Simple Memory Boost: Shut Your Eyes

If you want to boost your brain's ability to memorize things, shut your eyes for a few minutes. That's the message from a group of neuroscientists from Scotland, who performed a study on elderly men and women that tested their ability to memorize details with and without short breaks.

They found that participants who closed their eyes for 10 minutes in a dark room were better able to recall the details of a story they had heard. After the brief "brain rest" people were able to remember significantly more details than when they weren't allowed to take a break.

What's really amazing is that the memory boost lasted for a whole week. So it appears that taking just a short rest could allow you to process and remember large amounts of information. That's good news for older people, students, and those poor folks who have to work 12 hour shifts!

We say: For the best possible memory boost you might want to take things a bit further and try some meditation. It's been shown to be a great memory enhancer!

Learn some mo': To boost memory, shut your eyes

Gabby Douglas Becomes First African-American to Win Individual Gymnastics Gold Medal

In a huge shock to the international sports community, a 16-year-old African-American girl has become the all-around Olympic champion in women's gymnastics. It was her second gold in two days after helping her team win on Tuesday.

Experts say Douglas and her trainer Liang Chow were able to accomplish an amazing feat. Two years ago when she moved away from home to train with a world-class coach in Des Moines, Iowa Douglas was considered to be only "above average" in the American gymnastics community.

Things have certainly changed in the past few hours.

Turning her into a world champion took a giant effort, with countless hours of training and huge sacrifices for the petite dynamo. In the finals competition she was able to beat out 2 of the world's best Russian gymnasts, Viktoria Komova and 2010 world champion Aliya Mustafina, to take the gold and secure her place in sports history forever.

We say: Not huge gymnastics fans but... GO USA!!!

Learn some mo': Gymnast Gabby Douglas soars to women’s all-around gold

Michael Phelps: Now History's Greatest Olympic Athlete

American swimmer Michael Phelps became the greatest, most decorated athlete in the history of the Olympics yesterday by winning his 19th medal. He took a very close silver in the 200 meter butterfly and then pulled himself together enough to win a gold medal in the 4 by 200 meter freestyle relay.

That puts him ahead of the previous medal count record holder Larisa Latynina, a Russian Soviet gymnast from the 50's and 60's. The 27 year old US athlete previously won 8 medals in the 2004 games in Athens and then scooped up a record 8 gold medals in the Beijing games.

He has not had a fantastic start to the 2012 games -- missing a medal in the 400 meter medley and taking second in the 4 by 100 freestyle relay -- but that really doesn't matter now. He now has a total of 19 Olympic medals, nearly all golds with a few silvers thrown in. 

That makes Michael Phelps, officially, the greatest Olympian in history!

Learn some mo': It's beyond dispute: Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time