The Japanese Zen term 'shoshin' translates as âbeginnerâs mindâ and refers to a paradox: the more you know about a subject, the more likely you are to close your mind to further learning. Psychological research is now examining ways to foster shoshin in daily life.
Some people get irritated if they do not get enough sleep but others seem to be quite resilient and show little effect. A new brain imaging study found that people with greater white-matter compactness tended to display a greater ability to sustain a positive mood during sleep deprivation.
In a stroke of good news for aspiring pet owners, a Swiss company developed a vaccine for cats that reduces their likelihood of triggering an allergic response in humans. This decreases the odds that a cat would need to be rehomed or given to a shelter because of an immune reaction in its owner.