SSS 2008-12-24
时间：2018-12-02 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(十二)月
This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber. This will just take a minute.
In America there’s a feeling of Christmas. But that’s not the only winter holiday going on. Jews are lighting 1 Hanukkah candles, Muslims recently feasted on Eid al-Adha, and pagans celebrated 2 the solstice. So it’s a good time for researchers to consider spirituality—from a scientific point of view.
One experience central to major religions around the world is that of transcendence, the idea of almost losing a sense of self to the feeling that there’s something bigger out there. Now scientists at the University of Missouri say they’ve located that experience in our brains. All the people studied, from Buddhist 3 monks 4 in meditation 5 to Francescan nuns 6 in prayer, experience this transcendence. And they all have decreased activity in the right parietal lobe 7 of the brain. That area has to do with senses such as orienting yourself in the space around you. The study was published in Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science.
Interestingly, people with injuries to the right parietal lobe report increased levels of spiritual experiences. The researchers are quick to say that this connection doesn’t minimize the role of religion, and that religious or spiritual experiences might decrease activity in that region and thus increase that special feeling of transcendence. Just in time for the holidays.
Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber.
- The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
- The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
- He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
- The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
- The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
- In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。
- The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
- He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
- I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。