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472 results for "biodiversity"
Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation regains ancestral lands near Yosemite in major cultural restoration
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Nearly 900 acres of ancestral territory have been officially returned to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, marking a major milestone in Indigenous land restoration efforts in California. The property, which borders Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Read More...
Decades of protection pay off as endangered whales make a rare comeback in Canada
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a world where news about endangered species is often bleak, a sprawling underwater canyon off the coast of Nova Scotia is offering something rare: hope. There, in the dark, nutrient-rich waters of the Gully, a vast submarine canyon roughly the size of Read More...
Not all marine parks protect sharks. Here’s what works (and what doesn’t)
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The global push to safeguard oceans is gaining momentum. With the United Nations’ target of protecting thirty percent of the seas by 2030, marine protected areas (MPAs) are being established at a record pace. But a new study from the eastern tropical Read More...
Brazil expands Indigenous territories as COP30 protests spotlight the stakes
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Brazil, a country at the heart of the world’s climate future, has taken a major step by creating 10 newly recognized Indigenous territories. The announcement came at a moment of heightened emotions and protests both inside and outside the COP30 conference, Read More...
Extinction rates are slowing—and conservation efforts may be paying off
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For years, headlines have warned that Earth is entering a sixth mass extinction. But new research suggests that this dire picture may be more nuanced, and even somewhat hopeful. A study by Kristen Saban and John Wiens of the University of Arizona's Read More...
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon drops to 11-year low ahead of COP30
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to new government data. This encouraging milestone appears just days before the country hosts the upcoming United Nations climate summit, Read More...
Podcast Transcript October 31, 2025—The science of saving lives: new breakthroughs in immunity and allergy prevention
Episode Description: In this week’s episode, Arielle and Karissa gab about two groundbreaking medical solutions changing lives: a one-time gene therapy that helps children with ADA-SCID develop healthy immune systems, and new pediatric guidelines that could drastically reduce peanut allergies. Read More...
Spain expands marine protections with six new biodiversity hotspots
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a move to bolster ocean conservation, Spain designated six new marine zones: five as marine protected areas (MPAs) and one as a seabird sanctuary, which adds an impressive 17,000 square kilometers of protected waters. This strategic expansion raises Read More...
Why Amazon trees are growing bigger — and what it means for the planet
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When we talk about the Amazon rainforest and climate change, the news is usually grim: deforestation, rising temperatures, and biodiversity loss. But a new study offers an unexpected bit of hope. Despite the growing pressures of global warming and human Read More...
Podcast Transcript October 10, 2025— Why women live longer (and what men can learn from it) + the world’s first Indigenous-led ocean reserve
Episode Description: In this episode, Karissa and Arielle begin in the Pacific Islands, where Indigenous leaders are creating the world’s first ocean sanctuary designed to preserve migratory routes across national borders. Then we turn to the science behind why women tend to live longer than Read More...