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The BEAUTIFUL study

The BEAUTIFUL study shows ivabradine significantly reduces hospitalization for fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction by 36% and coronary revascularisation by 30% in high-heart-rate patients. Ivabradine is safe and well-tolerated, even when used with other cardiovascular drugs.

Saving the wild orchids of Borneo

The American Society for Horticultural Science reports that Borneo is home to 2500-3000 orchid species, but many are endangered due to habitat destruction and over-exploitation. A recent study has identified 197 species of orchids in West Borneo, highlighting the need for conservation efforts to protect these rare species.

Is the beauty of a sculpture in the brain of the beholder?

Researchers used fMRI scans to study brain activity in subjects with no art criticism knowledge, contrasting Classical and Renaissance sculptures with altered proportions. The presence of the 'golden ratio' activated specific neurons, while beautiful vs. ugly sculptures selectively activated the amygdala and insula, respectively.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 20, 2007

Leading neuroscientist seeks beauty, love and happiness

A leading neuroscientist is exploring the neural basis of creativity, beauty and love through an interdisciplinary research program funded by the Wellcome Trust. The study aims to understand how beauty and love relate and what it means to be happy, with potential implications for fields like economics and jurisprudence.

Beauty and the brain

Experiments by Piotr Winkielman and colleagues suggest that judgments of attractiveness are influenced by the ease with which our minds process stimuli. Prototypical images are rated as more beautiful or appealing because they fall into the average of what we've seen, making them simple for our brains to recognize quickly. The research...

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPsychological Science·DateSep 26, 2006

Fingerprints in the sky explained

Researchers used elliptic integrals to predict polarisation patterns in skylight, finding that singularities play a vital role in shaping the overall pattern. The study provides a simple and beautiful explanation for this natural phenomenon.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNew Journal of Physics·DateNov 8, 2004

Lennart Nilsson Award

The Lennart Nilsson Award honors Göran Scharmer for his groundbreaking solar research, including the development of the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. The award is presented annually by Karolinska Institutet and includes a prize of SEK 100,000.

Physical beauty involves more than good looks

Research suggests that non-physical traits, such as personality and behavior, have a substantial impact on how people perceive physical attractiveness. Studies involving familiar and stranger participants found that non-physical traits known only to familiars had a large effect on perception of physical attractiveness.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalEvolution and Human Behavior·DateApr 15, 2004

Book By Shipman Wins Phi Beta Kappa Award In Science

Pat Shipman's book Taking Wing: Archaeopteryx and the Evolution of Bird Flight has received the 1998 Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science. The book explores the enigmatic fossil Archaeopteryx, whose anatomy combines birdlike and reptilian features, and its role in understanding how birds evolved flight.