How to measure a baby’s brainpower

Researchers at the University of Montreal wanted to see whether a mom’s exercise during pregnancy would give a baby a boost after birth. To measure the brainpower of the infants, they fitted them with sensor caps when they were between 8 and 12 days old. Then, when the babies were sleeping, they measured their brains’ response to a series of sounds. Sure enough, the brains of babies whose mothers had exercised were more mature than the brains of babies whose mothers were sedentary.