New programs and electronic devices, such as Twitter, Facebook or the latest iPhone, are often associated with the younger generation. However, when it comes to reading, children and teenagers are not always quick to turn to a Nook or a Kindle, devices designed for digital reading and allowing the purchase of electronic books, more commonly called ebooks. Printed books are found to be more beneficial than digital books in that they help you retain and understand the material better and cause less eye strain. At first, we may not see the differences between these two forms of reading, but when we examine them, several benefits and risks emerge, some of which can cause physical harm, even without our knowledge. Printed books offer the advantage of making the content easier to remember. A common boredom occurs when one reads a passage, recognizes that one has no memory of the information previously read, and then rereads that passage. This discomfort resulting from lack of concentration and ability to correctly retain given information occurs more often when reading digital books. Why experience such aggravation when it can be avoided? Several scientists have proven that the brain interprets printed words differently than words on a digital screen. Technology writer Nicholas Carr agrees with other researchers that the brain interprets written words and letters as physical objects. This physical aspect of words creates a greater and more solidified impact in the person's mind, contrasting with the garbled effect that digital words leave. This less physical presence also encourages our eyes to skim over the pages of digital books, without fully grasping the individual words to bring them together in a large...... middle of paper ...... sucked in by this current of inventions and developments. Although these changes are not entirely negative, traditional elements such as printed books still need to be incorporated to form a more developed and complete society, as these elements possess the ability to add benefits not acquired by technological products. Bilton, Nick. “The allure of the printed book.” The New York Times. The New York Times Mag., December 2, 2013. Web. February 9, 2014.2. “Eye fatigue”. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation, September 19, 2012. Web. February 10, 2014.3. Fenlon, Wesley. “Paper books provide better reading comprehension than e-books.” Tested. Tested September 6, 2013. Web. February 9, 2014.4. Jeong, Hanho. “A comparison of the influence of e-books and paper books on reading comprehension, eye fatigue and perception.” Emerald preview. Emerald Insight, December 2010. Web. February 10 2014.