Happiness research shows the biggest obstacle to creativity is being too busy
From Vincent Van Gogh on through Kanye West, the figure of the broody, tortured artist looms large in the popular imagination. But research suggests that the key to creativity has little to do with angst. In researching my book The Happiness Track, I found that the biggest breakthrough ideas often Read More...
'It's like Airbnb for refugees': UK hosts and their guests
Think of it as Airbnb for refugees, quips Robina Qureshi. It’s a simple premise: people with a spare room in their house are matched with a refugee or asylum seeker in need of somewhere to stay. And it’s a popular one: before 2015, Qureshi’s organisation, called Positive Action in Housing Read More...
This eco-guide will help make your laundry cleaner and greener
The issue with modern fashion is that garments often use synthetic microfibers that end up polluting sewage systems when washed. Ultimately, these fibers end up in fish that we consume. One study found that a day’s worth of laundry in a city the size of Berlin releases the equivalent of 540,000 Read More...
Could eating insects help save the planet?
Eating insects may not be very appetizing, but scientists are hoping that will change in the future after new research revealed that replacing half the meat eaten worldwide with insects could cut greenhouse gas emissions by one-third. Take a look here at the radical new solution that could Read More...
Mushrooms could hold the key for saving bee populations
Researchers are buzzing over the possibility of using mushrooms to help save declining populations of honey bees. They have found that mushroom spores and extracts have the ability to fight against varroa mites—nasty parasites that spread diseases within bee populations. By treating hives with Read More...
France bans extremely thin, unhealthy, models in advertising
All too often do we see fashion advertisements that use dangerously-thin models to show off new products. Not only can this lead to poor self-esteem among young people exposed to these images, but it also sets an unrealistic, unhealthy standard for how a body show look. To put a stop to these Read More...
Giving your partner a massage can boost your overall well-being
Receiving a massage is known to improve physical and mental well-being, but did you know that giving your partner a massage may be just as beneficial? In a new study, researchers found that both giving and receiving a massage leads to a reduction in stress as well as pain in each partner. Along Read More...
Cities across U.S. continue to commit to 100 percent renewable electricity
Hello Solar put together an interactive map documenting all of the cities in the US that have committed to moving to 100% renewable energy*. The map includes the timing on which the cities have committed to complete the transition and the population of each for context. (Note: since the site and Read More...
India's green car plan prioritizes electric vehicles over hybrids
India's most influential government think-tank has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars, signaling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world's fastest growing auto markets. A draft of the 90-page blueprint, seen Read More...
The single best type of exercise for your brain, according to scientists
Want an all-natural way to lift your mood, improve your memory, and protect your brain against age-related cognitive decline? Get moving. A wealth of recent research, including two new studies published this spring, suggests that any type of exercise that raises your heart rate and gets you Read More...