The Scientific Case for the Suburbs
About the author Mark Wilson is a senior writer at Fast Company. He started Philanthroper.com, a simple way to give back every day. More

If you grew up in the suburbs, you may have a larger brain than kids who grew up in a city. Why, you ask? According to research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, green space may be the reason.

A study analyzed 253 school-aged children and found a positive correlation between green space and brain tissue -- those with more access to green space had more brain tissue in the prefrontal cortex and both hemispheres of the brain. Higher brain volume is associated with higher cognitive function, so this is quite a finding. Another study found a positive correlation between green space and better memory and attentiveness.

It's not clear exactly what about green space causes the correlation between brain size and environment. Rather, it may be a combination of things: our evolutionary fondness for nature, less pollution and noise, and even the microbes that make their way indoors. Whatever the reason, it's obvious that green space is a valuable commodity; we should protect it and create more of it when possible.

While it's likely you don't have school-aged children, maybe you have or will have grandchildren who can reap the benefits of these scientific findings. And if not, the overall health benefits of green space can be enjoyed by everyone at every age. So if you're considering a move to the suburbs, add this to the list of pros.

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