CC BY "> The physiology of reading is complicated, requiring a high level of mental coordination. Credit: Jess Morgan/unsplash, CC BY The Swedish government recently announced it was moving from the classroom use of digital devices back to physical books . It cited concerns over declining test scores and increasing screen time. Are these concerns well founded? And what does the science of reading say about the possible consequences of reading on digital devices versus books? To address these questions, it's worth remembering that, although reading might appear to be an easy task, this impression is false. Reading is arguably the most difficult task one must learn—one that requires years of formal education and practice to master. In contrast to spoken language, it is a skill we are not biologically predisposed to learn. Why is reading so difficult? To understand why reading is difficult, one must first understand the physiology of reading.…