The internet might be changing how we think, but that’s not necessarily a problem

There are two general sides to the debate about internet use and intelligence. The first, more traditionalist group insists that having easy access to information has made us incapable of concentrating or retaining information, either because of distractions or because we’re used to being able to search for answers. On the other side, it’s possible that knowing we can look for information requires us to spend more time thinking about connections between it, instead of focusing on rote memorization. Scientific American takes a look at the debate, suggesting that despite being likely to replace memorized information, web tools may be “creating a new set of neural connections and engaging young brains in an unprecedented way.”