Education
Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.
How a single Japanese tourist got to enter Machu Picchu alone
Like many of us have experienced in the past months, Japanese tourist Jesse Katayama had his vacation plans ruined due to the coronavirus pandemic. Back in March, Katayama, a native of Osaka, arrived in Peru with the dream of visiting the ruins of Machu Picchu—the ancient Inca citadel. But when Read More...
Iconic rock band performs live concert in socially distant bubbles
Social distancing at a live rock concert may sound like a pipe dream, but the iconic rock band The Flaming Lips recently proved otherwise. On Monday, the band performed its first concert since the coronavirus pandemic started for a live audience in Oklahoma City, where everyone was entirely Read More...
Philippines teachers start call center to help struggling remote students
To contain the spread of the coronavirus, schools in the Philippines have remained closed since lockdown ensued in March. This has pushed virtually all of the country’s students to continue their education online. Concerned that virtual learning may become a struggle for students, a local Read More...
Get lost in these incredible x-ray images of the universe
You would only need to be subscribed to the Optimist Daily for a little while to know we are geeks for outer space. That’s why we were over the moon when NASA released a gallery of jaw-dropping imagery of the universe captured by telescopes from around the world. The gallery is a “treasure Read More...
Archaeologists in Egypt unveil 59 coffins that date back millennia
Archaeologists in Egypt recently announced the exciting discovery of 59 well-preserved and sealed wooden coffins dating back to more than 2,500 years ago. The extraordinary discovery took place in the desert necropolis of Saqqara, believed to have served as an extensive burial ground for Memphis, Read More...
Cambridge just dropped its $4.5 billion endowments from fossil fuels
More and more universities are choosing to divest from fossil fuels, but the University of Cambridge is going one step further and decarbonizing its entire portfolio. Just last week, Cambridge announced it will drop its $4.5 billion endowments from fossil fuels and reduce its holdings in companies Read More...
Tartu transformed its main street into a pedestrian paradise
From Oakland and Seattle to Bogota and York, cities around the world have been showcasing the community-building benefits that come with removing cars from the streets. In another display of car-free living, the Estonian city of Tartu transformed its main street into a pedestrian-friendly paradise Read More...
Number of young black authors doubles to nearly 20% in UK
People of color have long been underrepresented in the publishing industry, but a new study out of the University College London shows that is starting to change amongst young adult writers in the UK. The study found that only 7.1 percent of YA authors in the UK were people of color in 2017. That Read More...
Vincent Namatjira becomes first indigenous winner of Australia’s Archibald Prize
In its 99 year history, no indigenous artist has won Australia’s Archibald Prize for portraiture, but that changed this year when Vincent Namatjira’s Stand Strong for Who You Are took first place. Namatjira’s piece was chosen from 1,068 entries and depicts retired Australian footballer Read More...
This dad is reinventing the playground to make it more inclusive
The playground is meant to help kids imagine. It is meant to help kids imagine and investigate the world, to develop motor skills, and enjoy exercise through play. And perhaps most importantly, the playground is there to help kids make new friends. Here’s the problem: the way playgrounds are Read More...