CURIOSITY NEVER RETIRES

Welcome to "Granny & Paw Learn Stuff"! We are a pair of very curious grandparents on a mission to explore the world around us and share our discoveries with the next generazioni. Inspired by the insatiable curiosity of Leonardo da Vinci, we made a pact decades ago to never stop learning.

Whether it's unraveling the mysteries of nature, diving into history's greatest innovations, marveling at the world of artificial intelligence, or the beauty of everyday things, we are constantly in awe of the wonders that surround us. And now, we're positively thrilled to invite our family and friends along on our journey of learning.

We’ve always tried to do our best to pass on our passion for curiosity to our children and anyone else who shares our love of discovery. Now it’s the grandkids who are our focus and this is for them. You are welcome to join us as we celebrate the power of asking questions, pursuing knowledge, and embracing the amazing in the ordinary. Let's learn stuff, together! - Granny & Paw

THE JUNE STUFF

2026 • WEEK 28 • JUly 5 -JulY 11
 WHY SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL ALONE

What Happened:
A study of nearly 65,000 college students across more than 120 campuses nationwide has found that more than half report feeling lonely, and that social media use is a significant driver. Students who spent as little as 16 hours a week on social media, roughly two hours a day, showed substantially higher odds of loneliness than those who spent less time online. Young men are showing up in the data in particular: men are more likely than women to say theyare not meaningfully part of any group or community, but men are also far less likely to admit loneliness even when they feel it. The findings were published in the Journal of American College Health in early 2026.

Why It Matters:
This study puts numbers on something a lot of young people already sense but might not have words for. The tools designed to keep us connected are, for many people, making connection harder. Part of what makes this so difficult is that social media does not feel like isolation while you are using it. It feels like being around people. But watching other people's lives from a screen turns out to be a pretty poor substitute for actually being in a room with someone who knows your name. There is also something important in the detail about young men specifically. The loneliness figures for men are almost certainly lower than the reality, because admitting loneliness still carries a kind of social cost for guys that it does not carry as heavily for women. Several researchers and writers have argued that this is one of the quietest and most serious crises of this generation: young men who are disconnected, who have fewer close friendships than any generation before them, and who have very few places left to talk about it honestly. The data is starting to catch up to what many of them already feel. The phone in your pocket can reach the whole world and still leave you alone in a room. Give extra love to young men. They need it.— Granny & Paw

Source:
The EDU Ledger, "More Than Half of College Students Are Lonely, and Social Media Is Making It Worse," February 16, 2026
Read the article here:   https://www.theeduledger.com/students/article/15817303/more-than-half-of-college-students-are-lonely-and-social-media-is-making-it-worse

READ THE 2026 NOTEBOOK SO FAR