Episode Description

This week’s solution news:

Arielle starts off the solutions round-up with a fascinating discovery about Florida carpenter ants: they are the first and only known case in the animal kingdom where one individual systematically amputates another’s limb. Then, Karissa talks about the mental health solution that warmed her heart this week. It all starts with psychiatry professor Dixon Chibanda’s idea to tap into the wisdom and comfort of grandmothers.

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Transcript

Theme music 

Arielle 

Hello and welcome to the Optimist Daily Weekly Roundup. I’m Arielle  

Karissa 

And I’m Karissa. And we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement. 

Arielle 

All right, we’re back with another episode of our pod to share the solutions from the optimists daily this week. And I have to say there were a lot of really cool solutions. I had a hard time picking what I wanted to talk about actually  

Karissa 

Me too! I was overwhelmed with optimism this week from all the great solutions that we had. So, I’m excited to share the ones we did end up choosing. 

Karissa 

How are you doing, Arielle?  

Arielle 

I’m doing pretty well. I am trying not to be too sad about the weather. It’s just been very rainy here.  

Karissa 

Yeah 

Arielle 

But I know that you’re kind of experiencing the opposite in California, which I feel like we talk about every week, but… 

Karissa 

Oh yeah.

Arielle 

This is just the drudgery of our day-to-day lives having to deal with the weather. 

Karissa 

I saw something the other day and it was such a good point about how talking about the weather is actually like… it’s small talk, but it’s actually something so significant and can hold a lot more meaning when you look into it. 

Arielle 

Yeah. And I guess it like… it connects strangers. It’s a shared experience that you know that you’re sharing with that person because they’re like, with their umbrella fighting against the wind as well or sweltering in the heat. 

Karissa 

Sharing or comparing. Since we’re on the opposite sides of the world, comparing can be good too, because then we see what we’re going through and stuff. So yeah, super hot over here. Heat waves and some fires happening in California. 

Arielle 

Yeah. 

Karissa 

Which is never good. Pretty scary. But, gotta be optimistic. We’re gonna look into publishing next week some of our climate resilient solutions to keep our spirits a little bit uplifted so. 

Arielle 

Yeah. And just how people cope. But speaking of seeing things from other people’s perspectives and perhaps being a little bit more accessible, Karissa and I have some exciting news to share about the podcast. And it’s that we have transcripts available now for our podcasts. And this is something that came into discussion because one of our first episodes, or I think maybe the first episode of the season, had to do with emergency care for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. And we realized that we were speaking about solutions for a community that we are actually not accessible to. At least in podcast format, and we definitely wanted to change that and try and make our podcast as inclusive and accessible as possible. So from here on out, there will definitely be transcription links in the show notes, but we’re still working on getting the previous episodes up and running as well. But they should be published soon, so keep an eye out for that when you’re looking at the description of the episodes. 

Karissa 

I’m really excited about this addition because, you know, we always want to be as accessible and inclusive as we can on the Optimist Daily, so. 

Arielle 

Exactly. But yeah, I guess those are all of our housekeeping updates. 

Karissa 

I think we’re ready to dive into our solutions today, Arielle. 

Arielle 

Well, I guess my mind was really on amputations and prosthetics and health solutions, medical solutions because both of the articles that I wanted to talk about had to do with amputations and… 

Karissa 

Okay.

Arielle 

…Solutions for that. 

Karissa 

Mm-hmm. 

Arielle 

The first one that I was thinking about had to do with a bionic prosthetic. But then I ended up going with this weird and wonderful nature solution which is entitled “Florida carpenter ants: Nature’s teeny tiny surgeons and wound care experts.” So, did you know Karissa that these little ants are basically the doctors of the insect Kingdom? 

Karissa

I can honestly say I had no idea that they were, but I’m really excited to hear more. 

Arielle 

These Florida carpenter ants have been observed performing pretty advanced medical procedures. They clean and even amputate the limbs of their injured peers to save their lives. 

Karissa 

Oh my gosh, this is pretty intense for these little ants to do. How did, you know, researchers figure out that ants are doing this? 

Arielle 

An international team of researchers published a study in Current Biology about these ants’ medical skills. Erik Frank, a behavioral ecologist from the University of Würzburg… I hope I’m saying that right… Led the study. He mentioned that this is the only known case in the Animal Kingdom where one individual systematically amputates another’s limb. 

Karissa 

How do these ant doctors decide when to clean and when to amputate their little patients? 

Arielle 

That’s a really good question. So, they actually have a very targeted approach. The researchers found that ants deal with two main types of injuries: femur lacerations and tibial lacerations. For femur injuries, they often clean the wound first and then amputate the leg. And for tibia injuries, they stick to just cleaning the wound, and this method increases survival rates significantly.  

Karissa 

Pretty sophisticated medical procedures going on over there with these ants.  

Arielle 

I know! (laughs) 

Karissa 

Is there any idea on how effective these treatments are? Since you mentioned that the survival rates are significant, so. 

Arielle 

Yeah, the study shows that ants with treated femur injuries had a survival rate of 90 to 95 %, and for tibia injuries, the survival rate was about 75%. In comparison, untreated injuries had much lower survival rates, 40% for the femur and only 15% for tibia injury. 

Karissa 

Huh. So impressive. This is so cool. Why do they use different treatments, though, for different injuries? 

Arielle 

Yeah, it all comes down to the impact on blood circulation. So, femur injuries involve a lot of muscle tissue that’s critical for pumping blood, so they need to amputate to prevent infections and basically keep the ant alive. And tibia injuries, on the other hand, don’t affect blood flow as much, so cleaning is usually enough. But if they don’t amputate tibia injuries quickly when it’s actually needed, then it can be fatal for the little ant. 

Karissa 

Well, I guess this all makes sense, but it’s so interesting! I didn’t realize that ants had such intricate medical knowledge. How long does it take them to perform these amputations? Is it like a human surgery where it’s hours? 

Arielle 

No, actually, it takes them about 40 minutes to complete an ant-assisted amputation. Which is still like… It’s such a complicated procedure. I already was impressed with ants because they can lift so much more than their body weight, but I did not know that it went into this type of realm. But yeah, delaying the surgeries can increase the risk of lethal infections. So, Laurent Keller, another researcher from the University of Lausanne highlighted that ants spend more time cleaning tibia wounds to limit the spread of bacteria. 

Karissa 

Do they get any ant training? I guess? This medical ant training or is it all natural to them? 

Arielle 

Apparently, it’s all innate behavior. So, according to Keller, these ants don’t really learn this, so there’s no formal training or… there’s no communication, I guess.  

Karissa 

No ant med school? 

Arielle 

No, no, I guess not! Because I mean, with bees, they communicate where certain nectar sources are through dancing. So, you’d think that maybe the ants also can communicate somehow what they’ve learned but, they can diagnose a wound, check if it’s infected, and treat it accordingly. Without any training whatsoever. 

Karissa 

So, are there any other species that do this, or is it just the Florida Carpenter ants? 

Arielle 

Well, researchers are currently investigating whether other species of Carpenter ants, especially those with antimicrobial glands, perform similar amputations and this could help us understand how these medical behaviors evolved. 

Karissa 

Yeah. Well, I can’t wait to hear what they find out. Imagine if this kind of behavior is more common than we thought. 

Arielle 

Yeah, I know. And I… I know that I usually pick stories about animal intelligence whenever they come up. But. 

Karissa 

(laughing) Yeah, I was going to say. 

Arielle 

It’s just so fascinating, and the actual study is titled: Wound dependent leg amputations to combat infections in an ant society, and it’s opening up so many fascinating questions about these tiny little medics. But kind of along the same vein I also saw… I was just scrolling through Instagram, and I saw that there was an orangutan seen treating a wound that it had on its face with like a medical plant. And apparently that’s the first time scientists have observed this in the wild. So. Yeah, apparently we’re just surrounded by animal Kingdom doctors. 

Karissa 

Totally 

Arielle 

Which I find really cool.  

Karissa 

Yeah. I really like this, and I love how, like you said, Arielle, how you’re always picking these solutions that connect us with the animal/insect kingdom, and their intelligence. So, I feel like it really makes me feel a lot more connected to, you know, the species we cohabitate this earth with. So. Very interesting. 

Arielle 

I guess that’s uh, that’s it for me in the medical health sphere. But you have something also related to health in a different way.  

Karissa 

Yeah, something to do with mental health. So, the title of my solution is called: Zimbabwean grandmothers transform mental health care globally. 

A deceptively simple yet revolutionary mental health therapy based on grandmother’s wisdom and sensitivity took root in Zimbabwe. Now, it is being embraced around the world, including in the United States. These older women, equipped with basic training and problem-solving therapies, sit on benches and quiet corners of community clinics, churches, poor neighborhoods, and universities ready to listen and engage in one-on-one conversations. This technique revives an ancient Zimbabwean practice in which grandmothers served as pillars of knowledge during difficult times. 

Arielle 

Yeah, this is so sweet as well, and it makes so much sense, because grandmothers have always been rooted in their families and communities, and they’re sharing their wisdom and… 

Karissa 

Totally. I feel like it really stood out to me because I know I go to my grandmother a lot for any wisdom and advice. Just this weekend I was having like a very deep conversation with her because I was feeling a little distressed about nothing like super major. Just, I’m like, you know…what am I gonna do with my life?  

Arielle 

Aww 

Karissa 

So yeah, this really was convenient timing. This initiative uses the power of grandmotherly wisdom to help those with mental health challenges and was pioneered and furthered by psychiatry professor Dixon Chibanda. His revolutionary mental health solution has received international praise. His inspiration for this “friendship bench” is what it’s called, the premise of these grandmothers on the benches giving out good mental health advice, therapy and such, stemmed from his own personal sorrow. Because in 2005, a patient who couldn’t afford the $15 bus fare to see him decided to take her own life. 

Arielle 

Oh my. Oh no. 

Karissa 

Pretty unfortunate, but it sparked a great solution to help prevent this in the future. He said because of this, he realized that he needed to have a stronger presence in the community and to do this, he recruited 14 grandmothers near his Harare hospital and trained them in basic mental health support. Today, this network of over 2000 grandmothers, funded by Zimbabwe’s Health Ministry and the World Health Organization, has grown. These grandmothers provided therapy to almost 200,000 Zimbabweans by 2023, so that’s pretty impressive.  

Arielle 

Wow, that’s quite a lot. 

Karissa 

And in 2022, the McNulty Foundation in the United States awarded him at $150,000 prize for transforming mental healthcare. Now the Friendship Bench concept has spread across Vietnam, Botswana, Malawi, Kenya and Tanzania. It is also in the early stages in London, so yeah, this idea has really spread. 

Arielle 

Yeah, that’s really wonderful to hear. Can you share a bit more on how the concept is being used like in other places in the world? 

Karissa 

Yeah. So, in New York City, for instance, the friendship bench has also sparked new mental health programs. So, the city’s mental health plan, which was introduced last year, is drawing inspiration from the friendship bench to combat social isolation by installing orange benches throughout Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. And HelpAgeUSA in Washington, DC, is exploring the concept as part of the DC Grandparents for Mental Health campaign. I love that that’s an organization 

Arielle 

Aww 

Karissa  

Grandparents for mental health! 

Arielle 

That’s so cute. 

Karissa 

Cindy Cox-Roman, who is the President and CEO of HelpAge USA, reports that 20 grandmothers have received training in listening, empathizing, and empowering others. 

Arielle 

This method is really a great and accessible way to get help and address your mental health concerns because, I guess a lot of it seems out of reach people and there’s a lot of like hoops to jump through, even if you’re getting government-subsidized mental health support, there’s usually a lot of forms and things that you have to fill out. But I love how simple (laughs) I love how simple this solution is. It’s just as easy as getting a bench… 

Karissa 

Yeah. 

Arielle 

…Putting a grandparent on it and letting someone talk about their feelings. 

Karissa 

Yeah. And a lot of times, you know the most simple solutions are the best solutions and most effective. So, but yeah, it really is accessible because as you’re kind of touching on, there is like a mental health stigma. So, a lot of people might have a hard time, like reaching out for mental health support. 

Arielle 

Mhm. 

Karissa 

And there also is a lack of faith or access in medical systems, too. So, people around the world frequently have limited access to care, especially for mental health. As the HelpAge USA CEO says, people are hurting, and a grandmother can always make you feel better. The grandmothers are aiming to reduce stigma and promote open discussions about feelings with their grandmotherly wisdom. 

Arielle 

And this is also probably a good thing for the grandmothers too, since we’ve written a lot about how elderly people in their later years can suffer a lot from loneliness and boredom. And this will foster intergenerational friendships and relationships, and also just get them out of the house and interacting with society. So, this is a win-win. 

Karissa 

Yeah. Totally, I think, uh, those are such good points, and it probably serves as a really nice symbiotic relationship between grandmothers and community members going through rough times. So, I feel like it must be pretty fulfilling for these elders, who I’m sure a lot of them are volunteering in their communities. So, you know, it must have a very great sense of purpose And give them something to do. When I saw the solution I was like, I think this is something my grandma would enjoy doing because. Yeah, she likes to stay busy in her retirement, but it’s still not enough for her. We joke that she needs to be working like 80 hours a week because. She’s always… 

Arielle 

Oh wow!  

Karissa 

We love that she has a lot of energy, cause hopefully she’ll be with us for a long time. Yeah. So I think this is great and hopefully, we’ll see it in more places soon and in more of our communities. Because according to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one-fifth of all adults in the United States in particular suffer from mental illness. Here we have a very viable and simple solution with the friendship bench, which provides someone you can trust. Open up your heart to. And tell your deepest secrets too. 

Arielle 

Aw, this is so sweet 

Karissa 

Yeah, it really warmed my heart this week and made me feel optimistic so, 

Arielle 

That’s good. That was a great roundup of solutions, as usual. And we have some other great solutions from this week that you can find on our website, optimistdaily.com. 

Karissa 

We have: Breakthrough and green hydrogen production: cobalt and water replace rare Iridium. Denmark to pioneer CO2 tax on farms and a global first. Relationship audit: 10 essential questions to strengthen your connection. Tiny spas for endangered frogs battling fatal fungi. Another spa solution! I almost did that one cause it’s related to the beer solution. 

Arielle 

Oh yeah, that’s right. 

Karissa 

All right. What else do you have, Arielle? 

Arielle 

So, we have: Namibia High Court lifts ban on gay sex, a win for human rights. Expert tips and tricks to stop your sunscreen from pilling. Oh, that’s annoying. I should definitely check that one out. 

Karissa 

Oh yeah, me too.  

Arielle  

And this is the other one that I wanted to pick! Bionic leg breakthrough: mind-controlled prosthetics transform mobility for amputees. And finally, How to stop ‘stresslaxing’ and actually relax. 

Karissa 

I like that one. I almost picked that one today, but, I wanted to talk about something more optimistic, so (laughs). 

Arielle 

Yeah, I mean, lots of really good solutions on the Optimist Daily this week. So, everybody go check it out. But anyway, if you want to start your day off right, make sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get our solutions straight to your inbox. 

Karissa 

We also have more on our social channels. You can find us @OptimistDaily on all of our platforms, including Threads and Pinterest. The only difference is on X we’re known as @OdeToOptimism. 

Arielle 

We are a small team of optimists working hard to bring you positive news if you want to support our mission of putting optimism into the world, click on the link in the show notes to find out how. 

Karissa 

Yeah, and support doesn’t always have to be financial. Even just recommending our podcast to a friend, leaving a positive review on Apple or Spotify, forwarding a link to a friend, or sharing a solution on your socials would be a great help. 

Arielle 

All right. Well, I hope you enjoy your weekend, Karissa. Whatever you end up doing. 

Karissa 

Yeah, I hope you do too, Arielle, and all of our listeners as well. It was great to be here with you as always. 

Arielle 

Yes, I agree. It’s always fun to share the solutions with you. Now, I am going to get cozy because it is storming outside in the Netherlands right now, so. We’ll be back next week, same time, to share more solutions with you all. 

Karissa 

See you next time! Bye!