This is why the Netherlands is closing so many prisons
Earlier this week we wrote about the criminal justice nonprofit, Vera, which is teaming up with Google to create detailed, transparent data on prisoners. Policymakers have no access to such data, so the idea is that it will help them make more informed decisions to shape the country’s flawed Read More...
Why more parents are enrolling their kids in nature-based education
According to a new in-depth study, addiction to digital technologies is causing numerous forms of health problems for children—including more social isolation, lack of physical development, and decreased vitamin D because of light exposure, which causes premature thinning of the neocortex. Read More...
Experts say vegans must be aware of B12 deficiency. Here’s how to avoid it
We’re proud of our Optimist readers who eat a vegan diet. That’s why we feel excited to share stories about the latest tips and trends within the vegan community. With that in mind, experts lately have been warning that people eating a vegan diet need to make sure they get enough B12 - because Read More...
Endangered mountain gorilla sees its population grow
For decades, mountain gorillas have been subjected to uncontrolled hunting, disease, habitat loss and the ravages of human conflict. Their numbers plummeted, and they are now considered endangered. But it appears that the great primates are ending the decade on a positive note. A new survey has Read More...
Everything you need to know about Saturday’s winter solstice
Saturday is the 21st of December, aka the winter solstice, aka the shortest day of 2019 for everyone living in the Northern Hemisphere. If pagan rituals are your thing, this is probably a big moment for you. If not, the official first day of winter is neat for other reasons, too. For instance, Read More...
This incredible AI-powered leg helps amputees by thinking on its own
Prosthetics have come to life in a variety of ways, with recent evolvements looking more like a sci-fi depiction of the future. And most of this technology is designed to mimic our body and bring back the function that was lost. But what if we went further? What if instead of relying on our body to Read More...
Crowded cities finally have a way to bury their dead sustainably
Despite the expenses and environmental problems that come with burying the dead in urban areas, most people still want their final resting place to be close to where they lived most of their life. But fulfilling that desire in cities is becoming increasingly difficult, if not impossible. Take Hong Read More...
This coffee shop chain plans to become zero waste by the end of 2020
People’s strong love for coffee, combined with our western society’s throwaway culture, sends an overwhelming amount of waste to landfills, putting a serious strain on the environment. And while finding a sustainable alternative to the disposable coffee cup has proved difficult, the ultimate Read More...
This geothermal-powered community will feature connected public roof gardens
Of all the “sustainable” communities that global cities are planning to build in the coming years, the blueprints for a new net-zero community in Hamburg are particularly striking. One main reason is that the community, which will be built in the formerly industrial borough Harbugh, will be Read More...
Hello botanists, have you seen the incredible plants discovered in 2019?
At the end of each year, the Royal Botanic Gardens of the UK celebrates the diversity of plants and fungi by choosing its top 10 newly discovered species of the year. This year, the top 10 included everything from bamboo-dwelling medicinal fungi and a ‘miracle berry’ to a candy-cane striped Read More...