Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [reading]

22 questions
52
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2 answers

Is it harmful to your eyes to read in dim light?

Is there any scientific backing to the claim that reading in dim light damages your eyes? Related to: Does watching television damage the eyes?
Kit Sunde
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Reading while lying down is more strenuous (unhealthy) for eyes

My friend heard that reading while lying down is more strenuous (unhealthy) for eyes. I like reading in bed (books, tablet). Is there some study that confirms this hypothesis? I use two positions (looking to the book on the side or looking to the…
xralf
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Is the Comic Sans font easier to read for dyslexics?

After getting into an argument with a friend about the use/existence of the Comic Sans font, he said that it is one of the few typefaces that virtually eliminates confusion among dyslexics. It appears others have the same opinion. Many sources…
tpg2114
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Is “Your Baby Can Read” effective and helpful?

I have seen these videos advertised online and on TV, and they make some pretty fantastic claims, showing kids as young as 2 reading complicated words. From what I can find online, it uses a memorization technique, which while possibly providing…
Ustice
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Is it harmful to read while moving?

My dad has always told me not to read things (just books/papers inside the car) while the car was moving. When I asked why, he said that it puts too much strain on your eyes because the book/paper is moving around. Is this true? Same for reading a…
Jason
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Are shorter lines easier to read?

People keep claiming that shorter lines are easier to read - especially when discussing user interfaces and fixed width layouts. I recall a stack overflow question years ago where someone essentially debunked this and had studies to prove that long…
Adam Davis
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Does reading off a self-luminous tablet impact the quality of sleep?

I've heard claimed many times that reading an iPad in bed makes for worse sleep quality than reading a book or a Kindle with a bedside lamp, Possible explanations I've heard are because of the brightness level, the blue-rich light or the angle of…
Sklivvz
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Is ALL CAPS hard to read?

A 2009 regulation in the US specifies that street name signs "shall be composed of a combination of lower-case letters with initial upper-case letters" (source). For example, "DOLLYWOOD" would not be okay, but should instead be "Dollywood". I…
Joey Adams
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Is an amber background color better for reading at night?

Google Books app has the Night Light mode. It detects the time of the day and adjust the light accordingly. Is there any scientific study that backs up such statement? Update: Text from image: As the sun sets, Night Light gradually filters the…
marcanuy
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1 answer

Does text highlighting distract from reading comprehension?

The other day my lecturer warned against underline or highlighting important lines in your textbook, as it increases your chances of distraction. Harvard Library makes a similar claim: Throw away your highlighter: Highlighting can seem like an…
agha rehan abbas
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Does a "desirable difficulty" in reading font affect memory retention?

Sans Forgetica is a font designed using the principles of cognitive psychology to help you to better remember your study notes. Sans Forgetica is more difficult to read than most typefaces – and that's by design. The 'desirable difficulty' you…
user11643
12
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1 answer

Did Howard Stephen Berg comprehend 80 pages per minute?

On this video, Howard Stephen Berg appears as a guest speaker, where the host claims that he could read 80 pages per minute. That just seems impossible. I understand that speed reading is possible and successful to some extent, with a trade-off…
J.Todd
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Will 1 in 4 American children grow up illiterate?

There's a Kickstarter to bring back Reading Rainbow currently running. One stat in particular really stands out for me: Right now, 1 out of every 4 children in America will grow up illiterate. This is fairly shocking to me, but the Kickstarter…
BiscuitBaker
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Can reading on a moving vehicle cause retinal detachment?

When I was a child, I was told that reading a book on a moving vehicle (a car or a bus) could cause the retina to detach. I always doubted that, since I could not imagine how it would happen. Is there any truth to that statement?
CesarB
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Did Johann Wolfgang von Goethe invent a speed-reading technique?

I came across a mentioning of a speed-reading method devised by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) in the (delightful) German novel Risiko (DE, EN) by Steffen Kopetztky. Goethe has a similar status in Germany as Shakespeare does in…
Drux
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