June 1, 2021
We're talking about practical solutions today including how food banks can strategically boost public health and how a construction choice can cut down on malaria risk in Sub Saharan Africa. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the Read More...
Why our libraries should double as food banks
When the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity, many community centers like libraries, museums, and sports fields began doubling as food pantry distribution sites. University of North Carolina researcher Noah Lenstra studies the relationship between libraries and food security and pinpoints Read More...
Fish scales and frog skin could help regrow bone fragments
People in Singapore consume a lot of fish and frog meat and now, researchers have uncovered a way to put the waste from those ingredients to good use. Their research shows potential for using fish scales and frog skin to create bone repair material. Usually, when someone is born without a Read More...
Robotic prosthetics with tactical feedback can help amputees feel again
We have previously written about prosthetic legs that can adjust to different terrains and prosthetic hands that can be mind-controlled—but now, new developments have reached a novel level of efficiency for prosthetics and neural implants. A study published in the journal Science writes about Read More...
Want to go green but feel overwhelmed? There's an app for that
We all want to live more sustainably, but with all the avenues for reducing waste and emissions, it's not always easy to know where to start. New platform BrightAction is here to help you navigate through the mountain of information that is linked to leading a sustainable life and will make Read More...
Scientists have trained Dutch bees to detect Covid-19
Bees are miraculous critters that play an essential role in feeding the world through pollination. However, Dutch scientists have tapped into another one of their valuable attributes to help identify cases of Covid-19: their acute sense of smell. When someone is infected with Covid-19, the Read More...
Under-the-tongue wafers could be the vaccines of the future
As we’re witnessing with the vaccination rollout for Covid-19, one of the main challenges facing vaccine delivery is creating a “cold chain” that ensures that vaccines are kept at the right temperatures along their entire supply chain. To address this, scientists from the University of Read More...
These "flying" electric boats could save Venice from being engulfed by water
The romantic Italian city of Venice is slowly but surely sinking into the sea. While rising sea levels are partly to blame for this, there is a less commonly-known contributor to this issue called “moto ondoso,” also known as wake pollution. Wake pollution is caused by speeding motorboats Read More...
Food banks apply behavioral economics to promote choice and healthy eating
This year, food banks and pantries around the world were stretched thin by the pandemic. They were and still are an essential resource for families in need, especially for households that were gravely impacted by Covid-19. Estimates indicate that the demand for these nonprofit services in the Read More...
Redesigning houses in sub-Saharan Africa can reduce malaria infections
While some scientists are working to develop malaria vaccines with higher efficacy, others are keeping busy with more low-tech solutions to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. One of the latest of such solutions comes from scientists at Durham University who discovered that building Read More...