Lower back ache? Be active and wait it out, new guidelines say
The group did not address surgery. Its focus was on noninvasive treatment. The new guidelines said that doctors should avoid prescribing opioid painkillers for relief of back pain and suggested that before patients try anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants, they should try alternative therapies Read More...
Will Massachusetts become first U.S. state to commit to 100 percent renewables?
Clean energy supporters in Massachusetts announced legislation Monday, backed by more than a quarter of the state legislature, committing Massachusetts to get 100 percent of its energy needs from clean and renewable sources by mid-century. The legislation, introduced in the House of Representatives Read More...
4 tips for dealing with negative thinking when the world seems doomed
Whether you’re wringing your hands over the unpredictability of Trump or Brexit, or distracted by anxiety towards your relationship, there’s nothing fun about being plagued by negative thoughts. A recent survey by Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association showed that the divisive Read More...
These bacteria clean water while generating electricity
At The Optimist Daily, we know that nature is the leading provider of solutions to human problems. Here’s one more. Across the planet, a lot of water is poisoned with heavy metals. The good news is that there are bacteria who love iron, lead, and mercury. And researchers have now modified these Read More...
Packaging from leftover bamboo to cut down trash in Thailand
Trash is a problem in many developing countries where environmental regulations trail economic development. But the problem of trash can also provide an economic opportunity. This company in Thailand has developed packaging made from the leftover scraps of bamboo chopstick manufacturing. The Read More...
Farmers respond to climate change but don’t talk about it
Talking about climate change is almost politically incorrect in Washington D.C. these days. But farmers in red—Republican—states are responding to the impact of global warming nonetheless. “If politicians want to exhaust themselves debating the climate, that’s their choice,” says one Read More...
Air pollution is finally getting the attention it deserves
“Air pollution” is never written as the cause on death certificates. If it were, it would be the biggest killer in the world. Air pollution causes 6.5 million early deaths a year. That is double the number of people lost to Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, and four times the number Read More...
You can’t stop thinking, but you can be more present
Many people get frustrated with meditation as they can’t stop thinking. But it is impossible to silence our mind. Our eyes cannot not see. Your ears cannot not hear. In the same way, it’s human to have thoughts. When you try to stop your mind, you are doing the impossible. A quiet mind is not a Read More...
On this Valentine’s Day, thank microbes
This Valentine’s Day, as you bask in the beauty of your beloved, don’t just thank his or her genes and your good fortune; thank microbes. Research on the microbes that inhabit our bodies has progressed rapidly in recent years. Scientists think that these communities, most of which live in the Read More...
Beer hops beneficial to honey bees
Colony collapse disorder (CCD) of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies reached all-time highs throughout the US between 2007 through 2009. Though several factors have been linked to CCD, varroa mites (Varroa destructor) remain as a major pest of honey bees throughout the world, often forcing Read More...