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July 16, 2020
The Optimist Daily Update with Summers McKay & Kristy Jansen - Your weekday update from The Optimist Daily featuring discussions of our top positive news solutions from independent, reader-funded, journalists. Today, a new study reinforces that humans are optimistic even when times are tough and Read More...
Scientists sequence entire human X chromosome for the first time
You’ve likely heard of the Human Genome Project. That’s because it is one of the most ambitious scientific projects of all time. The program ended in 2003 with over 92 percent of the human genome mapped, but this week, scientists have added to the project with the complete mapping of an entire Read More...
Study shows humans are optimistic, even when times are tough
Michigan State University has conducted the largest study of its kind on how major life events and aging affect people’s outlook on life, specifically optimism. It comes as no surprise to us at The Optimist Daily that people tend to remain optimistic about the future, even when times are Read More...
New solar farm provides clean energy and a refuge for pollinators
The town of Logansport, Indiana is trading their last coal power plant for an 80-acre, 16-megawatt solar farm. In addition to the investment in green, renewable energy, the town is also investing in the health of its insect populations with pollinator habitat taking center stage in the new Read More...
One million UK smokers have kicked the habit during the pandemic
Earlier in May, we wrote about how COVID-19 has pushed 300,000 people in the UK to quit smoking over health concerns. Now, that number has more than tripled, with figures suggesting that 1 million people in Britain have given up the habit since the pandemic hit in March. The data comes from a Read More...
Japan’s new bullet train will keep running even during a natural disaster
Japan has long been ahead of the game when it comes to trains. The country’s bullet trains not only hit speeds of over 200MPH with ease, but they’re also notoriously punctual. Its latest train model, however, is taking Japanese transportation to new heights. The new train is called the N700S, Read More...
Instead of laying off workers, Verizon is giving them new skills
Rather than lay off employees during the pandemic, Verizon has retained its 135,000 employees and even retrained 20,000 for new careers in an increasingly automated economy. The initiative, called Citizen Verizon, aims to prepare low wage workers for the jobs of the future with skills and Read More...
These 15 states will join California in electrifying all buses and trucks
Fifteen states and Washington, DC have announced that they will follow California’s lead in switching all heavy-duty trucks, vans, and buses over to running on electricity, in what could be one of the most significant efforts to reduce harmful diesel engine pollution in the United States. It Read More...
Each purchase of these bags made from recycled plastic plants a tree
Here at The Optimist Daily, we love designers that integrate sustainability deep into the fabric of their products. Solo New York is the type of brand that does exactly that, quite literally. A leading, city-inspired designer of backpacks, the company recently announced the launch of its exciting Read More...
Beautifully simple: this website lets you gaze windows around the world
We’ve been quarantining at home for four months now, and most of us are sick and tired of our home and its views. If you’re craving an escape and looking out your living room window just isn’t cutting it anymore, you can try out Window Swap, an online platform that lets you gaze out upon a Read More...