The unforeseen benefits of lockdown | Letters
Frank Land touches on the new opportunities provided by technology for exploration and novel experiences, while Ya’ir Klein says the pandemic has given us time for reflection, and Louise Smith uses science to explain strange happenings
I can appreciate Richard Friedman’s concerns about the damage lockdown can do to our brains and mental states (If you’re ecstatic after a trip to the shops, it’s your brain thanking you for the novelty, 25 March), but am surprised that he does not mention the new opportunities provided by technology for exploration and novel experiences.
Each day brings an array of conferences, discussions and debates, bringing people from around the globe together in ways undreamed of only a short while ago. Using Zoom or Microsoft Teams, I have been able to attend, learn and contribute to a range of topics, some totally new to me, but fascinating – and opening new interests.