AI Answers Fast — But May Cost Your Thinking

Reduced effort correlates with weaker logic.

View in Browser  DIGITAL ISSUES GEAR REVIEWS SUBSCRIBE I can't stop thinking about what this story suggests we might be giving up in exchange for letting AI think for us. Science shows that expending mental effort literally strengthens the circuits we rely on for things like resilience and creativity. But outsourcing that effort might come with real cognitive tradeoffs, this study says. Should we stop working with AI altogether? Of course not. But it is a reminder that doing the hard work still matters. —Andrew Daniels, Director of News  Your Brain's 'Scaffolding' Could Collapse—And It May Radically Alter the Way You Think A landmark study suggests that this daily habit may reshape the way your mind activates. Read More New Evidence May Solve One of Stonehenge's Most Legendary Mysteries We can stop crediting glaciers—the people had the power to move those massive stones. Read More Earth Pulsates Every 26 Seconds. No One Knows Why. Maybe you can solve this strange seismic mystery. Read More Why Your Basement Is Making the Rest of Your House Colder—And What You Can Do About It Spot insulation failures, and seal them for good. Read More The Frogs of Chernobyl Are Getting Darker in Real Time The frogs' adaptations is similar to adaptations made by humans in high-radiation regions, pointing to an underlying resilience in life itself. Read More The Galápagos Islands Once Hosted a Forgotten U.S. WW2 Base. Scientists Just Reconstructed It. While less than 3 percent of the original structure remains on Baltra Island, scientists were able to create a 3D digital version of the base. Read More Need Assistance? Contact Us. Follow Us Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Popular Mechanics is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2026 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779