The future of greenhouse technology may be tinted solar panels
Greenhouses retain heat to promote plant growth, but what if we could create tinted greenhouse panels out of solar panels to both capture the sun’s energy and shield and nurture plants? The emerging field of agrivoltaics aims to do just that and could be the future of farming. It works by Read More...
Google rolls out new real-time wildfire boundary maps
Having accurate wildfire data during an active blaze can help save lives and inform critical evacuation decisions. Amidst the wildfires ravaging California, Google Maps has launched a new service that provides real time wildfire boundary data. The program was piloted last year in California Read More...
These health tips will help you boost your child’s immune system
During uncertain times, keeping our children safe is our top priority. Among changing routines, questions around the school, and social time, there is one constant that can benefit each child. And that’s a healthy immune system. To help bolster your child’s immune system, integrative M.D. Taz Read More...
Conservation center celebrates birth of four endangered zebra foals
Fewer than 2,000 Grevy’s zebras remain in the wild, making them the world’s most endangered zebra, but in good news for the species, the White Oak Conservation center has celebrated not one but four new births this summer. The three males and one female were born in June and July, adding Read More...
From fertility to diabetes: 6 ways smartphones can help track health
The processing power of today’s smartphones, along with their high-quality cameras and an array of ever-improving sensors, makes them potentially useful in the medical world for diagnosing different conditions quickly. Let’s take a look at a few early-stage but highly promising examples. A Read More...
Could we 3D-print buildings using local soil instead of concrete?
3D-printed architecture has been getting a lot of press from The Optimist Daily lately. Most recently, we shared a story out of Oakland where a startup called Mighty Buildings is using a 3D printer to create not only the walls and floors of a home but also other elements like the roof and ceiling. Read More...
These solar-powered barges can scoop up 50 tons of plastic from rivers each day
While removing the plastic waste that currently contaminates the ocean today will be crucial for protecting marine ecosystems, it is arguably more important that we stop any more plastic trash from entering the ocean. Fortunately for humanity, The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit taking on plastic waste Read More...
These scientists are turning algae into biodegradable flip flops
Flip-flops may seem innocent, but the problem is that this type of footwear is so popular and affordable that it winds up making a significant portion of discarded plastics polluting oceans and seas. That’s not good, especially since they’re typically made with petroleum-based plastics that Read More...
5 ways to celebrate with action on the anniversary of the 19th Amendment
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment in the middle of an election cycle, you may be asking yourself how to celebrate and further educate yourself of voting equality. Here are five ways to celebrate the legacy of the 19th Amendment. Learn about the Read More...
Research shows confiding in others reduces risk of depression
Depression is caused by a myriad of internal and external factors ranging from home life to genetics, but fortunately, a range of external factors can also work to reduce depression. Concerned about rising depression during pandemic lockdowns, a group of researchers looked at data from 100,000 Read More...