The science, with sources
Cognitive training is a field full of overclaiming — so we do the opposite. Every article here traces its claims to peer-reviewed research, cites the inconvenient findings alongside the encouraging ones, and links the actual papers. Read first, then see how you measure up.
Does Brain Training Work? What the Science Actually Says
The honest answer, with sources: training reliably improves the skills you practice, far transfer is contested. The BBC study, the dueling letters, the FTC case.
6 min readWhat Is Working Memory? Capacity, Limits, and Training
The mind's scratchpad holds about four chunks, not seven. What working memory is, how it's measured, and what training can and can't do — with sources.
6 min readAverage Reaction Time: What's Normal and Can You Train It?
Typical simple reaction time is ~230 ms on calibrated hardware — and every browser test adds lag. How reaction time ages, why sound beats sight, and what training does.
6 min readMental Rotation: The Spatial Skill You Can Actually Train
Spatial skills are the exception in the brain-training debate: a 217-study meta-analysis found durable, transferable gains. The science of mental rotation, with sources.