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The world is a better place than you think
OK, we stole that headline; it's a popular rubric in our quarterly magazine. (We guess you can't really call it "stealing" then, can you?) Stealing, and crime in general, is on the decline. That's one of many important, positive long-term trends that we describe on the very last page of each issue. Read More...
Ikea raises pay for workers, encouraging wide campaign for better pay
Ikea has announced it will pay its UK staff the living wage. The decision by the Swedish home furnishing retailer is a big boon for a nationwide campaign to raise low wages. Ikea will pay its staff a minimum of £9.15 an hour in London and £7.85 across the rest of the UK. More than 4,500 employees Read More...
The secret history of Aloe vera
You may know about Aloe Vera's many wonders. You may use it as an herbal remedy for ailments ranging from skin diseases and burns to digestive troubles, and as a soothing balm in cosmetics and toiletries, from suntan lotion and antiperspirant to detergent and even toilet paper. But what is the Read More...
Obama speaks powerfully about the failings of America’s justice system
For the first time in American history, according to The New York Times, a president visited a prison. Hard to believe given the enormous damage that decades of mass incarceration have brought to the United States. Afterwards Barack Obama spoke words that hopefully find receptive ears in Read More...
Taking maternity leave to the next level: shipping breast milk for free
Sweden and Norway may have the best parental leave in the world—more than a year paid for the mother and father combined. In contrast, U.S. federal law allows women and men to take three months—unpaid. But IBM is adding a new dimension to parental leave in the U.S. The company will launch a Read More...
For most men doing nothing is the best treatment for prostate cancer
Most men with prostate cancer are better off by avoiding treatment, a new study suggests. Most prostate cancers are low-risk that will probably not be killers, and yet almost every new diagnosis triggers surgery or radiation, which often results in erectile dysfunction or incontinence. Up to 40 Read More...
Get ready for the ultimate slow space tourism experience
Space travel doesn't need to involve a rocket. All you need is a balloon. Get ready for the first tourist operators offering to take you to the stratosphere, sooner than you think. Just like the first photos from the Earth, taken from outer space, created a consciousness to take care of our planet, Read More...
Attaching bird houses to sign posts will make the city friendlier to birds
Birds have come to avoid cities. They crash into skyscrapers or get lost because of the bright lights at night. But there's something we can do to make them feel more at ease: put up bird houses to sign posts. Nest Project, based in London, aims to help out the birds while making urbanites aware Read More...
Yeloha: Go solar on someone else’s roof
If you can turn your home into a hotel through renting it (Airbnb), you should be able to rent your energy generation capacity as well. What if you want to power your home with solar energy but your house catches mostly shade? You might work out a relationship with someone else who has solar, using Read More...
Food powder made from expired produce may help end world hunger
Taking dumpster diving to the next level. That's the idea of a group of international masters students who created FoPo Food Powder, a company that collects cheap and near-expired produce and spray dries it into a powder, extending its shelf life for two years. This is an innovative solution to Read More...