Bird-watching, bananas, coffee shops, reading and more make up this week’s set:

Why you’re more creative in coffee shops – This article explores why some of the most successful people in history have done their best work in coffee shops. Reading this reminds me of some of the beautiful coffee shops around the world that I have had the good fortune of visiting, though I have never really worked much in any. Maybe I should change that, post-Covid.

The Surprising Science Behind the World’s Most Popular Fruit – In case you are not sure which fruit is being talked about, it’s the humble banana. For us in India, this might not be a big deal, exposed as we are to a variety of fresh bananas. But given that bananas are a tropical fruit, and people all over the world consume it, the process of getting a banana from the farm to the hands of the consumer before it gets spoilt is a complex one.

Tweeting appreciation: bird-watching groups take flight in lockdown – This is a British article, but I have read of similar stories from other parts of the world as well. And if you are wondering what the fuss is all about, I would urge you to just pay attention to the sights and sounds of the natural world around you – you will be pleasantly surprised.

How Should We Read? – This interesting article explores how the art of reading is being ‘disrupted’ by the digital screen. I am a late adopter of technology, but of late, I have been reading quite a bit on my Kindle app. While I still prefer the tactile sensations of reading a physical book, I appreciate some of the benefits of digital reading.

The days are long but the decades are short – As I had just highlighted an article in the previous week on the perils of giving ‘advice’, I understand that writing about an article that does exactly that can come across as hypocritical. But I did find this list interesting, so please go ahead and have a read, even if you do not have to follow them!