Meditation beats dance for harmonizing body and mind

ScienceDaily (2011-03-02) -- The body is a dancer's instrument, but is it attuned to the mind? A new study suggests that professional ballet and modern dancers are not as emotionally in sync with their bodies as are people who regularly practice meditation.

Solving the riddle of nature’s perfect spring

ScienceDaily (2011-03-03) -- Scientists have unravelled the shape of the protein that gives human tissues their elastic properties in what could lead to the development of new synthetic elastic polymers.

Four new species of Zombie ant fungi discovered in Brazilian rainforest

ScienceDaily (2011-03-03) -- Four new Brazilian species in the genus Ophiocordyceps have been discovered. The fungi belong to a group of "zombifying" fungi that infect ants and then manipulate their behavior, eventually killing the ants after securing a prime location for spore dispersal.

The more secure you feel, the less you value your stuff

ScienceDaily (2011-03-03) -- People who feel more secure in receiving love and acceptance from others place less monetary value on their possessions, according to new research.

Mapping human vulnerability to climate change

ScienceDaily (2011-03-03) -- Researchers already study how various species of plants and animals migrate in response to climate change. Now, a researcher has taken the innovative step of using the same analytic tools to measure the impact of climate change on human populations. They found that if populations continue to increase at the expected rates, those who are likely to be the most vulnerable to climate change are the people living in low-latitude, hot regions of the world.

JPEG for the mind: How the brain compresses visual information

ScienceDaily (2011-02-11) -- Scientists take the next step in next step in understanding how the brain compresses huge "files" of visual information down to the essentials.

Pollutants in aquifers may threaten future of Mexico's fast-growing 'Riviera Maya'

ScienceDaily (2011-02-07) -- Pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, shampoo, toothpaste, pesticides, chemical run-off from highways and many other pollutants infiltrate the giant aquifer under Mexico's "Riviera Maya," research shows. The wastes contaminate a vast labyrinth of water-filled caves under the popular tourist destination on the Yucatan Peninsula. And, with a 10-fold increase in population through 2030 expected, the problems are likely to worsen, according to new research.