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WHO recognizes Henrietta Lacks for her life-changing contributions to medicine
When Henrietta Lacks sought treatment for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in the 1950s, her cancer cells were harvested without her consent. These “HeLa cells” became the first sample of human cells to divide indefinitely in a lab, providing the basis for life-changing Read More...
This device can save people from opioid overdoses
The strain of health care systems around the world caused by the pandemic means many other services have been cut. This includes those tackling the opioid epidemic, which accounted for 70 percent of overdoses in 2019, according to the CDC. While many government policies look at this issue from a Read More...
3 Covid-19 medical advancements that will endure post-pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic stalled a lot of progress, but true to form, The Optimist Daily would like to point out a few ways in which the pandemic actually provided the perfect circumstances for technological advancement. Genetic vaccines. After thirty years of lab research and development, the Read More...
Doctors complete first successful pig to human kidney transplant
For the first time ever, doctors at NYU Langone Health in New York City have successfully transplanted a pig kidney into a human. The primary function of this organ is to filter waste products and excess fluid from the blood, which is subsequently turned into urine. When this process breaks down, a Read More...
Could genetically modified mosquitoes mean the end of malaria?
Managing mosquito populations is a key component to reducing malaria rates, but as anyone who has spent a summer evening outdoors knows, these pesky insects can be tough to work against. However, a landmark study has found that genetically modified mosquitoes can be introduced to keep insect Read More...
Scientists use algae proteins to partially restore vision of blind man
Retinitis pigmentosa — a disease that progressively destroys light-sensing cells on the surface of the retina — is one of the most common causes of blindness in young people, affecting about one in 4,000 people worldwide. Though there’s no cure for this genetic disorder, scientists are Read More...
Music education helps children with autism communicate their emotions
We recently wrote about the healing power of music therapy in hospitals. Today, we’re again looking at the power of music, but this time, as an educational resource for children with autism. Children with autism often have difficulty expressing themselves verbally, but research has shown Read More...
The human library lets people break down prejudice through conversation
Libraries are great resources for learning and these days when you visit a library, your options aren’t limited to printed text — you can borrow movies, audiobooks… and even humans. That’s right, the concept of borrowing an actual human being to talk to about a plethora of topics is on Read More...
ENLACE uses telenovelas to amplify the voices of queer Latinx youth
Navigating adolescence in itself is a gargantuan hurdle that takes a physical, mental, and emotional toll on budding adults. During this time, queer Latinx youth may find themselves at particularly trying crossroads of isolation and discrimination. According to a 2019 focus group conducted by Read More...
Meet the Sioux Chef who’s putting Native American foods on the menu
Isn’t it ironic that when we think of American cuisine, we rarely, if ever, think of Native American dishes? Sean Sherman, who goes by “The Sioux Chef,” is on a mission to reverse how colonization has erased Native American food from the menu, and instead give it a space to shine. Sherman Read More...