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Digital Planet: Video games can be good for you

Factual: Science & Nature

Still from Animal Crossing game

17/11/2020 GMT

Video games can be good for you

BBC World Service - Digital Planet, Video games can be good for you

Playing video games is positively linked with wellbeing according to new research.

Video games can be good for you. Also Underwater navigation 'solved' and Brazilians on lower incomes are embracing digital services.

Playing video games is positively linked with wellbeing according research from the Oxford Internet Institute. The new study is the first of its kind as, instead of asking players how much they play, it uses industry data on actual play time for popular video games EA's Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The study suggests that experiences of competence and connecting with others through playing the games may contribute to people’s wellbeing – however if you already are in a bad mood, playing video games is not going to improve your mood!  Professor Andrew Przybylski, Director of Research at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, explains the findings.

Underwater navigation 'solved'
GPS does not work underwater and powering location devices so they can emit sound with batteries is not practical in wet environments. This means that locating animals and robots underwater is not easy. Now though a team at MIT may have found a solution that uses sound for navigation and by reflecting signals from the underwater environment doesn't need batteries.  Possible applications include marine conservation, climate data gathering and mapping the ocean itself.

Brazilians on lower incomes are embracing digital services 
A new study by the Brazilian Network Information Center shows that Brazilians on lower incomes are turning to digital services - especially fintech - during the COVID19 pandemic.  The unbanked population has fallen by about 70% in the country as more and more people use apps and computers to move money.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell with expert commentary from Angelica Mari.

(Main Image: Still from Animal Crossing game  Copyright: Nintendo)                                         

Studio Manager: Donald MacDonald
Producer: Ania Lichtarowicz

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