From the Supreme Court to smoothies: 5 favorites from our optimist editor-in-chief
The Optimist Daily is all about solutions — those that make big impacts in the world as well as those that enhance our daily lives. As solution-seekers, news readers, and good-for-the-world-and-soul product searchers, we often feature discoveries that promise to make our lives better. This week, Read More...
This Turkish charity directly connects donors to those in need
Many people couldn’t get by without the invaluable work done by the non-profit sector. Philanthropic organizations the world over, such as the Red Cross or the Halo Trust, provide essential services, effect societal change, and even repair damage from conflicts. In cases of providing funds to Read More...
This MIT team designed a desert shelter for humans and animals
We have often written about animal agencies at The Optimist Daily and sharing our space on the planet with our furry or winged neighbors. It’s important to recognize the rights of nature and cohabitate with animals as peacefully as possible, but a design team from MIT just took it to the next Read More...
Five health benefits of argan oil
With time and real-world experience, humans often discover multiple uses for a single plant or vegetable. Okra is a delicious and highly nutritious vegetable that goes great in a variety of spicy dishes, and the gooey compound it excretes can be used to extract microplastics from water. A Read More...
Love and Action: Happy Earth Day!
“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” — Marshall McLuhan, philosopher As far as we know, Earth is the best place in the Universe. The search for life beyond our planet and even our solar system is ongoing, and one day we could very well make the Read More...
Scottish forests are the biggest they’ve been in 900 years
Scotland is a proud and iconic country, with a unique culture and landscape. Travelers from all over the world come to visit Scotland’s highlands, lowlands, and lochs. Another invaluable part of the Scottish wilderness, largely and unfortunately overlooked by visitors, is its Read More...
Florida volunteers feed manatees with lettuce
In Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, a bold initiative began where volunteers gather to pour pallets of leafy greens into the water to feed the manatees gathered there. Initially, after some hesitation, a bold and curious pair of cows approached and started eating lettuce. More would soon join, Read More...
Elders Climate Action: climate activism for seniors
This last week’s Optimist’s View on aging got us thinking about our seniors and how lucky we are to have a substantial older population. Longer life expectancies and a growing senior population mean holding onto our loved ones and benefiting from their perspective and experience. With an active Read More...
Astronomers spot the beginnings of a “baby gas giant”
We can take up astronomy now, buy a good telescope, and go out on the right night to look up at the sky and marvel at the gaseous planets of our own solar system. These are of course Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. However, we average enthusiasts would need some different equipment, and Read More...
A treasure trove of dinosaur fossils discovered in Chile
Dinosaurs pervade the human imagination. More than that, their fossils give us an understanding of our planet and life’s early history. A recently discovered fossil of thescelosaurus neglectus gave paleontologists a look into dinosaurs’ last moments before the asteroid struck, the fossil having Read More...