Hobbies that Make You Smarter

10. Get Your Hands Dirty

There are people who love gardening, and those who just don't get the appeal. But it turns out science is on the side of the gardeners. You've probably heard the hobby is relaxing and gratifying, but studies are now showing there are biological benefits to plunging your hands into the dirt. First of all, the physical rewards of seeing your flowers or vegetables grow creates brain chemicals that enhance cognition. In addition to that, a strange new discovery found a bacterium in soil, Mycobacterium vaccae, helps the brain create serotonin. Many people think of serotonin as the brain chemical that keeps us happy, but it's also one of the chemicals that helps us learn.