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Spirituality associated with thicker brain cortex and protection against depression
Using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to create detailed anatomical images of the brain, the scientists compared people based on whether they reported a low, moderate or high importance of religion or spirituality in their lives. They found that the brains of people for whom religion or Read More...
Feet on the ground
Clint Ober still vividly remembers the telling-off a friend got from his mom one day after the boys walked over to the friend’s Indian reservation: “Quick! Take your shoes off or you’ll get sick!” To her, shoes were strange. Native Americans have gone barefoot since time immemorial, or worn Read More...
From vandalism to art
Baltimore, MD Backed by the City of Baltimore, street arts project Open Walls Baltimore is unparalleled in terms of size and magnitude. Located in Baltimore’s arts district and curated by Gaia, one of the hottest street artists around, Open Walls Baltimore is comprised of 23 murals created by Read More...
Sunshine is good for the heart
It is well known that high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are more prevalent in colder climates, and that heart attacks and strokes are both more common and more severe in the winter months. Now, researchers have provided evidence of a reason why, by directly linking exposure to sunshine Read More...
State of the Union Paints Positive Picture for US
President Obama started off his State of the Union address last Tuesday by highlighting some of top milestone accomplished during his tenure: the smallest number of unemployed citizens in 5 years, childhood obesity rates lowest in 30 years, and the US replacing China as the #1 place to visit. Read More...
Music plays an optimistic note for cancer patients
Researchers from the Indiana University School of Nursing have started using music to help young cancer patients understand their illness. The study followed 113 young people ages 11 to 24 and assessed how well music aided them throughout the course of their treatment, sometimes involving stem cell Read More...
Smart devices don’t make smart kids. PLUS: 4 ways around this digital dilemma
The proliferation of smart devices, like phones and tablets, have made it easier for children to log-on. Last month Fisher-Price got an earful from consumer advocacy groups over their Apptivity Seat, essentially a baby seat with an iPad holder that dangles the device in front of a newborn’s eyes. Read More...
A lesson from Dr. King
Kirk Boyd is a guest blogger for The Intelligent Optimist and secretary of the International Bill of Rights project. Today I went with a friend to the Martin Luther King Day celebrations at Yerba Buena Park in San Francisco. It was a good event with around 500 people present, including some Read More...
The un-manager
We've been exploring the idea of shaking up management systems for the upcoming issue of The Intelligent Optimist. Whether that's using cooperatives as an alternative to business as usual, or something fundamentally different in the way we govern ourselves, there's an ongoing discussion worth Read More...
For mental health, settle near nature
We often extoll the benefits of getting more nature in our lives. Jay Walljasper wrote about it for us, way back in 2005. But today we've got a bit of new research to further back up the premise: Green is good. More specifically, a study published this month in Environmental Science and Technology Read More...