New law makes it easier for veterans to adopt service dogs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a new program that aims to make service dogs more available to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The newly-signed Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act is the result of years of work from Read More...
14 Practical ways you can fight climate change
The latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made it clear that human activity has created a “code red for humanity,” and we must act now if we are to prevent the global temperature from rising to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels and ensure that Read More...
Lost your ball over the fence? Belgian law gives you the right to retrieve it
Have you ever lost a ball because you’ve accidentally kicked it over the fence and into your unfriendly neighbor’s yard? Well, from the first of September, if this happens to anyone in Belgium, they’ll have the legal right to retrieve it (though this probably won’t temper the reaction of Read More...
August 27, 2021
We've got especially inspiring stories today on the Update with news that the all-female Afghan robotics team has landed safely in Mexico and Hawaii's impressive renewables progress. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the Read More...
August 27, 2021
We've got especially inspiring stories today on the Update with news that the all-female Afghan robotics team has landed safely in Mexico and Hawaii's impressive renewables progress. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the Read More...
Japanese scientists produce lab-grown Wagyu beef for the first time
Most of us now know that switching to a plant-based diet is one of the ways that we can help fight climate change and practice impactful sustainability in our own lives. However, for those of us whose favorite meals include dishes like a juicy beef burger, or tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs, Read More...
The "Butterfly Effect" is designed to help insects cross roads safely
Most drivers have had the unpleasant experience of witnessing an insect or two splat against your windshield while you’re driving down the highway. Well, as unpleasant as it may be for those of us behind the wheel, it is undoubtedly more unpleasant for the bug. Dutch design studio VenhoevenCS, Read More...
Afghan all-girls robotics team warmly received in Mexico
Back in the spring of 2020, we wrote about the impressive all-girl robotics team from Afghanistan who was building ventilators from used car parts to treat Covid-19 patients. Now that the Taliban has seized power in Afghanistan, many people, including this team of impressive teenage girls, face an Read More...
Students conceptualize pedestrian-friendly addition to local bridge
Like other transportation infrastructure in the country, American bridges have been designed with a car-centric mentality, meaning that many of these structures lack designated paths for cyclists or pedestrians. This is the case for a long bridge in Rhode Island that connects the towns of Jamestown Read More...
Could driving habits and credit scores be the earliest indicators of dementia?
Early detection is critical for successfully treating Alzheimer’s and dementia, but what if identifying the first noticeable symptoms is already too late for adequate treatment? An emerging field of research is looking for clues outside of traditional medical diagnosis to accelerate dementia Read More...