At least they're not creating horny rats or "researching" fantasy baseball.

According to UW researchers, people can train themselves to be compassionate through "compassion meditation."

Richard Davidson and Antoine Lutz monitored 16 monks who had at least 10,000 hours of meditation practice (do they keep logs?), along with 16 other subjects who were given two weeks of training in basic elements of compassion meditation.  When subjects were meditating, the fMRI scans showed activity in the part of the brain that plays a role in how emotions are manifested in the body and the part that helps process empathy.

In short:  meditating about compassion = activity in the part of the brain that processes compassionate emotions.

Who knew?!

They say everyone from children who are bullies in the schoolyard to those who suffer from depression may be able to learn how to feel happier and more compassionate.  Just give your bully a day pass to the local spa and you're home-free.  Depressed?  Dust off your meditation mat and get to empathizing.