The fight for LGBTQ+ rights within German Catholic Church
Just over a week ago, 120 priests and other employees within the Catholic church community in Germany came out as queer as part of a campaign that demanded an end to institutional discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community within the church. The campaign calls on the Roman Catholic Church in Read More...
Better air quality during initial lockdowns saved hundreds of lives
New research suggests that more than 800 lives may have been saved across Europe due to improved air quality during the initial Covid lockdowns. Transportation restrictions meant that there were far fewer cars and transport trucks on the roads, which made the most impact on air quality according Read More...
Fake poop helps tiny endangered owls find new homes
Following decades of human encroachment into California’s grasslands, the once common Western Burrowing Owl is now considered endangered. In an effort to protect the tiny birds from new building developments in US regions like Silicon Valley, local conservationists have been trying for years to Read More...
New program in California helps kids manage tough emotions
It should come as no surprise that children across the US and across the globe have collectively struggled much more than usual over the past couple of years. Even before the pandemic in 2019, more than one in three US high school students reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or Read More...
Scientists help frogs regrow amputated limbs
A recent study, published in Science Advances, has brought us one step closer to regenerative medicine. In a collaborative effort from Tufts University and Harvard, the teams were able to regenerate an adult African clawed frog’s (Xenopus laevis) limb, something they are naturally unable to Read More...
Sex in space? The push to find out if we can reproduce in outer space
Although human settlement on other planets was once just a pipe dream, rapid technological advancements are making it seem like a truly viable possibility for the future of humanity. However, before any human colony can settle in space, scientists need to figure out if and how people can reproduce Read More...
Here’s how offshore wind farms can help capture CO2 from the air
One of the conundrums posed by the increasing expansion of wind power is what to do with the excess energy that renewable technologies produce. Because wind power is intermittent and demand for energy also varies, when wind turbines produce more electricity than is needed, their operations are Read More...
Over 500 acres of California's redwood forests returned to Native tribes
On the West Coast of the US, there are 523 acres of forest that used to be home to many more ancient redwoods than what we are left with today. Scattered stumps throughout the region are sad reminders of the majestic trees that once grew there—but luckily, there are still 200 acres that are dense Read More...
DNA mutations are not so random after all
A first of its kind study has added some evidence to challenge the widely accepted theory about genetic mutations: that they are completely random. The findings, published in Nature, could reshape evolutionary theories and our understanding of DNA forever. "We always thought of mutation as Read More...
Meet Jonathan, the world's oldest tortoise
At The Optimist Daily we love telling you about incredible happenings from around the world, both human and animal focussed. At the start of 2022, we reported on one of these remarkable events, when the world’s oldest person turned 119. This time, the story is similar but in another organism, Read More...