<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">What's happening?</h2>

9.15am. A message from your grandma. 9.19am. Your friend just posted on Instagram.  9.26am Your sister reacted to your BeReal.

The averageTypical or usual. American adult checks their phone 344 times every day - or once every four minutes.

Now, expertsSomeone who knows a lot about a particular subject. are asking: what is this doing to our minds?

We know that the human brain quickly adaptsChanges to fit in with new conditions. to change. Today, many believe that technology is changing how we think and act.

Some say this is a good thing. On your phone, you can use fun apps to make learning a new language feel like a game or use social media to learn about people from all around the world.

But others worry that technology could also be the cause of poor mental health. SmartphonesA phone that works in the same way as a computer, with apps, access to the internet and more. are still a very new technology - we do not know much about how they affect people over many years. But some experts think that spending hours and hours every day looking at screens can make people lonely and sad.

And one study showed that just having your phone in the same room can lower your ability to remember things.

When scientists found out that lead in fuel is linked to poor brain performance in children, it was banned by countries around the world. Now, 16 years after the iPhone was launched, some think we need to act now to protect people from mobile phones.

<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Find out more</h2>

Yes! Technology changes how we think, behave and see the world around us. Using technology for too long can be bad for your mental health.

No! We have the power to use technology for good or for bad. It can be used in many good ways, such as for learning languages.

Average - Typical or usual.

Experts - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.

Adapts - Changes to fit in with new conditions.

Smartphones - A phone that works in the same way as a computer, with apps, access to the internet and more.