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	Top Stories Treasure trove of new plant discoveries revealed G20 health ministers agree to tackle antibiotics resistance Laws to tackle climate change exceed 1,200 worldwide: study

	Top Stories World media on Transcendental Meditation On Veterans Day - Remembrance Day: Transcendental Meditation helps veterans overcome PTSD Principles of Vastu Planning in the Light of Group Theory: New book published

	Top Stories Bad news, everyone: Your lack of sleep is making you hideous Arctic stronghold of world's seeds flooded after permafrost melts Birth weight may impact intelligence throughout life
Positive Trends Short Summaries of Top Stories Treasure trove of new plant discoveries revealed 21 May 2017 - Almost 2,000 new species of plant have been discovered in the past year, according to a report by The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Scientists say some of the newly-discovered plants are already at risk of extinction. They are developing new ways to speed up the discovery and classification of plants to help safeguard them for future generations. (more) G20 health ministers agree to tackle antibiotics resistance 20 May 2017 - Health ministers of the G20 leading economies, meeting for the first time on Saturday [20 May], agreed to work together to tackle issues such as a growing resistance to antibiotics and to start implementing national action plans by the end of 2018. Germany, which holds the G20 presidency this year, said it was an 'important breakthrough' that all nations had agreed to address the problem . . . (more) Laws to tackle climate change exceed 1,200 worldwide: study 9 May 2017 - Nations around the world have adopted more than 1,200 laws to curb climate change, up from about 60 two decades ago, which is a sign of widening efforts to limit rising temperatures, a study showed on Tuesday, 9 May. The study, by the London School of Economics (LSE), reviewed laws and executive policies in 164 nations, ranging from national cuts in greenhouse gases to curbs in emissions in sectors such as transport, power generation, or industry. (more) Dark matter is the real Guardian of the Galaxies (+ video) 6 May 2017 - In honor of the release of 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' in movie theaters today (May 5), scientists with the Hubble Space Telescope have released gorgeous new images of all the galaxies in our universe. Not only does the real universe have far more galaxies (an estimated 2 trillion of them) but it also has a much bigger, darker, and mysterious guardian of those galaxies: Dark matter . . . Space.com spoke with Space Telescope Science Institute astronomer [Dr.] Dan Coe about all those galaxies in Hubble's latest images, and Coe explained how dark matter is really holding the universe together. (more) Fish have perfectly good memories 27 April 2017 - Fish have a reputation for being gormless and forgetful, but they can 'count', navigate a maze, and even remember faces. The slippery creatures are actually as smart as apes on some measures. They are capable of remembering details for years, and are better at judging space than humans. (more) Baby humpback whales 'whisper' to mums to avoid predators 26 April 2017 - The humpback whale is known for its loud haunting songs, which can be heard 20 miles away. However, new recordings show mothers and calves 'whisper' to each other, seemingly to avoid attracting predators. The quiet grunts and squeaks can be heard only at close range. (more) Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds 25 April 2017 - Doing moderate exercise several times a week is the best way to keep the mind sharp if you're over 50, research suggests. Thinking and memory skills were most improved when people exercised the heart and muscles on a regular basis, a review of 39 studies found. Physical activity has long been known to reduce the risk of a number of diseases, including type-2 diabetes and some cancers, and it is thought to play a role in warding off the brain's natural decline as we enter middle age. (more) These are the first images of the web of dark matter that holds galaxies together 13 April 2017 - Picture the Universe, and you might imagine a dark emptiness speckled with maybe trillions of galaxies, each containing many billions of stars. The truth is a little weirder, with apparently separate galaxies connected into vast intergalactic webs by invisible filaments of dark matter. If you find it hard to imagine, at least now we can actually see some of those threads thanks to some clever use of gravitational lensing. A team of astronomers at the University of Waterloo in Canada used the space-bending effects of dark-matter to see the unseeable, combining catalogues of galaxy groups that act as lenses with catalogues of data on the light-sources behind them to create a visual of their 'dark' features. (more) Why Easter is called Easter, and other little-known facts about the holiday 11 April 2017 - [On] April 16, Christians will be celebrating Easter, the day on which the resurrection of Jesus is said to have taken place. I [Brent Landau] am a religious studies scholar specializing in early Christianity, and my research shows that this dating of Easter goes back to the complicated origins of this holiday and how it has evolved over the centuries. Easter is quite similar to other major holidays like Christmas and Halloween, which have evolved over the last 200 years or so. In all of these holidays, Christian and non-Christian (pagan) elements have continued to blend together. Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. .... (more) Jupiter will be closest to Earth and brightest in the sky Friday and Saturday 7 April 2017 - Arguably, Jupiter is always brilliant in the sky. It's the biggest, brightest spot we can see on a clear night. Friday and Saturday, Jupiter will be the closest it gets to Earth. If you're out at night, there's no way you could miss it. The nearly full moon is close to Jupiter on Monday. (more)
Success of Maharishi's Programmes Short Summaries of Top Stories World media on Transcendental Meditation 20 February 2017 - A selection of recent news media reports about Transcendental Meditation includes the Danish magazine IN interviewing Dr Charlotte Bech, a medical doctor who has been teaching the technique in Denmark for over 20 years; Bridgewater Associates hedge fund founder Ray Dalio's comments to Business Insider about introducing TM to 735 employees; and New York Times articles about Saturday Night Live actress Vanessa Bayer, and George Stephanopoulos of ABC's Good Morning America, who starts his day with an early morning TM session. Forbes magazine reported, 'TM has been having a renaissance in recent years: Celebrities, businesspeople, and regular folk are practicing it in record numbers.' (more) On Veterans Day - Remembrance Day: Transcendental Meditation helps veterans overcome PTSD 11 November 2016 - Operation Warrior Wellness (OWW), a division of the David Lynch Foundation, offers the Transcendental Meditation-based Resilient Warrior Program, a simple, easy-to-learn, evidence-based approach to relieving symptoms of PTSD and major depression and developing greater resilience to stress. Since its launch in 2010 in the USA, the OWW initiative has partnered with leading veterans service organizations and VA medical centers to deliver the Resilient Warrior Program to veterans, active-duty personnel and military families in need. The initiative also partners with military colleges to create a new generation of more resilient officers. (more) Principles of Vastu Planning in the Light of Group Theory: New book published 17 January 2016 - A new book--Principles of Vastu Planning in the Light of Group Theory--describes the principles that underlie the measurement system used in Maharishi Vedic architecture in the language of Group theory. The Vastu measurement system is based on the square and its eight levels of symmetry. Using the concepts of modern Group theory from mathematics, the author shows the deep principles at the foundation of the measurement system of Maharishi Vastu design in a way that explains their logical significance. (more) Creating world peace on the International Day of Peace and every day 21 September 2015 - Today, 21 September, is the day designated by the United Nations and observed around the world as the 'International Day of Peace' or 'World Peace Day'. For this annual observance, the UN 'invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.' Organizations teaching Transcendental Meditation worldwide are upholding the ultimate value of this theme--simply by continuing what they've offered every day for many years: the TM programme. This natural, effective technology of consciousness has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, violence and conflict and create peace for the individual and society. Creating world peace is not the reason most people give for why they want to learn to meditate. Yet this was Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's goal when he first introduced Transcendental Meditation in 1958. (more) Transcendental Meditation improves school performance 15 April 2015 - It seems common sense that happy, focused students learn more and feel better at school. Yet the idea that educational outcomes depend on the learner's state of mind, and not just on what is taught and how, usually gets far less attention than it deserves. Fortunately, there are schools in many countries where developing the 'knower' is considered an essential part of education--through incorporating Transcendental Meditation practice into the school day. Research has found that even in high-risk, low-performing districts, schools with curricular TM practice show high academic achievements. Outcomes include reduced stress, improved brain functioning, increased intelligence, and higher graduation rates. (more) Today - Conference call for women: 'Women transforming the world' 1 February 2015 - Today the 10,000 Women Initiative continues in 2015, with the first in a series of six phone conferences to be held throughout the year. Women are invited to join in this bimonthly 'virtual assembly' and learn how women can become a powerfully nourishing agent for positive change in the world, by awakening the nourishing power of consciousness within. Today's conference call features a discussion on the topic of 'Women transforming the world'. (more) New book features experiences of enlightenment throughout history, and how to culture them today 4 January 2015 - A new book, The Supreme Awakening: Experiences of Enlightenment Throughout Time--and How You Can Cultivate Them, by Craig Pearson, PhD, features a wide range of sublime, exalted, transcendent experiences reported by great saints, sages, poets, scientists, political leaders, athletes, and others representing the world's cultures through history. The Supreme Awakening shows that what they described are experiences of advanced stages of human development, higher states of consciousness--experiences of enlightenment. Drawing on the work of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the book explains the origins of these experiences and categorizes them according to Maharishi's model of seven states of consciousness. Dr Pearson explains that ordinary men and women today are enjoying these same kinds of sublime experiences--how they can be cultivated systematically, naturally, and effortlessly through the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation. (more) 21 new Maharishi Vastu architects complete training 25 September 2014 - Earlier this summer 21 architects from 13 countries graduated from an intensive, two-month training programme as fully certified Maharishi Vastu architects. Their country affiliations, contact information, and pictures are featured on the Maharishi Vastu page on Facebook, organized according to their region of the world. (more) Twenty-one architects, newly trained in Maharishi Vastu architecture, practising in 13 countries 27 August 2014 - Maharishi Vastu Architecture News is featuring more information about the recent international professional training course on Maharishi Vastu architecture in the Netherlands. Twenty-one architects from 13 countries graduated from the recent comprehensive, two-month training course at Maharishi European Research University (MERU) in Holland. The news post includes photos of the 21 architects, grouped according to country and region of the world, and their contact information, for those wishing to pursue Maharishi Vastu building projects in their areas. (more) Silence and dynamism - The basis of progress 21 August 2014 - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi explains that Transcendental Meditation is a process to 'bring the mind back to silence, and from there release the thought. Bring the mind back to silence, and then you have a lively basis for the projection of a thought, lively basis for the sprouting of a thought. Then the thought will be promoted by the infinite creative intelligence of Natural Law. That is the theme. Let the thought be promoted from a lively field at the basis of all evolutionary process, which is the field of silence.' (more)
Flops Short Summaries of Top Stories Bad news, everyone: Your lack of sleep is making you hideous 23 May 2017 - Sleeping enough is essential for good physical and mental health, it makes us better at making decisions, and it'll mean we won't yawn every two minutes on an endless loop. So here it is: beauty sleep is a real thing, and your exhaustion is wrecking your appearance. A new study from researchers at Stockholm University suggests that even a few nights of bad sleep is enough to make a person look 'significantly' less attractive, and can even make people like you less. (more) Arctic stronghold of world's seeds flooded after permafrost melts 20 May 2017 - It was designed as an impregnable deep-freeze to protect the world's most precious seeds from any global disaster and ensure humanity's food supply forever. But the Global Seed Vault, buried in a mountain deep inside the Arctic circle, has been breached after global warming produced extraordinary temperatures over the winter, sending meltwater gushing into the entrance tunnel. No seeds were lost but the ability of the rock vault to provide failsafe protection against all disasters is now threatened by climate change. (more) Birth weight may impact intelligence throughout life 18 May 2017 - Being born at below-normal weight is associated with a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) not only in childhood and young adulthood, but even at age 50, according to a new study from Denmark. Worldwide, about 22 million babies, or 16 percent of infants, are born at a low birth weight each year, increasing their risk of death in the first months and years of life, according to UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. (more) Factbox: Don't click - What is the 'ransomware' WannaCry worm? 12 May 2017 - Malicious software called 'ransomware' has forced British hospitals to turn away patients and affected Spanish companies such as Telefonica as part of a global outbreak that has affected tens of thousands of computers. What is WannaCry -- also known as WanaCrypt0r 2.0, WannaCry and WCry? (more) Global extortion cyberattack hits dozens of nations 12 May 2017 - A huge extortion cyberattack hit dozens of nations Friday, holding computer data for ransom at hospitals, telecommunications firms and other companies. The attack appeared to exploit a vulnerability purportedly identified for use by the U.S. National Security Agency and later leaked to the internet. . . . Kaspersky Lab and Avast -- said they had identified the malware behind the attack in upward of 70 countries, although both said the attack has hit Russia hardest. (more) Ransomware infections reported worldwide 12 May 2017 - A massive ransomware campaign appears to have infected a number of organisations around the world. There have been reports of infections in more than 70 countries, including the UK, US, China, Russia, Spain, Italy, and Taiwan. ... One cyber-security researcher tweeted that he had detected many thousands of cases of the ransomware -- known as WannaCry and variants of that name -- around the world. (more) Study finds how polluting nanoparticles get into blood and damage hearts 26 April 2017 - Inhaled nanoparticles like those pumped out in vehicle exhausts can work their way through the lungs and into the bloodstream where they can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, scientists said on Wednesday [26 April]. In experiments using harmless ultra-fine particles of gold, the scientists were able for the first time to track how such nanoparticles are breathed in, pass through the lungs and then gain access to the blood. (more) Atlantic salmon farms shift to open seas, trying to shake off lice 20 April 2017 - Atlantic salmon farming companies are designing huge pens to raise fish in the open seas in a radical shift from calm coastal waters where marine lice have slowed growth of the billion-dollar industry. The drive for new designs by Norway, producer of 54 percent of all farmed Atlantic salmon in 2016, will have to cope with ocean storms that can rip cages and free thousands of fish. Escapees disrupt natural stocks by breeding with wild cousins. (more) Should pregnant mothers hang up their cell phones? 18 April 2017 - Children whose mothers were frequent cell phone users during pregnancy were more likely than those of less frequent users to be hyperactive, a new study finds. Lead author Laura Birks and her colleagues analyzed data on more than 80,000 mother-child pairs in Denmark, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, and Korea. They found consistent evidence of increasing risk of behavioral problems -- particularly, hyperactivity -- in 5- to 7-year-old children the more their mothers talked on cell phones during pregnancy. (more) How artificial life spawned a billion-dollar industry 6 April 2017 - Scientists are getting closer to building life from scratch and technology pioneers are taking notice, with record sums moving into a field that could deliver novel drugs, materials, chemicals, and even perfumes. Despite ethical and safety concerns, investors are attracted by synthetic biology's wide market potential and the plummeting cost of DNA synthesis, which is industrializing the writing of the genetic code that determines how organisms function. ... Work is also advancing by leaps and bounds in the complementary area of gene editing now being embraced by many of the world's top drugmakers. (more)