I’m reading a book called The God Part of the Brain by Matthew Alper. Mostly, I think it’s a pretty interesting book. (there’s one thing that really bugs me about it, but otherwise it’s a good read). Anyway, he talks about how mystical experiences are found across cultures, which implies that there is a genetic component to them. In other words, every culture in recorded history talks about having mystical experiences so it must be something happening in the brain that is genetic. There must be genes associated with the way the brain works in certain circumstances that cause that phenomenon in people around the world.
Let’s define a mystical experience first. Dan Merkur, author of Gnosis: An Esoteric Tradition of Mystical Visions and Unions, lists the five most common symptoms of a mystical experience (from The God Part of the Brain, pg 134)
- a sense of unity or totality
- a sense of timelessness
- a sense of having encountered ultimate reality
- a sense of sacredness
- a sense that one can not adequately describe the richness of their experience
I was deeply religious as a child, from about age 4 to 12. I was so terrified of burning in hell that I was baptized 3 times in 3 different churches. I went to Sunday school, church, bible camp, I sang hymns, I prayed, I studied and read my bible, and had bible lessons for a short while. But in all those years, I never once had a mystical experience. I never felt god. I never felt the touch of the divine. Read the rest of this entry »
Hello everyone! Here is more science to tantalize your synapses and neurons!
- Keep Your Fingers Crossed: How Superstition Improves Performance
- More Than Half the World’s Population Gets Insufficient Vitamin D, Says Biochemist
- Low Vitamin D Levels Associated With Cognitive Decline
- Team Develops Non-Toxic Oil Recovery Agent
- Smoking Mind Over Smoking Matter: Surprising New Study Shows Cigarette Cravings Result from Habit, Not Addiction
- Light and Moderate Physical Activity Reduces the Risk of Early Death
- New Antibacterial Material for Bandages, Food Packaging, Shoes
- A Blood Test for Depression?
- 3-D Gesture-Based Interaction System Unveiled
Keep Your Fingers Crossed: How Superstition Improves Performance: New research shows that having some kind of lucky token can actually improve your performance — by increasing your self-confidence. …Volunteers who had their lucky charm did better at a memory game on the computer, and other tests showed that this difference was because they felt more confident. They also set higher goals for themselves. Just wishing someone good luck — with “I press the thumbs for you,” the German version of crossing your fingers — improved volunteers’ success at a task that required manual dexterity.
~Of course, this is still a form of delusion. Everyone tested in the study was superstitious and had a lucky charm. I’d like to see a study or two that involved people who don’t rely on superstition as well. I think if a person understands the delusion of superstition, they will therefore not need the “lucky” feather in their cap. They will have appropriate self-confidence based on their actual abilities. Still, it’s an interesting study. Read the rest of this entry »
Another science extravaganza! Here are some recent interesting studies:
- Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure
- Anxiety May Be at Root of Religious Extremism
- Brain Differences Found Between Believers In God And Non-Believers
- Honey as an Antibiotic: Scientists Identify a Secret Ingredient in Honey That Kills Bacteria
- Honey Bee Venom May Help Design New Treatments to Alleviate Muscular Dystrophy, Depression and Dementia
- How Fast Can Microbes Break Down Oil Washed Onto Gulf Beaches?
- Bicycling, Brisk Walking Help Women Control Weight
- Nano-Sized Advance Toward Next Big Treatment Era in Dentistry
- Complex, Multicellular Life from Over Two Billion Years Ago Discovered
- Cocoa Flavanols Improve Vascular and Blood Pressure Measures for Coronary Artery Disease Patients
- Road Surface Purifies Air by Removing Nitrogen Oxides
- Cell Phone Microscope Poised to Begin Trials in Africa
- Tibetan Adaptation to High Altitude Occurred in Less Than 3,000 Years
Read the rest of this entry »
My friend Kevin lives in Australia and sent me a message this morning about their new prime minister Down Under. Julia Gillard is the first female prime minister of Australia, AND this is what she says about her personal life:
Gillard has never married or had children. Her partner since 2006, Tim Mathieson, is a hairdresser. Gillard said through a spokeswoman that she was a “non-practising Baptist” and “not religious”. She is tolerant of public interest in her personal life, stating that “People want to know who you are, the shape of your life. That is legitimate.”
Very interesting! Australia has voted in a woman who is Not Religious! How did that happen? That’s wonderful! She is the first person in high politics I’ve ever heard of who has said that.
Let’s hope she does a great job and that other “non-religious” politicians follow suit and run for high offices and succeed. I wonder if we could ever get that far here in America? Wow, I’m really reaching for the stars now!
Good luck, Julia. I hope you do great things in your run as prime minister.
Science is so wonderful. There are always scientists hard at work trying to make sense of things, trying to understand and make things better. It’s awesome. Here are some recent studies:
- A Sense of Humor Helps Keep You Healthy Until Retirement Age
- Tidy House, Fitter Body?
- Spending Time in Nature Makes People Feel More Alive
- Meditation Reduces the Emotional Impact of Pain
- If You Don’t Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day, You’re More Likely to Develop Heart Disease
- Antibiotic Resistance Lasts Up to a Year
- Coffee Consumption Unrelated to Alertness: Stimulating Effects May Be Illusion
- Studies Provide More Support for Health Benefits of Coffee
- New Evidence That Chili Pepper Ingredient Fights Fat
- Peppers May Increase Energy Expenditure in People Trying to Lose Weight
- Milk: Two Glasses a Day Tones Muscles, Keeps the Fat Away in Women
- Cereal And Milk Is The New Sports Supplement
A Sense of Humor Helps Keep You Healthy Until Retirement Age: A good sense of humor helps you reach retirement age and be healthy. But after the age of 70, the health benefits of humor decrease, according to researchers in Norway. The records of 53,500 people were examined and then followed up after 7 years. “There is reason to believe that sense of humor continues to have a positive effect on mental health and social life, even after people have become retirees, although the positive effect on life expectancy could not be shown after the age of 75. At that point, genetics and biological aging are of greater importance.” The test only measured for “friendly humor”, not insulting, bullying or humor based on conflict.
The lead scientist of this study believes there are many myths and misunderstandings about humor. For example, one myth is that happy people have a better sense of humor than people who are more serious. …A sense of humor can be learned and improved through practice. There was another study 4 years ago that also came to the same conclusion, so this larger study confirms the findings from the first. Read the rest of this entry »
Here are some recent studies that seemed quite interesting.
Traditional Aerobic Fitness Training Trumps Pedometer-Based Walking Programs for Health Benefits: What to do: walk around the block or work up a sweat in an aerobic workout at the gym? If you’re looking for the best health benefits from an exercise program, a traditional aerobic fitness program that gets your heart pumping beats a walking program hands down. But if you want to get moving, a walking program is easier to do, it’s good for you, and you’re more likely to stick with it.
Wild Birds Opt for Conventional Food Over Organic: The nutritional benefits of organic food have been called into question by new research which shows wild garden birds prefer conventional seed to that which has been organically- grown. “Protein is an essential nutrient in the diet of all birds and mammals and getting enough of it — especially in winter — can be hard. “We showed that when given free choice, wild birds opt for the conventional food over the organic, and the most likely explanation is its higher protein content. “This study is only looking at one aspect of the organic food debate — it does not take into account the long-term health implications of using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, or the often negative environmental impact of conventional farming; for example, other work has shown that pesticides can strongly reduce availability of seeds for birds. “But it does raise questions about the nutritional benefits of organic food and what consumers are being led to believe.” Read the rest of this entry »
I wanted to share some recent studies with you. This is the most interesting research that I’ve found, in no particular order:
Even Small Patches of Urban Woods Are Valuable for Migrating Birds: This is good news! The more humans make progress, multiply and spread, the less wild land there is for nature. This study found that the birds in their study seemed to be able to find enough food even in a small urban habitat and continue on their journey. So at least these birds – Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus), a relative of the American Robin – were somewhat flexible in their habitat needs and were able to meet their stopover requirements within urban forest patches.
~So, if you can, plant native flora and encourage your local area to have patches of naturalized habitat for nature. 
Caffeine May Slow Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, Restore Cognitive Function, According to New Evidence: Although caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug worldwide, its potential beneficial effect for maintenance of proper brain functioning has only recently begun to be adequately appreciated. Substantial evidence from epidemiological studies and fundamental research in animal models suggests that caffeine may be protective against the cognitive decline seen in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Key findings presented in “Therapeutic Opportunities for Caffeine in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases”: Read the rest of this entry »
I’m reading a book called The God Part of the Brain by Matthew Alper. Mostly, I think it’s a pretty interesting book. (there’s one thing that really bugs me about it, but otherwise it’s a good read). Anyway, he talks about how mystical experiences are found across cultures, which implies that there is a genetic component to them. In other words, every culture in recorded history talks about having mystical experiences so it must be something happening in the brain that is genetic. There must be genes associated with the way the brain works in certain circumstances that cause that phenomenon in people around the world.
