Say what?! A 3-year-old in Texas found a candy-pink grasshopper
Did you know grasshoppers can be bright pink? Neither did we—until this past weekend when an eye-catching story was published by an NBC affiliate in Texas. Apparently, a three-year-old discovered a bubble-gum pink grasshopper while exploring his garden in Austin, which prompted his mother to snap Read More...
This device might help stroke survivors regain their motor function
Those who survive a stroke can have their motor function severely impaired, drastically reducing quality of life for those survivors. The good news, however, is that scientists have created a device that might help stroke survivors regain their motor function after the fact. At the American Read More...
How local breweries improved water quality in this Montana town
Faced with an aging water treatment plant and polluted water from ten nearby breweries disrupting treatment operations, the small town of Havre, Montana came up with a solution to use beer to its advantage. Engineering consultant Coralyn Revis figured out a plan to use the beer water runoff from Read More...
The 5/20 rule will help you easily understand the nutrition label on your food
Nutrition Facts labels are great for helping consumers make healthier eating choices, but oftentimes these can be misleading and hard to understand. This is where the “% Daily Value” (% DV) comes in handy — and it’s the secret magic trick behind the 5/20 rule for understanding nutrition Read More...
Scottish Distillery creates first “climate-positive” gin
Arbikie Distillery in Angus, Scotland claims to have created the world’s first “climate positive” gin using garden peas. The company’s Nadar Gin avoids more carbon dioxide emissions than it creates per 70cL bottle. According to the company, each bottle has a total carbon footprint of Read More...
Shipping industry to use fertilizer in attempt to run vessels in a greener way
The shipping industry bears an egregious carbon footprint, amounting to nearly 2 percent of total global emissions, about the same as the entire German economy. In its efforts to clean up its act, the industry is preparing to move away from fossil fuels and is exploring using ammonia - the key Read More...
Science tell us naps can boost your health, performance, and well-being
In America, daytime snoozing is still often viewed as lazy — a guilt-inducing indulgence. But scientific research shows that even a short early afternoon snooze can lead to better health, performance, and overall well-being. Research has found that napping can reduce blood pressure and that Read More...
Microgrids are restoring power to rural Australians after the bushfires
For years, the Optimist Daily has been a vocal advocate of microgrids for their ability to provide a reliable, low-cost source of clean energy to local areas. On top of that, microgrids are optimal because they don’t rely on a national grid and can function separately even if a national grid Read More...
Wow: This patient played the violin as doctors performed brain surgery on her
Here’s something you probably haven’t seen before. This week, King’s College Hospital in London released a video of a woman playing the violin while doctors performed brain surgery on her. That woman is Dagmar Turner, a 53-year old woman who has had a slow-growing tumor since 2013. Knowing Read More...
How mushrooms could help treat high blood pressure during pregnancy
High blood pressure isn’t healthy for anyone, but for pregnant women, it can be particularly dangerous. Hypertension during pregnancy is called preeclampsia and it can have negative effects for both the mother and the baby. Fortunately, new research has found an antioxidant compound in mushrooms Read More...