Emory University scientists found that reading an absorbing book results in heightened connectivity in the left temporal cortex, a region of the brain linked to language and sensory motor skills.

Neurons in this area of the brain are associated into tricking the mind into thinking the body is doing something it's not, a phenomenon known as grounded cognition.

"The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist," neuroscientist Gregory Berns, lead author of the study, told The Independent.

"We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense. Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically."

That's another reason why books are better uses of our time than news:

http://pandawhale.com/post/34837/news-is-bad-for-you-and-giving-up-reading-it-will-make-you-happier-the-guardian