Don't read, don't play chess, and don't ride a bike

BarcelonaNewspaper archives aren't always cruel: they can also be soothing. Like when you realize that catastrophes predicted in the past end up becoming healthy habits decades later. The good people of The pessimists archive He has compiled a splendid collection of clippings on the subject: articles from a century ago in which, for example, reading was considered a way of ruining necessary rest, and some even argued that it should be prohibited for those under 18, to protect their eyes. "It's as bad as taking drugs," declared a doctor in the magazine. The LancetTherefore, insomniacs who now feel guilty for disobeying the advice not to succumb toscroll The endless stream of messages on their mobile phone screens can offer the (meager) consolation that perhaps in a hundred years this will be a medical recommendation, because an even worse practice will have taken hold.

In the case of chess, when world champion Paul Morphy suffered a decline in his mental health, and other top players did as well, there were those who argued that the blame lay with the treacherous game of chess. The magazine Scientific American She was one of those who led the campaign against an activity that is now considered healthy for slowing brain aging. And what about cycling: claims that it caused appendicitis, spinal deformities, and a strange condition called "cyclist's heart" that had prompted some insurance companies to ban cyclists, fearing an abnormally high rate of accidents due to heart failure. Nowadays, however, cardiologists immediately point those of us who have survived a heart attack to the stationary bike for cardio. Every era has its prejudices, and behind every fear there is often a varying mix of truth and superstition or resistance to change. Let's meet in 2126 to review today's news together. I'm going for a short ride.