Here’s why you should consider swapping your morning coffee for a long walk
Most of us need coffee to just get out of bed in the morning. The World Health Organization classifies caffeine as one of the “most widely used psychoactive substances” in the world. Caffeine does have some health benefits, but research has found that exercise can give you the same alert Read More...
Amateur astronomers discover new type of northern light
The dark winter months means the arrival of beautiful northern lights in the more extreme areas of our world. This year, amateur astronomers helped discover a new type of northern light scientists are calling “dunes” due to their rolling, wave-like appearance. Northern lights are kind of Read More...
A nonprofit in Boston is turning vacant storefronts into pop-up communal spaces
When businesses stand empty in a neighborhood, the negative effects can be far-reaching. That’s why a nonprofit was created that turns vacant storefronts into pop-up communal spaces where people can come together without having to spend money. The nonprofit is called CultureHouse, and it was Read More...
These researchers are turning McDonald’s used frying oil into 3D-printing resin
Used cooking oils are a major global environmental problem, with commercial and household waste causing serious environmental issues, including clogged sewage lines caused by the build-up of fats. While there are commercial uses for waste cooking oil, there’s a lack of ways to recycle it into a Read More...
Virtual reality systems help firefighters train safer and smarter
Climate change fueled wildfires in Australia and California has shined a light on the importance of firefighters and firefighting technology. To adapt to increased demands for firefighting innovation, Australia-based FLAIM Systems has created a virtual reality (VR) training system for Read More...
Major meatless food brand introduces carbon footprint labeling on its products
While most supermarket products are required to have food labels that help consumers make informed decisions about the food they buy, it’s uncommon to find similar information about the environmental footprint behind our food’s production. In an effort to challenge that, Quorn - the biggest Read More...
Squids could become man’s next friend as study finds similar brain complexity to dogs
If you’re on the lookout for a new animal companion, perhaps you should consider a squid. Before you balk at the notion of a pet squid by your side, check out the results of the first MRI-based mapping of the squid brain and its neural connections in 50 years. While squids have generally been Read More...
Sigh of relief: rare fluorescent pink slugs survived the Australian bushfires
At the top of Mount Kaputar in New South Wales, Australia, lives an incredible species of slug that glows a fluorescent pink color. These slugs only exist on that single mountaintop, which is why conservationists had every right to worry about their survival when the Australian bushfires burned Read More...
Investments into sustainable funds more than doubled in Europe in 2019
According to research firm Morningstar Inc, European funds devoted to sustainable investing pulled in a record 120 billion euros ($132 billion) from clients last year. That’s more than double the previous year’s total. On top of that, assets managed by funds in Europe that incorporate Read More...
Optimist View - Movie Review: Honeyland
How an Oscar-nominated documentary illustrates the power of resilience BY AMELIA BUCKLEY Wild honey smells of freedom. The dust - of sunlight. The mouth of a young girl, like a violet. But gold - smells of nothing. -Anna Akhmatova Our first introduction to Hatidze Muratova is watching her Read More...