An infusion of federal pandemic relief to America's schools sparked a boom in the education technology sector, an industry where research and evidence are scarce

Crunchyroll is getting into gaming. On Tuesday, the anime streaming service launched Crunchyroll Game Vault,

Capcom didn’t reveal any bombshells at its dedicated Summer Game Fest showcase; many titles were

Areas with lower bird diversity appear to have a higher number of hospital admissions related to mental health conditions, research suggests. Experts analysed data from ebird – an online database of bird observations by citizen scientists – to estimate diversity across the US state of Michigan. The team then combined this with hospital admissions for anxiety and mood disorders in the state. The findings, published in the journal Geo: Geography And Environment, showed lower bird diversity to be a significant predictor of higher numbers of hospital admissions for mental health conditions, highlighting the complex relationship between the disorders and biodiversity crises. It is critical we take a holistic approach to our mental health and nature Dr Rachel Buxton The researchers said that while income and the presence of green spaces were the strongest predictors of anxiety and mood disorder-related admissions, there were also independent “significant associations” between mental health and bird diversity. Lead author Dr Rachel Buxton, assistant professor at the Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences at Carleton University in Canada, said: “Often we consider nature as representing the amount of green space near homes or the distance to the nearest park, but the link between species diversity and health is underexplored. “Our study shows that if species diversity can affect mental health at the severe end of the spectrum (hospitalisations), it is possible that the decline in biodiversity across the globe may be intricately connected with our anxiety and mood on a day-to-day basis. “It is critical we take a holistic approach to our mental health and nature. “Investing in nature should not be viewed as a luxury, but a necessity, and evaluated in the context of the support for wellbeing it offers individuals and communities living in urban or nature-scarce environments. “Restoring and conserving diverse bird communities could be one avenue to improving mental health in cities and factored into urban restoration projects and public health policies.” Last year, researchers from King’s College London found that watching birds or listening to birdsong was linked to mental wellbeing, with effects lasting up to eight hours. The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) team said at that time that the links between birds and mental wellbeing were not explained by co-occurring environmental factors such as the presence of trees, plants or waterways.

This week’s new entertainment releases include a new album from Lucinda Williams, the kickoff of the 20th season of the reality dating show “The Bachelorette” starring a 27-year-old therapist from Georgia who was featured on the last season of “The Bachelor,” and Idris Elba is stuck on the worst flight ever in the new series “Hijack” for Apple TV+

Nestle SA sold its peanut-allergy medicine business to Swiss health-care group Stallergenes Greer after the food company gave

You might not immediately think of Disney+ as a go-to for documentaries, but there's more

Jennifer Garner has spoken candidly about the “mess of parenting” her children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, and why it is a “gift”. The 51-year-old actor opened up about raising children while in the public eye during a recent conversation with Sheryl Lee Ralph for Variety’s Actors on Actors series. During the discussion, Ralph said that she had “many things in common” with Garner, as a fellow actor and mother. “With all the celebrity and all of that, I feel like I have a very normal life, and I think you have that similar sort of vibe. And we love our kids,” she said. The 13 Going on 30 star agreed with the statement by sharing her own experience, adding: “And all the mess of parenting. It’s a gift.” Both actors share children with previous partners, as Ralph has a 31-year-old son, Etienne, and 28-year-old daughter, Ivy, with ex-husband, Eric Maurice. In 2005, the Abbott Elementary star married Vincent Hughes. Before getting divorced in 2018, Garner and her ex Affleck welcomed three children, Violet, 17, Seraphina, 14, Samuel, 11. In 2022, Affleck married Jennifer Lopez, who shares 15-year-old twins, Maximilian and Emme, with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony. During their conversation for Variety, Ralph said that she has a good relationship with her ex, while she also praising Garner for her bond with Affleck. “And both of us having gone through divorce,” she said. “You did something that I did as well - maintain a healthy relationship with my ex for the health and well-being of my children. With the spotlight on us all the time, sometimes that can be difficult.” After Garner agreed with the sentiment, Ralph added: “When I look at my kids, when I see you and your kids, I was like: ‘Girl, we did that.’” In response, the Elektra star exchanged a fist bump with Ralph and said: “We’re doing it!” Amid her and Affleck’s co-parenting journey, Garner has often shared her candid thoughts about her ex and the current status of their relationship. During an interview with Stellar Magazine in April, she confessed that she tries not to read any media coverage about Affleck. “I really work hard not to see either of us in the press,” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel good, even if it’s something nice about one of us. I just try to forget that I’m out there in any way, and the same with anyone I love. I don’t need to see anyone in my family made into a meme.” Last year, Lopez also spoke out about blending families with Garner. While appearing on the cover of Vogue in November, Lopez called the Alias star “an amazing co-parent” and shared that Garner and Affleck “work really well together” when it comes to taking care of their three children. Read More Jennifer Garner recalls learning about vaginal collapse from her OB-GYN: ‘What is happening?’ Jennifer Garner reveals her children aren’t on social media and says eldest daughter is ‘grateful’ for it Jennifer Garner says she ‘works really hard’ to avoid seeing stories about ex-husband Ben Affleck in the press Chris Pratt says people should ‘rush’ to have children: ‘Don’t wait’ How should we be talking to our daughters about money? Jessie J announces name of her and Chanan Safir Colman’s baby boy

OpenAI decided to make Sam Altman CEO again, just five days after removing him from

The huge outcry in Spain over football federation chief Luis Rubiales' forcible kiss of World Cup player Jenni Hermoso highlights the waning power of male chauvinism in a country that has...

Fake belly buttons are being sold online in a bid to make people's legs look longer. The stick-on buttons have reportedly been created to boost people’s confidence. The stickers are intended to be stuck on your stomach, a few centimetres above your real belly button. The real one should then be covered with a skirt of jeans, in order to make the torso seem shorter, and the legs longer. The curious beauty product can be bought on multiple websites, including eBay, where you can buy a pack of 10 sheets for £3.85. The listing appears as: "Realistic simulation belly button for woman girl summer party." The condition is described as new, with sixteen belly button stickers that can be seen per sheet. The idea is popular in China – but now they are being sold to buyers in the UK. In a viral TikTok video, user ShiYiTongYa told viewers: "It's quite natural and I think it looks better than my real belly button. In normal situations, no one's going to come up to me, scrutinise my belly, and figure out if my belly button's real." A separate video shows creator LiangBuZhengYy advising people to use a plaster over their real belly button as a disguise. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Coco Gauff's first-ever US Open finals appearance is serving up increased demand from tennis fans.