Behind a window in an adjacent room, a splayed-out cauliflower pattern appears on a computer screen in black-and-white. Its Petersons brain. And its probably the last thing about this exercise that will be so simply shaded.

From Petersons perspective, the next hour will be spent in service, like the day she packed donated eyeglasses to send to Zimbabwe. But the ardent Mormon also knows she could be adding to a centuries-old debate about God and science.

So she says a silent prayer: I hope they get what they need.

Other animals have hierarchies, organized behaviors, even a semblance of norms. Only humans have religion and science. And the two have seldom been on civil terms.

Jeff Anderson and Julie Korenberg, neuroscientists at the University of Utah, want to change that. Theyre among a growing number of scientists aiming their fields most sophisticated machinery at religious cognition.

It amazes me how one of the most profound influences on human behavior is virtually completely unstudied, Anderson said. We think about how much this drives peoples behavior, and yet we dont know the first thing about where in the brain thats even registered.

The researchers want to see more than religions registry on the brain. They want to know whether it differs across sects, or by intensity of belief. They want to see what genes it activates, what hormones it releases, and how it relates to social behaviors. Can the same basic circuitry produce Mother Teresa and the 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta? If so, how?

To approach even speculative answers to such questions, the researchers have to capture what goes on in the brain of a believer during a religious moment.

Right now, that depends on whether a maw of helium-cooled superconducting magnets can become Auriel Petersons personal church.

The 26-year-old community college student lies still, clears her mind. The machine whirs and clicks, taking rapid-fire snapshots of the flux of blood through billions of neurons.

Continued here:
Scientists seek your brain on religion

POPE Francis is a breath of fresh air to me! I absolutely adore his humility and how he puts PEOPLE first.Im glad hes coming to the Philippines. However, what will happen after hes gone? Will people simply go back to the way they were before the Christmas season?

Another thing that bothers me is that the politicians are using his visit to showboat their causes. I cant believe the Church and government are spending all this time and money, yet its all the exact opposite of what Pope Francis represents.

Im sure there are a lot of people who will benefit from his visit, but Ill revisit my comment: What will happen after he leaves?Bennii Obaa

To me, Pope Francis is the leader the Catholic Church needs in this day and age, when we all need to embrace a culture of tolerance and compassion. I am hoping that his visit will teach us the importance of these two values and renew our spirituality, and that people will fully grasp what it means to be disciples of Christ.Annelle Tayao-Juego

I think hes a man capable of bringing about change despite representing an organization known for being so archaic, bureaucratic, behind the times and closed.

His messages to the world are positivehe reminds us to reach out to those who need it most. He has spoken on the divide between the wealthy and the poor, he has talked about climate change.

There are messages we need to hear from the leadership downabout accountability and social justice. I am curious about what his messages to the Filipino nation will be and if this visit will inspire positive change. For all our excitement and eagerness to see him, will we really listen?Karen Kunawicz

Im actually a secular humanist, but I recognize Pope Francis importance to a lot of Catholic Filipinos. Ive also read some news about how Pope Francis accepts evolution and the Big Bang Theory. Note that in science, theory means a tested idea supported with a lot of evidence, as opposed to whats taught in Philippine schools (i.e., evolution is just a theory, never explaining what scientific theory means.). I think the Pope is broad-minded in that area. How do I feel about his visit? Its a five-day holiday, and the government has already decided about that. There will be effect on the economy due to lack of production and, most important, it shows how the government prefers Catholicism.

For a country claiming to be secular, thats an ironic move. One wonders if there will be any long holiday if leaders of other religions, notable humanists and scientists visit Philippines, too. That might seem so negative but, in a real secular country, the government wont give preference to any religion, as it should be.

Nevertheless Im hoping people can learn a thing or two from the Pope and actually heed his advice with regards to morality.

Continue reading here:
His impact is much like what the Beatles did to rock and roll

Source: Tanjug

NEW YORK -- The US-based Tesla Science Foundation has handed out the traditional Tesla Spirit Awards in a ceremony in New York.

Elon Musk (Beta/AP, file)

The top honor was claimed by Tesla Motors owner Elon Musk.

Musk, his company and foundation won the award "ffor their contribution to the global promotion of Tesla's name with their luxury electric car brand and generous donations for the construction of the future Tesla Science Museum on Long Island."

On that location more than a century ago, the Serbian-American engineer and inventor conducted his high-voltage current experiments and began the construction of the controversial, never completed Tesla Tower, designed to enable wireless transfer of electric current.

Last year, on July 10, the day of Tesla's birth, Musk donated USD 1 million for the reconstruction of Tesla's Wardenclyffe laboratory.

Among the winners of individual Tesla awards are the Telefonica Foundation, a non-profit branch of the Spanish telecommunications giant Telefonica, the Long Island-based Tesla Science Centre and its president Jane Alcorn for their commitment to preserving Tesla's scientific legacy.

Ashley Redfearn and her Tesla Curriculum also won an award, for a project aimed at introducing Tesla as a school curriculum.

The Tesla spirituality award went to the Serbian Orthodox church in New York and Marina Arsenijevic, a renowned pianist and composer of Serbian descent, for the music for the documentary titled Tower to the People.

More:
Tesla Motors owner wins top Tesla Spirit Award

Originally published January 10, 2015 at 3:01 PM | Page modified January 10, 2015 at 7:18 PM

SALT LAKE CITY At the push of a button, the gurney holding Auriel Peterson slides slowly into the pale blue glow of a magnetic resonance imaging machine. Soon, all thats visible are the shins of her black track pants and the chartreuse-and-white soles of her running shoes, angled like the fins of a torpedo.

Behind a window in an adjacent room, a splayed-out cauliflower pattern appears on a computer screen in black-and-white. Its Petersons brain. And its probably the last thing about this exercise that will be so simply shaded.

From Petersons perspective, the next hour will be spent in service, like the day she packed donated eyeglasses to send to Zimbabwe. But the ardent Mormon also knows she could be adding to a centuries-old debate about God and science. So she says a silent prayer: I hope they get what they need.

Religious cognition

Other animals have hierarchies, organized behaviors, even a semblance of norms. Only humans have religion and science. And the two have seldom been on civil terms.

Jeff Anderson and Julie Korenberg, neuroscientists at the University of Utah, want to change that. Theyre among a growing number of scientists aiming their fields most sophisticated machinery at religious cognition.

It amazes me how one of the most profound influences on human behavior is virtually completely unstudied, Anderson said. We think about how much this drives peoples behavior, and yet we dont know the first thing about where in the brain thats even registered.

The researchers want to see more than religions registry on the brain. They want to know whether it differs across religions or by intensity of belief. They want to see what genes it activates, what hormones it releases and how it relates to social behaviors. Can the same basic circuitry produce Mother Teresa and Sept. 11 hijacker Mohamed Atta? If so, how?

To approach even speculative answers to such questions, the researchers have to capture what goes on in the brain of a believer during a religious moment.

See the rest here:
Scientists seek religious experience in their subjects brains

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) on Friday launched TERI Prakriti School, a global school which will focus on sustainable learning and living practices.

The groundwork has been laid for providing sustainability education worldwide.

The school is TERI's maiden initiative to promote scientific education and help children imbibe sustainable values and living practices at a time when sustainable development has become the need of the hour.

TERI Prakriti School will be a K-12 school affiliated to CBSE, with its curricula focusing on issues of sustainable development and environment conservation across the world. The session will start from April 2015.

At the inauguration of the school, Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said: "The building of any institute is not important but how you build it is important. I congratulate and compliment Ms Vaidyanathan and Dr Pachauri for their efforts. Our nature is our best teacher and teaches us very beautifully. Our civilization and lifestyle is very pro-environment... Sustainable practices are the need of 21st Century. I am glad that TERI Prakriti School will focus on life skills, knowledge, spirituality and ethos, all these values should to come from within and are important for all individuals."

He also said that most countries talk much about climate change but do very little towards achieving it. India can be a leading example in bringing about change by adopting sustainable way of life.

He further added that the government is planning to introduce a logo for the Green Buildings so that they can be differentiated from the rest.

Speaking at the event, R.K. Pachauri, Director General, TERI, said: "Protection of the environment and respect for nature is entirely a matter of values and knowledge based on the role of human beings in the larger creation around us. Imbibing these values and knowledge has to begin early in life and must be an integral part of all the subjects that we learn in school. It is for this reason that TERI is establishing this novel institution called the TERI Prakriti School wherein school children will be motivated to excel in all the subjects taught as part of the CBSE and other curricula, but with a strong foundation that inculcates reverence for nature and a focus on sustainable development."

The school and the teachers will sensitize students on issues, such as climate change, reducing carbon footprint, proper and effective utilization of natural resources, use of renewable energy and make them responsible citizens in managing wastes from a very young age. The school will be headed by veteran educationist Mrs Lata Vaidyanathan, who has been instrumental in spearheading burden-free and green education.

Speaking at the launch, Vaidyanathan, Director, TERI Prakriti School, said: "The world is changing in an unprecedented rate. Climate change and its impact on all ecosystems is a definite threat to the survival of the human race. It is time to arrest the negative impact. Therefore, present day schools need to give a definite bias to sustainability issues in its curriculum. These changes can be brought in, only if there is a change of 'climate' within us."

See the original post:
TERI launches Prakriti School to focus on environment education