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Solar pizza box: the clean BBQ alternative
Grilling outdoors is a fun summer activity, but can be costly to the environment—releasing smoke and gas into the atmosphere. Building a solar oven out of a pizza box teaches children about solar energy and environmental conservation. The solar oven produces heat the same way a greenhouse does Read More...
Cancer: the latest inflammatory disease
New research suggests that some aggressive forms of cancer might respond to a powerful class of anti-inflammatory drugs. The drugs—called JAK inhibitors—suppress cells from communicating with each other using a class of molecules called cytokines, and they’re currently approved for the Read More...
Man-made leaf could produce oxygen for deep space travel
One of the major barriers to humans embarking on deep space travel has been the challenge of taking enough oxygen for humans to survive—plants are extremely difficult to grow in zero gravity. A new leaf designed by Julian Melchior as part of the Royal College of Art’s Innovation Design Read More...
General Mills announces plans to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from operations and supply chain
A few months ago Oxfam released a report detailing greenhouse gas emissions in the food production sector—pointing out General Mills, one of the largest food producers in America, as one of the worst offenders. General Mills has now announced plans to greatly reduce greenhouse emissions from both Read More...
Wind cheaper than oil, coal or natural gas in Denmark in 2016
Investments in wind power that Denmark started making over 40 years ago are now starting to pay dividends—and large ones at that. Analysts at the Danish Energy Association predict that by 2016 wind power will overtake coal and natural gas as the country’s cheapest source of energy. Two new Read More...
Cooking for your children leads to healthier eating habits
Cooking at home often leads to healthier meals, and cooking for your children has now been proven to positively impact eating decisions made when their parents aren’t around. Researchers from Penn State's Department of Food Science and Department of Nutritional Sciences found that children whose Read More...
Don’t be angry, but understand it is healthy
We spend so much time trying to be happy, and worrying about being angry that we often forget that anger is a good thing. Research in the behavioral and biological sciences suggests that, when recognized and channeled, anger can improve health, enhance intimacy, further social justice and spur Read More...
One happy man
Below is the the last winner of our Optimist of The Month contest. Know some one we should feature for the next issue? Send Optimist of The Month nominations to editor[at]theoptimist[dot]com. [caption id="attachment_306951" align="alignright" width="200"] HappyWe app creator Chiel van der Linden Read More...
Anger is healthy
Historically, many societies have viewed anger as “bad”—an emotion that must be suppressed or concealed, lest it do terrible damage when it’s unleashed. But it’s natural to feel anger in the course of our daily lives, whether it’s triggered by trivial annoyances (another driver cuts you Read More...
Internet brings elite education—and knowledge power—to developing world
Knowledge is power, it is said. Shared knowledge may lead to shared power, making the world a more just place. Online education decreases the traditional gap between the have’s and the have’s not. Developing nations now get access to elite education offered by top universities in the Western Read More...