the first space flight for the other two Americans, Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps, as well as the Russian cosmonaut Alexandre Grebionkin.

NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos, which jointly operate the ISS, have launched an astronaut exchange program in which each takes turns bringing a crew member from the other country.

This program was maintained despite the war in Ukraine and the ISS is now one of the very few cooperation partners between Washington and Moscow.

The Crew-8 members will join the seven people already on the ISS.

After a handover period of a few days with the four members of Crew-7 – an American, a Dane, a Japanese and a Russian – they return to Earth aboard their own Dragon capsule.

More than 200 scientific experiments must be carried out during the six months that Crew-8 spends in the flying laboratory, which has been permanently inhabited for 23 years.

While the first years of the station's life were devoted to construction, astronauts can now devote more time to science.

But the station's age also has a downside: NASA and Roscomos are monitoring a “leak” whose flow has increased recently, Joel Montalbano, head of the ISS program at NASA, said this week.

Located at the end of a Russian module, the Russian Progress spacecraft docks with the ISS. A hatch is currently permanently closed to isolate the leak from the rest of the station.

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Pokémon surprised everyone by announcing this new game: a masterpiece on every level

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Pokémon Game News surprised everyone by announcing this new game: a masterpiece on every level

Published on March 2nd, 2024 at 6:10 p.m

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On the 28th anniversary of Pokémon Red and Blue's release in Japan, a new video game in the series was announced. An announcement that turns rumors and logic on its head. And that is very good.

On February 27th, Pokémon celebrated its 28th anniversary. Like every year, the Pokémon Company presents Pokémon Presents: a digital event where they talk about the future of their video games. This meeting is eagerly awaited by players because, until proven otherwise, the new Pokémon games will be announced during these Pokémon Presents. A tradition that continues with the latest edition with the presentation of the Pokémon Legends ZA game to the whole world. A surprising announcement that is excellent on several levels.

No fifth generation on the program: surprise triumphs over logic

We can't say that The Pokémon Company has been innovative in recent years. When it comes to its video games, the company even did what was expected of it: a fourth-generation remake with Sparkling Diamond / Sparkling Pearl; large areas to explore with the Nintendo Switch and of course the introduction of a new generation of Pokémon through an open world. Funnily enough, which we'll come back to, Pokémon Legends: Arceus was the only surprise offered by Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures.

Ahead of Pokémon Presents 2024, it was hard not to anticipate the possible presentation of remastered versions of the fifth generation titles. It wouldn't have shocked anyone to see the ILCA studio (which is also behind One Piece Odyssey) back behind new episodes. They probably would have called them “Pokémon Black Onyx Version” and “Pokémon White Tungsten Version” just to highlight their new graphical qualities.

In addition, certain persistent rumors had spread among the players. Including that the second generation of Pokémon (Gold and Silver) would be in the spotlight. Whether in the form of a new Let's Go episode, a Pokémon legend about Celebi or even an open-world remake of the first games, there was something for everyone.

The Pokémon Company has chosen to ignore all of this. She surprised everyone with the announcement of Pokémon Legends: ZA. And that's good ! By not following the path of logic and offering a new work, it arouses interest. By choosing the path of the unknown over that of habit, you can also attract a wider range of players.. As a new installment, Pokémon Legends: ZA appeals to those who have no interest in remakes (even modern ones) of Pokémon, while capturing the attention of a seasoned audience. Everyone is talking about the game, which has so far only been able to play to its strengths very little, which causes imitation. Enough to generate excitement (and hype).

Pokémon Legends ZA: Fans stroked in the right direction

Pokémon Legends: ZA Surprises. So it is the novelty that suggests it seduces. However, with a sense of déjà vu, he manages to put Pokémon players in his pocket (and me first!). In 2025, players travel to Ilumis: it is the sixth generation (Pokémon X/Y) city that is clearly inspired by Paris. This alone makes it difficult not to interest players. The French capital has been one of the world's most popular travel destinations for decades and was the most visited city in the world in 2023, according to CNN.

Furthermore, the image at the end of the trailer is also attractive as it shows the Mega Evolution logo. A mechanic appreciated by players that allows certain Pokémon to evolve again during battle. Charizard, Mewtwo, Scizor… It is this mechanic (appears with X/Y) that gave strategic battles a completely new dimension while deconstructing the image of already known Pokémon. Since then, subsequent episodes have attempted to incorporate this mechanic with small changes. We didn't make it any better than the original, although we have to admit that the Tera crystallization that came out with Écarlate/Violet did quite well.

After all, Pokémon Legends initially remains a nice surprise. While some cannot overcome the title's technical pitfalls, others have stressed that they prefer the gameplay it offers. A more action-oriented style of play where filling the Pokédex requires thorough investigation of the pocket monsters. To get a complete description, we then need to put them in different situations.

The ambiguity about the title technique

This surprising announcement from Pokémon Legends: ZA is also fueling speculation. Through several tweets we know that it will only take place in the city of Illumis. We also know that the story was supposed to take place after the events of X and Y: This is evidenced by the differences between the map highlighted in the trailer and that of the game released on Nintendo 3DS. A megalopolisation project that proposes a futuristic, very dense city “where residents and Pokémon can coexist.” Pokémon even hints in its tweets that it will be an “ambitious” episode

LegendsPokemonZA, an ambitious new work in the Pokémon video game series, will be released on Nintendo Switch consoles in 2025!

As already mentioned, such a title reflects the ambition of a specific technical requirement. Nintendo, Pokémon and each of their subsidiaries highlighted the game's trailer with the term “ambitious.” But in addition to this chosen adjective, it's obviously the mention of “NIntendo Switch consoles” that's getting people talking. A sentence that is subject to multiple interpretations. Nintendo Switch consoles can be mentioned in different models: a standard model, a model with an OLED screen or even a Nintendo Switch Light. It can also refer to Switch consoles in general, which are available around the world.

But that's obviously not what players are thinking about. It is the new Nintendo console, which, according to the latest rumors, will be released around the first quarter of 2025. We then have a hard time getting our minds off the fact that Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released on January 28, 2022. A similar release would have had the advantage of offering the game on both the Nintendo Switch and the more modern console. Which would also explain the phrase “on Nintendo Switch consoles”. In any case, it is difficult (if not impossible) to believe in error. The Pokémon Company and its parent companies know very well what they are doing and play with this ambiguity.

At the moment, many questions are arising following the announcement of Pokémon Legends: ZA. There's the one in the script context; that on the starters offered at the start of the game; or the technical achievement that the title represents. Several questions that undoubtedly raise an observation. By moving away from logic, The Pokémon Company surprises players… and, above all, awakens their desire to become interested in the games of the license.

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The American lunar probe Odysseus was decommissioned – rts.ch

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The private American probe Odysseus, which was on the moon for a week, was put into hibernation at the end of its main mission. But the company that developed it, Intuitive Machines, hopes to turn it back on at the end of the lunar night.

“Goodnight, Odie,” the Texas startup said on X, calling the device by its nickname. “We hope to hear from you again.” On February 22, Odysseus became the first private spacecraft to land on the moon and the first American spacecraft since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.

>> Read about the topic: For the first time in history, a private company manages to land on the moon

Due to an error in its navigation system, it approached the lunar surface too quickly during its descent, breaking at least one of its six feet. Once placed, it tilted and found that it was at about a 30 degree tilt. However, some of its solar panels were still able to function and provide it with energy.

Since then, Odysseus has transmitted photos and scientific data, particularly those collected by NASA instruments on board. The lander's mission was originally scheduled to last about seven days before the lunar night descended over the South Pole, the region where Odysseus landed.

Icy cold ahead

But on Wednesday, Steve Altemus, head of Intuitive Machines, said the company would try to contact the probe again “in two or three weeks,” once the sun appears high enough above the horizon again.

However, it is very uncertain whether the device, especially its batteries, will survive the upcoming freezing cold. Even if the Japanese lunar probe SLIM succeeded this month. Both NASA and Intuitive Machines called Odysseus' trip to the moon a success.

“Farewell broadcast”

Odysseus is the probe that landed furthest south on the Moon, an area of ​​particular interest to major powers because there is water there in the form of ice that could be exploited. NASA would like to explore this region with such robots before sending its astronauts there as part of its Artemis missions.

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“Before his energy was exhausted, Odysseus sent a fitting farewell broadcast,” Intuitive Machines said Thursday, attaching to his message an image of the moon’s surface taken last week with Earth in the background. “A subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe,” the company said.

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A conference to prepare for the solar eclipse

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To prepare Charlevoix residents for viewing the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, the Charlevoix Astronomy Club is organizing a free conference that will take place in four different communities.

“We will have the incredible opportunity to observe a solar eclipse in Charlevoix. It will be almost completely obscured (97% obscuration) and those who have the opportunity to observe it will surely have unforgettable memories! », says François Boucher, vice president of the Astronomy Club and host of the conference.

“But will we see them?” What is the probability that the sky will be clear around 3:30 p.m., at the peak of the eclipse? » asks the amateur astronomer, who will discuss the most interesting and safe methods for observing the solar eclipse.

The historical aspect of observing eclipses is also discussed. “Since the beginning of time, lunar and solar eclipses have fascinated and sometimes frightened those who observe them. Today we can only admire the patience, perseverance and intelligence of the ancient sky watchers who managed to understand the regularity of eclipse cycles and even predict their occurrence even before they had a coherent cosmological model,” says Mr. Boucher.

The conference will take place on Monday, March 11, at 7 p.m. at the René Richard Library in Baie-Saint-Paul and on Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. at the Aux Quatre-Vents Library in Saint-Hilarion . on Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m., at the Félix-Antoine Savard Library in Les Éboulements and finally on Wednesday, April 3, at 7 p.m., at the Laure-Conan Library in La Malbaie.

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NASA has changed the shape of an asteroid

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Published March 2, 2024 at 4:18 p.m.

Updated March 2, 2024 at 4:20 p.m.

The asteroid Dimorphos weighs one million tons. NASA hit it so hard that it lost 10,000 tons and changed shape.

Planetary Defense

Last September, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission tested a method of planetary defense by hitting the asteroid Dimorphos to throw it off course. NASA researchers wanted to test the feasibility of this process to potentially deflect asteroids whose trajectory could cross Earth's.

A different trajectory

NASA's probe hit the asteroid at a speed of 15,000 miles per hour, changing its trajectory by more than half a degree. Half a degree may not seem like much, but at a distance of, say, a million kilometers, or less than three times the distance between the Earth and the Moon, such a deviation would correspond to a difference of more than 10,000 km. So this would be enough for a dangerous asteroid to avoid our planet.

A colossal effect

But that's not all. Investigations with complex simulations then produced a surprising result. The impact not only changed the asteroid's trajectory, but also changed its shape. Between 0.5% and 1% of its mass was ejected and 8% was redistributed, giving it a new appearance. In a few years, the European Space Agency's Hera mission will visit Dimorphos and may be able to confirm these data. Another step towards planetary defense against possible asteroid impacts on Earth.

SEE ALSO: Snowmobiler buried by avalanche

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