Anti-freeze salts cause roads to crack. Mixing concrete with bacteria might help
Spreading salt onto sidewalks or roads when the temperature goes below zero is an effective way to stop roads from getting too icy, but the problem is salty “de-icers” cause roadways to crack. Adding bacteria, however, may keep that from happening. In search of concrete that doesn’t crack, Read More...
Bitcoin mining pollutes the planet. China wants to ban it altogether
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have left their mark on the world, but not in the way most people predicted. In a typical Bitcoin mining operation, powerful banks of computers are dedicated to crunching out “blockchain” numbers and processing transactions. Nearly three-quarters of Read More...
Ecologists are turning to star-spotting cameras to count endangered orangutans
If thermal cameras are capable of spotting distant starts, then they must be capable of finding animals here on Earth, right? Such is the logic of researchers from Liverpool John Moores University who are testing the thermal infrared technology that astrophysicists use to discover stars in order to Read More...
Here’s a simple way to cultivate more curiosity within you
In the 21st century, we need skills to solve complex problems and address challenges that do not have one answer and cannot be distilled into mathematical equations or contained by traditional borders. And with the rise of automation, skills that machines and robots simply can’t do—skills that Read More...
Paris just made the biggest purchase of electric buses Europe has ever seen
Paris has taken a huge step forward in achieving its goal of cleaning up its entire bus fleet by 2025 in a grand effort to curb air pollution. The current bus fleet is mostly made up of old diesel buses, but that’ll change soon after Paris’ public transport operator announced it has ordered up Read More...
Peace: A New Definition
By Sadie Wilbur The sun warms my skin as I step out of the car and, with a deep breath, the fresh morning air fills my lungs and wakes my senses. It’s the same walk into the Optimist Daily office that I make every morning, but today I stop and notice a white pole standing to the right of the Read More...
This little gadget stops microfibers from going down the washing machine drain
When it comes to stopping microfibers from washing off your clothes and into our waterways, using a washing bag or simply not buying clothes that don’t shed microfibers is the best thing you can do. Unfortunately, for many consumers, taking these precautions is already too much work. Enter the Read More...
How Facebook is using AI to improve crisis relief in Africa
When you know where people live, it’s a whole lot easier to provide people with aid. The problem is in Africa, truly detailed population maps are basically non-existent. Now Facebook is creating AI-based ultra-detailed population density maps that cover the “majority” of Africa, helping Read More...
Your most basic household products will soon be available in reusable containers
While many of us may want to reduce our consumption of single use plastics, it can be difficult to do so due to the lack of reusable packaging options at conventional grocery stores. The New Jersey based company, TerraCycle, is looking to change this. The company, started by young entrepreneur Tom Read More...
Los Angeles gangs unite for the biggest peace rally since the 1992 LA riots
It is often in the grimmest of times when tragedy has struck that our shared humanity emerges—that we start to show the real love and support we have for each other that isn’t always plain to see in everyday life. What has been happening in Los Angeles this week is a moving example of this. Read More...