Researchers just managed to remove HIV from a living animal for the first time
The most advanced drugs for HIV available today stop the virus from replicating, which prevents patients from developing AIDS. With that said, there is no actual cure for HIV. Now, a team of scientists has managed to clear HIV from infected mice using the CRISPR gene-editing technology in what Read More...
Leonardo DiCaprio co-founds new environmental initiative Earth Alliance
Leonardo DiCaprio has recently stepped up his climate activism game by partnering with billionaire investors and philanthropists to create a new non-profit with the main target of battling climate change. Called the Earth Alliance, the organization is essentially joining the resources of the Read More...
The Revolution That Started it All: 1776
In today’s special edition of The Optimist Daily, we are celebrating revolutions! That’s because of the 4th of July, the day the Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain. Right? Well, not so fast. While it’s widely believed that July 4, 1776, was the day America Read More...
Scientists in Zurich are turning light and air into carbon-neutral fuel
Until our transportation systems run entirely on battery-powered engines or hydrogen fuel, cleaner ways of producing fuel are absolutely necessary. In Zurich, scientists have developed a solar plant that produces synthetic fuels that release as much carbon dioxide during their combustion as Read More...
How cities are finally dealing with the emissions that come with consumption
Climate optimists argue that it is possible to reduce our production emissions without substantially changing our lifestyles. (Electric cars are just as good!) But what if those lifestyles — in which consumption is perpetually rising — are driving increases in production emissions elsewhere? Read More...
Oregon is now leading the nation when it comes to affordable housing
When it comes to affordable housing, no state is tackling the issue as aggressively as Oregon. This past week, the Beaver State passed a law that will effectively enact a state-wide ban on single-family zoning, which has come under scrutiny as housing costs have soared and housing shortages have Read More...
The world’s most inspirational climate activists have finally met each other
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Greta Thunberg are two of the most visible climate campaigners in the world, spearheading a movement that is forcing those in power to address the climate crisis. And although they both have a very similar agenda, they are also as different as two campaigners can get. Read More...
Why boredom at work isn’t always so bad for you
No matter how much you love your job, at some point, boredom is bound to sneak into your work. A dull conference presentation numbs the mind in even the most exotic of settings. If you’re an academic, even a famous one, you still will have paperwork - and tedium to deal with. If you work for Uber Read More...
Mini urban forests are about to make Paris even more beautiful
Earth is home to approximately 3 trillion trees, but most of them are far from urban centers where they’re most needed to cool down pavement and air temperatures. Paris has a plan to change that. The city just announced that it will be planting a series of urban forests as a way to combat Read More...
Study: A healthy microbiome boosts the body’s natural cancer-fighting cells
It was only in the past few years alone that scientists began discovering interesting links between the microbial communities that call the human body home and its overall health. More specifically, it was found that having a wide variety of gut bacteria in your microbiome leads to a stronger Read More...