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Podcast Transcript May 16, 2025: Snakebites, sunscreen, and solutions: ancient humans, modern science, and unexpected heroes
Episode Description: This week, Arielle and Karissa dive into the wild and wonderful world of solutions—from ancient humans using ochre as sunscreen during a magnetic pole shift, to Tim Friede, a man who willingly took 200 venomous snake bites to help researchers create a better antivenom. Plus: Read More...
Massachusetts millionaires multiply, thrive, and boost public services under new tax
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When Massachusetts voters approved the Fair Share Amendment in 2022—a four percent surtax on income over $1 million—critics warned it would send high earners fleeing the state. But two years later, a new report tells a very different story. According Read More...
Why reading aloud to your kids matters—even after they've learned to do it on their own
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For many families, reading aloud is a cherished part of childhood—a bedtime story, a favorite picture book, or a well-loved series that unfolds one chapter at a time. But once kids learn to read on their own, many parents understandably ease off. However, Read More...
Ancient humans may have used sunscreen to survive deadly solar radiation
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM With summer around the corner and UV levels on the rise, sunscreen is about to be a seasonal staple for most of us. But if you think the idea of sun protection is a modern invention, think again. New research from the University of Michigan suggests our Read More...
New vagus nerve stimulation treatment shows 100 percent PTSD recovery in early trial
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For millions of people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), effective treatments can be elusive, and full recovery often feels out of reach. But a promising new therapy developed by researchers in Texas could be changing that narrative—by Read More...
Chimpanzees combine sounds like language pros, revealing surprising vocal complexity
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In the lush forests of Taï National Park in Côte d’Ivoire, a remarkable form of communication rings out. Barks, grunts, screams, and hoots echo through the trees—and, as it turns out, these aren't just random noises. Chimpanzees are crafting meaningful Read More...
Scientific societies take charge as U.S. climate report faces political uncertainty
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When leadership falters, science finds a way forward. That’s the message from two of America’s most prominent scientific societies, which have pledged to carry on critical climate research after the Trump administration sidelined the team behind the Read More...
Diabetes deaths decline post-pandemic, marking hopeful progress in U.S. health trends
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM After a sharp rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetes-related deaths in the United States are beginning to fall again, according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The figures suggest a return to a more Read More...
Meet the man who took 200 snake bites so science could strike back
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Tim Friede has been bitten by venomous snakes around 200 times and lives to tell the tale. No, not by accident, but on purpose. By cobras, black mambas, kraits, taipans — you name it. He didn’t do it for shock value, though his story is jaw-dropping. He Read More...
Scientists use living human brain tissue to model Alzheimer’s to accelerate search for the cure
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a world-first, British scientists replicated the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease using living human brain tissue — a leap forward in the global race to understand and treat dementia. This pioneering research, led by a team in Edinburgh, involved Read More...