Baltimore, MD, USA. An astrophysicist and an applied economist from Johns Hopkins University have used computer programs and mathematical formulas to create a calendar in which each new 12-month period is identical to the one which came before, and remains that way from one year to the next in perpetuity.

Thus, researchers have discovered a way to make time stand still — at least when it comes to the yearly calendar.

Gothenburg, Sweden. The sounds produced by a fiddle are not always musical, but the fiddle is still nevertheless regarded as a musical instrument. However, if one uses sticks or car engines to create music — do they become musical instruments?

Is this a matter of deception, perception, or is it a point of departure to somewhere else?

Providence, RI, USA. People typically say they invoke an ethical principle when they judge acts that cause harm more harshly than willful inaction that allows that same harm to occur.

A study finds the moral distinction is psychologically automatic. It requires more thought to see each harmful behavior as morally equivalent. Codified in criminal law, individuals and courts deal more harshly with people who actively commit harm than with people who willfully allow the same harm to occur.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands. "Would legal regulation and control of drugs better protect children?" is a question posed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the former President of Brazil, in an editorial that appears in the International Journal of Drug Policy (IJDP). [C1]

The editorial follows the March 2011 report of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, chaired by Cardoso, which recommended reforms of drug laws, including experiments with legal regulation and control. [C2]

Columbia, MO, USA. Until recently, scientists thought trying to study spirituality was a hopeless case. Scientists have to take their clues where they find them. And in the nascent science of spirituality, precious few clues exist at all.

However, new studies at Mizzou and elsewhere suggest that the geography of the brain may contain twin seats of spiritual experience. One spot helps people feel selfless — less “me” and more “we.” Another part calls up the cultural and religious symbols we know best to help interpret spiritual experience.