Myth of the Mid-life Crisis
Recent discoveries at George Washington University Medical Center show that the aging brain is more flexible and adaptable than we previously thought. Studies suggest that the brain's left and right hemispheres become better integrated during middle age, making way for greater creativity. As our aging brains grow wiser and more flexible, they also tend toward greater equanimity. And a great deal o... posted on Mar 27 2006, 2,187 reads

Corporate Forgiveness
Can a corporation be more successful after downsizing if it asks for forgiveness from its employees? The echoes of a sudden spate of lay-offs reverberate far beyond the people who are asked to clear their desks, according to Dr. Kim Cameron of Case Western Reserve University. "My intent is to see if forgiveness can help the corporation and the individual survive the downsize," says Cameron, whose ... posted on Mar 24 2006, 1,304 reads

Imperishable Body of a Russian Monk
Hambo Lama Itighelov, a spiritual Russian Leader, passed away in 1927. Per his request, he was first exhumed in 1955. When after the third exhumation in 2002 after 75 years since the Lama's death, his body still showed no signs of decay, medical experts decided to examine the miracle. The grave contained a wooden box and there was a sitting Buddhist lama in a 'lotus' position; researchers repor... posted on Mar 20 2006, 2,947 reads

The Miracle of Positive Thinking
Wake Forest University researchers found in a recent study that positive thinking reduced activity in parts of the brain that process pain information, and was as powerful as an actual shot of morphine in relieving the pain.... posted on Mar 10 2006, 2,716 reads

From the Heart
HeartMath studies define a critical link between the heart and brain. The heart is in a constant two-way dialogue with the brain — our emotions change the signals the brain sends to the heart and the heart responds in complex ways. However, we now know that the heart sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart.

This research explains how the heart respon... posted on Mar 05 2006, 1,923 reads

Altruism and the Young
Oops, the scientist dropped his clothespin. Not to worry — a wobbly toddler raced to help, eagerly handing it back. The simple experiment shows the capacity for altruism emerges as early as 18 months of age.

Toddlers' endearing desire to help out actually signals fairly sophisticated brain development, and is a trait of interest to anthropologists trying to tease out the evolution... posted on Mar 04 2006, 1,849 reads

A Path With Heart
Optimists seem less likely to die of heart disease or stroke than pessimistic people, a Dutch study says. The Delfland Institute of Mental Health study of 545 men found the most optimistic were about half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Researchers thought it was likely to be because optimists exercised more and were better at coping with adversity, the Archives of Internal Medicine... posted on Mar 02 2006, 1,728 reads

Making Memories
Scientists say it may be possible to predict how well we will remember something before the event has even taken place. By analysing scans, they discovered the brain must get into the 'right frame of mind' to store new information, namely to stay alert. For top performance, the brain must mobilize its resources, not only at the moment we get new information, but also in the seconds before.... posted on Feb 28 2006, 1,890 reads

Tea Time
Scientists already knew green tea plays a role in preventing cancer, but now they know why: EGCG, or Epigallocatechin gallate. EGCG works in precisely the same way as the chemotherapy drug methotrexate: Both hinder the action of an enzyme that incites cells to divide. Since EGCG causes less damage to healthy cells than chemotherapy, it could become a promising cancer treatment.... posted on Feb 24 2006, 1,669 reads

Playground
Playgrounds are not just for kids anymore. At the Santa Claus Sports Institute in Finland, a group of elderly Finns leap around on climbing frames, swing on the swings, and bounce on a see-saw. It's all in the name of science; a Finnish study of 65 to 81 year olds found significant improvements in balance, speed and co-ordination after just three months of playground activity. ... posted on Feb 09 2006, 1,914 reads