The New York Times Magazine focused on children and how play impacts their development this weekend while the paper itself wants to talk about animals that camouflage themselves. The first is probably far more wide reaching in its impact, but the second is shorter. You should take into account that when I say the stuff about camouflaging cephalopods is interesting that I own and have read an entire book on squid.

The article on play actually attempts to examine evolutionary reasons for play to be a common social activity in so many mammals and why it is one of the first casualties of a stressed environment. A theory that is gaining steam is based on the connection between when in a life cycle play is most common and when certain parts of the brain growing.

The synchrony suggested a few things to Byers: that play might be related to growth of the cerebellum, since they both peak at about the same time; that there is a sensitive period in brain growth, during which time it’s important for an animal to get the brain-growth stimulation of play; and that the cerebellum needs the whole-body movements of play to achieve its ultimate configuration.