Several recent studies have found children tend to fare better academically if they have ample access to the natural world. But the reasons for this remains hazy. Do they get more exercise? Breathe cleaner air?

New British research reveals one likely advantage such kids enjoy. It finds they score higher on a standard test of Spatial Working Memory—the ability to retain visual information long enough to process it and make use of it to solve problems.

For a child, this may mean developing an innate sense of whether they have taken the proper path through a wooded area. But the benefits are far broader: Spatial Working Memory has been linked to mathematical ability.

The research team, led by psychologist Eirini Flouri of University College London, used data on 4,758 11-year-olds living in urban areas in England. The amount of green space in their neighborhoods was estimated using data derived from satellite images.

To read more of Tom Jacobs' article, please click here.