Want better sleep? Try getting outside
Spending time in nature has been shown to boost children’s cognitive development and improve mental health. One study even showed that just listening to nature is good for your health. Now, further research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders shows that one big aspect of time outdoors Read More...
Neuroscientists prove that taking more outdoor walks is great for your brain
Adults spend 80 to 90 percent of their time indoors, on average, but as animals, we are supposed to spend far more time in the great outdoors. If you need more convincing to get outside, science can definitively declare that it’s important to awaken our natural selves by connecting with the Read More...
How to share an appreciation of hiking with your kids
Hiking in nature is good for the mind, body, and soul. Most of the time it’s free, plus it encourages conversation, builds memories, strengthens your connection with nature, and during this pandemic era, is one of the safer activities you can do with other people. All of these factors make Read More...
Montreal’s eco-grazing program raises the “baa” in urban agriculture
We at The Optimist Daily have written quite a lot about the importance of green space and urban farming… so why not add urban livestock for eco-grazing, too? Inspired by a similar project in France, professional sheepherders in the French-Canadian city of Montreal made a deal with officials Read More...
Diary of a Young Naturalist: The joy and self-reflection in observations of nature
Dara McAnulty has been fascinated with the natural world since he was a young child. From exploring the rugged coastlines of Northern Ireland to observing moths in his own backyard, there is nothing in nature that doesn’t intrigue him. In a New York Times profile, McAnulty explains that he Read More...
You can now help environmental NGOs by watching calming nature videos
If you’ve turned to nature videos to relieve your pandemic anxiety, doing so now could also benefit the world’s oceans, and the environmental organizations fighting to preserve them. That is, as long as you watch those serene shots of nature through the new Preservation Play YouTube Read More...
The secret to happiness may be a bit of practice
For thousands of years, humans believed that emotions were predetermined hormonal responses out of our control, but in recent years researchers are beginning to shift their understanding. Part of this is due to something called “the predictive brain.” It used to be understood that if, for Read More...
Yorkshire Dales rewilding initiative lets nature reclaim the land
Another expansive rewilding initiative was launched last week in England. The restoration process is focused on the gorgeous but barren landscape of the Yorkshire Dales. While the Yorkshire Dales is celebrated for its bleak beauty, the fact of the matter is that the land’s striking appearance is Read More...
Study of 90 cities links green space access with increased happiness
More and more cities are making tree-planting and green space allocation a key part of their urban planning strategy. Not only do green spaces mitigate the heat island effect, but they also work to purify the air and improve the health of residents. The correlation between nature and happiness has Read More...
Meet Wisdom, the 70 year old albatross that just hatched another chick
When biologist Chandler Robbins first tagged Wisdom the Laysan albatross in 1956, he probably had no idea that the oceanic bird would long outlive him. But here we are in the year 2021, and Wisdom is still alive and mating. In fact, Wisdom has just hatched another chick at the tender age of 70. Read More...