Why group testing helps us make the most of limited COVID-19 tests
When it comes to coronavirus testing, the problem is simple: there are too many people to test, and too few kits to test them with. That’s why researchers across the world are having to improvise. One promising technique is group testing, in which multiple people are testing at once. Group Read More...
A startup called Platio just installed the first solar home driveway
Back in 2018, Hungary-based tech company Platio announced its goal of introducing the world to the aesthetically-pleasing solar pavement, which could partially replace home driveways and provide clean energy to households. Flash forward two years, and Platio has just installed its first solar Read More...
This experimental housing complex holds the key to a clean, stable grid
In the small town of Basalt, Colorado, a small housing development that was meant to stand as a bulwark against skyrocketing housing prices is now dually serving as a living laboratory for testing advanced power grid technologies. The hope is that, one day, these technologies could turn every home Read More...
The research-backed mental health benefits of making mediocre art
If your social media feeds are filled with photos of banana bread, rudimentary watercolor paintings, and beginner sewing projects, it may be more than just people acting out of boredom. They’re likely getting other benefits from those efforts, too. Creative practices can offer a buffer against Read More...
Study finds plasma from coronavirus survivors can help severely ill patients
Good news in the battle against coronavirus. In a recent story published in The Guardian, it was reported that doctors have found tentative evidence that seriously ill coronavirus patients can benefit from infusions of blood plasma collected from people who have recovered from the disease. Two Read More...
These 5 startups are poised to disrupt the fashion industry for the better
While some clothing companies have made great strides to clean up the polluting fashion industry, what we really need are innovators that can disrupt the industry and put us on a path towards truly sustainable fashion. With that in mind, here are five exciting startups that are set to make waves in Read More...
Behold the most awe-inspiring water photos of the year
There is something so awing about looking at the water. Whether it’s in the form of powerful waves or perfectly still ponds, water’s shape-shifting powers make it an endlessly fascinating thing to observe. Recently, the photography social network Agora held a competition to provoke Read More...
City dwellers are going hyper-local to experience nature
Most shelter-at-home orders allowed for people to visit national parks or nature preserves, but when too many people starting visiting these places, governments started restricting access to them as well. And although it’s frustrating to be separated from the great outdoors, staying home has Read More...
Working remotely? Here’s how to stay virtually connected on your own terms
When Chuck Swoboda retired from the Cree after 16 years as CEO, he realized he had a problem: he had become addicted to connectivity. He had always embraced the constant flow of communication afforded by new technologies, but was starting to realize that he didn’t have control of the Read More...
Spain is on the verge of implementing a basic income program
The coronavirus has prompted governments around the world to think of ways to pandemic-proof the world. One of the main ideas that is gaining traction is universal basic income (UBI), something we’ve written quite a few stories about (see here and here). If you’re not familiar with UBI, Read More...