UV light may make brain work better, researchers find

Science has already proved that sunny days can lead to sunny dispositions, helping improve a person's mood, intelligence and memory - and researchers in East China have now shed light on why.

A team at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, Anhui province, discovered that ultraviolet light - an element of sunshine - activates a change in the brain that can make us smarter.

Tests on mice showed that moderate exposure to UV light enhances perception and learning, according to Xiong Wei, a professor at the university's School of Life Sciences who co-led the study.