Happy Holidays: A gift list from The Optimist Daily
“True giving from the heart is an expression of love.” Cara Stein With the holiday season in full swing, it can be difficult to navigate gifting in a way that celebrates loved ones while upholding our environmental and ethical values. Choosing gifts that are thoughtful, sustainable, and Read More...
New breakthroughs in nutrient-sensing cells
Did you know immune cells can sense nutrients? A new study from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has identified the biological mechanism behind the phenomenon. The type of immune cells with these special abilities are called T cells. These play a critical role in immunity and cancer, Read More...
Senegal's only circus troupe helps homeless children get off the streets
Senegal has exactly one circus troupe: Sencirk—and it was founded by a former child beggar named Modou Touré. Before taking his place as ringmaster of his own circus, Touré, at the age of seven, was sent to a Quranic school. As punishment for learning the Islamic holy book too slowly, he was Read More...
Some expert tips on how to find motivation to do strength training at home
Thanks to the pandemic, many former gym junkies and fitness aficionados have become accustomed to working out at home—and while lots of people (and wallets) are enjoying this shift away from visiting the gym, it’s not always easy to find the motivation to complete all types of workouts. This is Read More...
Popcorn may be the next sustainable building material
Popcorn is more than just a tasty snack to munch on while at the movies—it may soon be widely used as a natural and eco-friendly alternative to man made home insulation. Scientists at Göttingen University in Germany have discovered that popcorn insulation boards had “excellent thermal Read More...
This 3D-printed eye is an eye-conic development for digital prosthetics
According to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, Steve Verze, a 47-year-old engineer from Hackney, has been the fortunate recipient of the world’s first 3D printed eyeball. He first tried the eye on for size earlier in the month, but last Thursday he was properly fitted with the prosthetic, Read More...
How to stay warm this winter during outdoor social gatherings
Temperatures are dipping and snowflakes are falling, but that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to our outdoor social gatherings. Plus, it might not always be safe to gather indoors, and everyone will have different comfort levels surrounding indoor gatherings. Even if you hate the cold, Read More...
Monika the rescue dog is up and walking again thanks to four prosthetic limbs
Veterinarians recommended that Monika the Russian rescue dog be put down due to injuries to her four legs, but rescuers Marina Gapich and Alla Leonkina had hope for the pup, and after contacting prosthetic expert and vet Sergei Gorshkov, Monika is officially up and walking again with the help of Read More...
New species of ‘cold bone’ dinosaur uncovered in Greenland
Paleontologists uncovered an exciting new species of dinosaur this month, found in Eastern Greenland. The remnants consisted of two skulls, which are thought to date back around 214 million years. Both dinosaurs died before they reached complete adulthood; one being a juvenile, and one being a Read More...
Ukraine plans to plant one billion trees over the next three years
Back in 2019, Swiss scientists conducted a study that concluded that the most effective way to combat climate change is to plant a trillion trees. According to the study’s calculations, planting at least one trillion trees could sequester nearly 830 billion tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide Read More...