What would Buddha or Jesus say about prayer apps?

+ stunning 'bioart' that induces awe US Edition - Today's top story: Prayer apps are flooding the market, but how well do they work? [View in browser]( US Edition | 27 November 2021 [The Conversation]( Prayer and meditation apps have become popular in recent years, especially among millennials looking for connection and spirituality. Thanks to their wide appeal, Hallow, a Catholic prayer and meditation app with over a million downloads, has raised over $52 million from venture capitalists. But Dorian Llywelyn, a priest and scholar of Christian spirituality at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, argues that the purpose of prayer is to do the [hard spiritual work while being in a community](. That is one reason many of the world’s major religions, such as Islam and Buddhism, have community baked into the act of praying. The next time you use a prayer app, reflect on your spiritual growth. Is it making you more humble or patient? Or is it making you more focused on yourself? This week we also liked articles about what [“Moby-Dick” can teach us all about coping with climate change](, how [headphones work]( and the [mental health distress grocery workers]( are experiencing. Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor Prayer apps can help guide spiritual practices and encourage people to set goals and stay on track. MangoStar_Studio/iStock via Getty Images [Prayer apps are flooding the market, but how well do they work?]( Dorian Llywelyn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences A scholar of Christian spirituality argues that prayers are meant to bring together a faith community – something apps aren’t likely to achieve. Many grocery store workers have experienced high rates of anxiety and depression during the pandemic. Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images [Grocery workers suffer the mental health effects of customer hostility and lack of safety in their workplace]( Brian Mayer, University of Arizona; Melissa A. Barnett, University of Arizona; Mona Arora, University of Arizona; Sabrina V. Helm, University of Arizona Supermarket employees, still laboring in crisis mode, continue to report significant rises in physical and mental health problems. The annual BioArt competition highlights the hidden parts of biology revealed under a microscope. Todd Green/BioArt [Art illuminates the beauty of science – and could inspire the next generation of scientists young and old]( Chris Curran, Northern Kentucky University Scientists have been using art to illuminate and share their research with the public for centuries. And art could be one way to bolster K-12 science education and scientific literacy in the public. - [Jury finds 3 Georgia men guilty of Ahmaud Arbery murder: 3 essential reads]( Matt Williams, The Conversation Experts help explain the context around the murder trial and convictions of Greg McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Bryan. - [The lessons ‘Moby-Dick’ has for a warming world of rising waters]( Aaron Sachs, Cornell University Melville’s epic novel about life aboard a wayward whaling ship holds lessons for the climate crisis today. - [Great headphones blend physics, anatomy and psychology – but what you like to listen to is also important for choosing the right pair]( Timothy Hsu, IUPUI There is a lot to consider when buying a new pair of headphones. A professional musician and acoustics researcher explains how the science of sound and quirks of human hearing make for a great listening experience. - [Why are barns painted red?]( Thomas Durant Visser, University of Vermont Barns are practical buildings, designed to safeguard farm animals and equipment. Why are so many of them painted to stand out from the landscape? - [Cuba’s post-revolution architecture offers a blueprint for how to build more with less]( - [Infrastructure law’s digital equity goals are key to smart cities that work for everyone]( - [Biden taps the Strategic Petroleum Reserve – What is it? Where did it come from? And does the US still need it?]( - [Project Veritas and the mainstream media: Strange allies in the fight to protect press freedom]( - [Scientist at work: Endangered ocelots and their genetic diversity may benefit from artificial insemination]( - [The NRA could be winning its long game even as it appears to be in dire straits]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](