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Have you got a favourite track? Well, it’s time to turn it up and enjoy the beat with a warm cup of coffee. Everyday pleasures like listening to music or sipping a cup of coffee can elevate brain activity, improving cognitive performance including in tasks demanding concentration and memory, according to a recent study. A group of researchers looked at a new NYU Tandon School of Engineering study involving MindWatch a brain-monitoring technology. MindWatch is an algorithm that analyses a person’s brain activity from data which is collected from a wearable device which can monitor electrodermal activity (EDA). EDA is a measure of electrical changes in the skin triggered by emotional stress, often associated with sweat responses. In the study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, participants were made to wear these skin-monitoring wristbands as well as brain-monitoring headbands to complete a range of cognitive tests. The tests were conducted while the participants listened to music, drank their coffee and smelled perfumes reflecting their individual preferences. These tests were completed again without any of those stimulants. Researchers found that both music and coffee significantly influenced participants’ brain arousal, and put them in a “state of mind” that could “modulate their performance in the working memory tasks they were performing,” the NYU press release says. The wearable device found that the stimulates specifically triggered increased “beta band” brain wave activity which is linked to peak cognitive performance. Perfumes also had a slight positive effect, suggesting to researchers that there is a need for further investigation. “The pandemic has impacted the mental well-being of many people across the globe and now more than ever, there is a need to seamlessly monitor the negative impact of everyday stressors on one’s cognitive function,” says Rose Faghih, an associate professor of biomedical engineering who developed MindWatch in six years. “Right now MindWatch is still under development, but our eventual goal is that it will contribute to technology that could allow any person to monitor his or her own brain cognitive arousal in real-time, detecting moments of acute stress or cognitive disengagement, for example. “At those times, MindWatch could ‘nudge’ a person towards simple and safe interventions — perhaps listening to music — so they could get themselves into a brain state in which they feel better and perform job or school tasks more successfully, professor Faghih added. The specific tests used in this study involved a working memory task, called the n-back test which involves presenting a sequence of stimuli to the participants, in this case, images or sounds. It was shown one by one, and people were asked to indicate whether the current stimulus matched the one presented "n" items back in the sequence. This study employed a 1-back test — the participant responded "yes" when the current stimulus is the same as the one presented one item back — and a more challenging 3-back test, asking the same for three items back. Three types of music were also tested out, there was energetic and relaxing music familiar to the participants, as well as novel AI-generated music that reflected the subject’s tastes. Results showed that familiar, energetic music led to the best performance, followed by AI-generated music tailored to the participant’s taste. Coffee and perfume had lesser but still noticeable positive impacts. The MindWatch team wish to conduct further experiments to confirm the tool’s reliability and understand the broader effectiveness of various interventions on brain activity. Researchers have noted that while specific interventions might generally boost brain performance, individual results may vary. The study is published in the journal Nature. Read More ‘The Puss in Boots Effect:’ Women use infant-directed speech when addressing dogs with larger eyes Study reveals one thing to focus on if you want to live to 100 Extreme heat may speed up cognitive decline for people from poorer neighbourhoods Quick, moist and flavourful: Jurgen Krauss’s marble cake Mother whose hot flushes led to leukaemia diagnosis says ‘don’t ignore’ symptoms What happens at a sexual health check-up?

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Shakira has made a fashion statement while attending Paris Fashion Week in an over-the-top trench coat. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer, 46, stepped out at the Viktor & Rolf Fall/Winter 2023 runway show in Paris on Wednesday 5 July wearing a white-and-gold-accented trench coat, with the word “NO” emblazoned on the front. The white, double-breasted coat featured the three-dimensional letters protruding from each side of the jacket, with gold embellishments along the trim. The statement coat also tied in the front, with Shakira pairing the bold look with large brown-tinted sunglasses and gold heels. The “NO” trench coat originally debuted during the Viktor & Rolf’s Fall/Winter 2008 collection in grey, before it was revived with a white version one decade later. In a video taken at the Paris fashion show, the Colombian singer revealed the inspiration behind her statement piece. “‘Yes’ is overrated,” she told a reporter. “I identify with ‘no,’ it’s a very powerful word.” Shakira later reiterated that “yes” is “overrated” in a clip shared to her Instagram account, in which she could be seen wearing the bold trench coat. The “Waka Waka” singer’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week comes after her highly-publicised split from ex Gerard Pique. In June 2022, Shakira and Piqué announced they were breaking up after nearly 11 years together. The former couple share two sons, Milan and Sasha. “We regret to confirm that we are separating,” a representative for the singer confirmed at the time. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.” Some fans have suggested the “NO” coat was a subtle reference to the former professional soccer player, who has since made his relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Clara Chia Marti Instagram official. In a recent interview with People en Español, Shakira revealed that she learned Piqué had “betrayed” her while her father was hospitalised in the intensive care unit. She explained that her father, William Mebarak Chadid, was visiting her in Barcelona in the wake of her breakup when he suffered a bad fall. “He went to Barcelona to console me after I was consumed with sadness because of my separation,” she recalled. “While he was at Milan’s first communion, he was gravely injured in an accident. Everything happened at once.” As she reflected on her public breakup, Shakira continued: “My home was falling apart. I was finding out through the press that I had been betrayed while my dad was in the ICU.” It was initially speculated that Piqué had cheated on Shakira, after he was spotted with Marti in August 2022 months after the split. In January, reports claimed Shakira had found out about the alleged infidelity through a jar of strawberry jam. The rumours first stemmed from a music video for her and Rauw Alejandro’s song, “Te Felicito,” which was released in August 2022. “Shakira is having fun saying NO. To the ex, to the ex monsters-in-law ... to the PRESS. She didn’t choose that dress for nothing. She is saying no to all the BS!” one person tweeted. Others were simply amused by the unique outfit, with another fan writing: “Is Shakira just wearing a jacket or dress with a giant ‘NO’ on it? Sensational.” “Shakira is in her NO era,” someone else wrote. Shakira has shared that she’s been focusing on herself and her two children, amid their reported move from Spain to the United States. “I feel complete – because I feel like I can depend on myself and I have two kids who depend on me,” she said in an interview with En Punto con Enrique Acevedo last February. “I have to be stronger than a lion,” Shakira added. “That strength, in order for it to be real and not a facade, it needs to be the result of a great pain – accepting that pain and tolerating the frustration because there are things in life that don’t turn out the way we want them to.” Read More Shakira says she learned ex Gerard Piqué ‘betrayed’ her while her father was in ICU Tom Cruise and Shakira dating rumours spark confused reactions from fans Shakira took on the ‘scorned woman’ role, and promptly set fire to it Shakira learned ex Gerard Piqué ‘betrayed’ her while her father was in ICU Florence Pugh makes return to Paris Fashion Week in sheer dress following uproar As Katie Boulter takes Wimbledon by storm, we look at her best on-court fashion so far

Daniel Ricciardo is “less likely” to feature at the Qatar Grand Prix next week, according to Red Bull boss Christian Horner. Ricciardo, who returned to the F1 grid in July after replacing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, broke a bone in his hand during practice at the Dutch Grand Prix in late August. The Australian has not featured since and although he is making progress in his recovery, next week’s race in Lusail looks like it will come a bit too soon. “I would say probably less likely than likely at the moment,” Horner said, when asked by Sky Sports News whether Ricciardo would feature in Qatar. "His recuperation is going well but he’s fixed in the seat for next year, does he need to rush a hasty return for Qatar where maybe another couple of weeks for Austin, which is a hell of a bumpy circuit anyway, it might be better to use that time in preparation for Austin. "I know he’s got his sights fixed on Qatar, he’ll drive the simulator next week and then we’ll make some decisions based on that." In Ricciardo’s absence, Liam Lawson has filled in and impressed, especially with his ninth-place finish in Singapore which secured Red Bull’s sister team their best result of the season. “He’s done a great job; he’s really impressed us,” Horner said of Lawson. "He’s done exactly what we could have asked for in terms of grabbing the opportunity in Daniel’s absence to really show his capability. That’s turned some heads and it’s done him a lot of good. "We’ll keep developing him when he goes back into that test and reserve role and he’ll be a candidate certainly for 2025." Despite his good form, as it stands Lawson willnot be on the grid next year, with Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda keeping their seats at Alpha in 2024. Lawson has, however, been linked with replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams, with the American’s seat the only position on the grid yet to be confirmed for next year. Read More F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link The rise of Oscar Piastri: A genuine rival for Lando Norris at last F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Qatar Grand Prix? How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship in Qatar? F1 team application to join grid with female driver in 2026 rejected

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