This past Saturday, amid tight security, the Dalai Lama was to address the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington. For months now, a group of Chinese scientists has protested the Dalai Lama's attendance at the meeting, saying it was inappropriate for a religious leader to attend a scientific meeting.

His weekend agenda was to discuss how scientists can design studies to see whether and how mental exercise can alter the brain in positive ways. His prepared speech also included a discussion of ethics and morality in the pursuit of knowledge. [newsday]