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ANN ARBOR-Children in rural India have higher vaccination rates than those in cities, and Hindu kids are more likely to get their shots than Muslim youth, say University of Michigan researchers. Their study is believed to be the first that compares vaccination rates across religious groups in India. It's also significant because the findings that rural kids are better vaccinated are contrary to earlier studies.

A study has revealed that non-believers assume that people who go to church or other places of worship are 'close minded', and they would find this personality trait more off-putting in a partner than their religious views. In two studies researchers created a number of dating profiles for both religious and non-religious individuals and asked volunteers from a range of religious and non-religious backgrounds to rate them for attractiveness.

Analysis of a latrine in Jerusalem that dates back over 500 years finds human parasites common in northern Europe yet very rare in Middle East at the time, suggesting long-distance trade or pilgrimage routes and shedding light on prevalent infectious diseases of the age. Jerusalem's importance to Christians in medieval Europe made it a key destination for both pilgrimage and trade.

Headlines and policy initiatives need to move away from using 'religion' as a way of explaining many terrorist attacks, research has shown. A Senior Research Associate at Lancaster is proposing a new analytical model in the study of terrorism which gives more informed answers to the 'why' questions that surround terrorist attacks.

Religious affiliation is generally a source of support, fostering resilience during difficult times. But religion doesn't exactly have a reputation as a refuge for young gay people. That reputation may change for the better with new findings from researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, and Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea.

More and more people in Switzerland are deciding on their own what to believe and what to practise. Freedom of belief puts pressure on religious communities and forces them to compete with secular leisure activities.

03 Sep 2014 A 1,500 year-old papyrus fragment found in The University of Manchester's John Rylands Library has been identified as one the world's earliest surviving Christian charms. The remarkable document uniquely contains some of the earliest documented references to the Last Supper and 'manna from heaven'.

U.S. patents increased by 31 percent in fields common among Jewish scientists who fled Nazi Germany for America, according to Stanford economist Petra Moser. Their innovative influence rippled outward for generations, as the émigrés attracted new researchers who then trained other up-and-comers.

ANN ARBOR-The relationship between religion, spirituality and health has received considerable attention in recent years but the array of studies has fallen short of establishing solid explanations for why religion has both positive and negative effects on human physiology. With an $8 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation, a University of Michigan researcher and four colleagues plan to provide some structure to the field, with goals to better pinpoint the relationship and to influence future research practice on the subject.

Study makes link between poor access to nutrition in infancy and increased risk of mortality in later life Conversely, being born with a silver spoon in your mouth may give life-long advantages Scientists at the University of Sheffield have found a link between poor nutrition during early life and reduced resilience to later-life famine.

A faith in the explanatory and revealing power of science increases in the face of stress or anxiety, a study by Oxford University psychologists suggests. The researchers argue that a 'belief in science' may help non-religious people deal with adversity by offering comfort and reassurance, as has been reported previously for religious belief.

25 Apr 2013 The private letters of the composer of some of the world's most popular hymns have been published, providing a rare glimpse into the birth of Methodism. The collection of Charles Wesley's letters are edited by Dr Gareth Lloyd of The University of Manchester's John Rylands Library and Professor Kenneth Newport of Liverpool Hope University.

By Pristine Ong 11 February 2013 A landmark catalogue of Kharosthi Buddhist manuscripts put together by Mark Allon may provide important insights into India's ancient traditions. Allon, a world expert in Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit and early Buddhist literature, heads the University's Indian and Buddhist Studies programs.

Stanford Report, February 5, 2013 The introduction of Christianity has changed the hunting habits of indigenous people in the Amazon. While some new practices could benefit animals, others could put populations at risk. Religious missionaries have been transforming the belief systems of indigenous peoples deep within the Amazon since the 1700s, but the outsiders might be influencing more than just prayer.

Brokers are supposed to recommend investments that are in the best interests of their clients. But a new study from University of Toronto professor Susan Christoffersen sheds light on which is more important to a broker: the performance of the fund or the fee it pays the broker? The study, published in the February 2013 issue of the Journal of Finance , found that mutual funds offering higher broker fees attract the most investments, especially when the broker is not affiliated with the mutual fund company.

As the nation prepares to tuck into mounds of Stilton this Christmas, researchers have pinpointed for the first time the yeast which helps give blue cheese its distinctive aroma. A study undertaken by academics at the Universities of Nottingham and Northampton has discovered a particular 'secondary microflora' component' is responsible for boosting the smell of blue cheese.