Why everyone should eat more beans
Beans are small but mighty—they are packed with fiber (sometimes even more than many grains, cereals, and pasta), high in protein, low in fat, and full of important micronutrients like zinc and iron. There are even studies that demonstrate how bean-based meals leave you feeling fuller for longer Read More...
Costa Rica isn’t letting Covid stand in the way of sustainable progress
One small Central American country is making big moves when it comes to combating climate change. Famous for its environmental policy, Costa Rica is making headway against the destruction of its fragile habitats even in the face of budget cuts and setbacks due to the pandemic. Costa Rica is Read More...
Understanding fish fins could yield more efficient airplane wings
Last week we wrote about how studying elephant trunks is helping scientists build more versatile robotics. Now, a group of researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder has cracked the code on fish fins in the hopes that it will inspire similar design innovations. Fin structure Fish fins Read More...
Berlin university canteens expand plant-based options
Adopting a more plant-based diet is one of the ways we help tackle climate change on an individual level. Universities in Berlin are well aware of that, which is why four of the city's biggest institutions have recently decided to transition their canteens’ meals towards more climate-friendly Read More...
Australian bird is the first documented case of mimicry in ducks
Parrots, songbirds, and even hummingbirds have famously been known to mimic human speech, but until now, no other avian species had been documented exhibiting the same behavior. That all changed when an Australian musk duck began yelling what appeared to be English words in the Tidbinbilla Nature Read More...
5 Ways to boost your hair-care routine with lavender
Lavender has long been touted for its many uses. Growing it in your garden can help repel unwanted insects, and it can induce relaxation and stabilize your mood as an essential oil. Lavender is also known to relieve insomnia, depression, fatigue, and anxiety, and you can even throw the herb into Read More...
Dating apps provide support for employees affected by Texas abortion law
The biggest names in US dating apps reacted to Texas’ new restrictive abortion laws that went into effect this past week by creating relief funds for those who will now have to seek medical care outside of the state. Austin-based Bumble extended their relief fund to anyone seeking abortions Read More...
Robert E. Lee statue set to be removed from Richmond, VA
A colossal 21 foot tall Robert E. Lee statue has been removed from Virginia's capital, state officials said on Wednesday. The statue stood for over 130 years as a monument to the Confederacy. "Virginia's largest monument to the Confederate insurrection will come down this week," Governor Ralph Read More...
How relocating urban highways is an act of racial justice
Many urban highways from the 1950s and 1960s were deliberately built through neighborhoods primarily occupied by people of color, effectively walling these families off from economic opportunity and disrupting their sense of community. Urban planning and public policy researchers Julian Agyeman and Read More...
September 8, 2021
Summers, Kristy, and Amelia do a brief recap of their weekend challenge! Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the Read More...