Today’s Solutions: October 14, 2024

baby humpback whale looks into camera

Humpback whales may sing their beautiful songs to "see"

Have you ever been so fortunate as to have heard the long and complex song of a humpback whale? Marine biologists have long thought that these hauntingly beautiful songs, which are only sung by male whales, function like mating calls. However, it turns out that the whales may break out into song Read More...

Sumatran rhino eating leaves in the jungle of Sumatra

Rare Sumatran rhino birth brings new hope for the endangered species

Currently, there are only about 80 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild. That population, however, has just gotten a little bit larger thanks to the birth of a Sumatran rhino calf at a sanctuary in Indonesia. The mother rhino, named Rosa, gave birth to the female calf at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary Read More...

Woolly monkey walking up on a tree branch

Ecuador grants wild animals legal rights in a world first

In a landmark ruling, Ecuador has become the first country in the world to grant legal rights to individual wild animals. Back in 2008, the country became the first in the world to recognize nature, or Pachamama, as a deserving right-bearing entity. However, while that law was enshrined in the Read More...

Vaccination vial with syringe.

Immune system chip reduces the need for animal testing

Finding immune system solutions so often necessitates stoking an immune response. Scientists unfortunately have to carry out tests for treatment for the immune system on live organisms, such as mice and non-human primates. What if there were a way to do this without animal testing? An Read More...

Winner of 2021 World Nature Photography Awards - Facing Reality, Leopard Seal and Penguin, by Amos Nachoum

And the results from the World Nature Photography competition are in

Our world is a beautiful place inhabited by extraordinary creatures. Thankfully, there are skilled photographers who dedicate their lives to capturing precious moments in nature so that the rest of us can get a peek into other hidden worlds. The World Nature Photography Awards (WNPA) is a Read More...

Brandt’s vole standing on hindlegs between the grass of the Mongolian grasslands.

To watch out for predators, voles trim the grass around them

Here at The Optimist Daily, we commonly report on new ecological findings from animals all around the world. The more scientists uncover about the behavior and lives of the creatures we share the world with the better able we are to help them. Whether that’s uncovering snow monkeys incredible Read More...

Senior mature couple having fun with virtual reality glasses.

VR helps reduce social isolation for seniors

The pandemic has been hard on all of us, especially at-risk groups with preexisting health concerns. Senior citizens are one of these groups that have been hit the hardest, with the number of social activities and sports that they can partake in being drastically reduced. Consequently, the levels Read More...

An ant standing on a green leaf, from up close

Ants can detect cancer as well as sniffer dogs

A proof-of-concept study from scientists in France has recently demonstrated something fascinating: the ability of ants to sniff out cancer cells. The research results provide proof that a particular species of ant, Formica fusca, can be quickly trained to detect cancerous cells with the same Read More...

3D rendering Earth in the outer space.

Signs of life discovered deep in the Earth

We all know that things happening below the Earth’s crust, the top layer in which humans inhabit, impact what’s going on above. From volcanoes to tsunamis, the huge tectonic plates beneath our feet are hugely influential. For the first time ever, scientists have discovered how life above has Read More...

Happy young girl in hospital hugging a therapy dog

ER patients report less pain after short visit from therapy dog

While hospitals often welcome therapy dogs within their wards as a means to comfort and uplift patients, the therapeutical benefits of these our best furry friends haven’t actually been proven clinically — that is, until now. A new study from the University of Saskatchewan shows that a visit Read More...