Today’s Solutions: November 25, 2024

Education

Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.

back view of students at desks with hands raised, facing chalkboard

China rolls out new curriculum to ease burden on young stressed-out students

In recent years, school-aged students in China have been suffering from poor eyesight in growing numbers and at a younger age. According to Vice Education Minister Yuan Guiren, the worsening eyesight of students is due to the excessive amounts of schoolwork that are assigned to students, as well Read More...

Storefront of small local bookshop in central France

New French law helps independent bookstores compete with online retailers

A French law passed in 2014 that prohibits retailers from discounting new books has helped small bookstores survive amidst heavy competition from powerful online retailers. However, the owners of independent shops are still at a disadvantage because online marketplace giants such as Amazon have Read More...

Close-up of the Khuwy mummy

Old Kingdom mummy upends previous beliefs about Egyptian mummification

When we think of ancient Egyptians, mummies usually come to mind pretty quickly, and new research is shedding light on the mummification process of these ancient civilizations. Specifically on the fact that Egyptians were practicing mummification long before we previously thought. The 2019 Read More...

Female hands holding a pumpkin spice latte on a festive table

The science behind the pumpkin spice latte

It’s pumpkin spice latte season, and whether you love or hate this classic festive beverage, you can’t deny that there is a nostalgic power to its sweet brew. To explore why exactly we love pumpkin spice so much, a pair of perception researchers from John Hopkins University decided to look at Read More...

Baby sitting on picnic blanket in the park

Yet another study confirms cognitive benefits of green space

If you’re a regular Optimist Daily reader, you know about the tremendous cognitive and mental health benefits of green space. Now, yet another study has confirmed the link between nature and brain development and finds that access to green space helps children meet critical development Read More...

Group of people watching a movie in a theater

AMC Theaters to offer open captioning showtimes at 100 US locations

Movie theater company AMC has announced plans to make their showings more inclusive with the addition of open captioning during select showings at over 100 US locations. "By adding open captions to the variety of presentation formats we offer, AMC locations become a more welcoming place for Read More...

Young woman peacefully listening to music on the couch

This science-backed playlist is full of songs that will give you chills

We all have those special songs we go back to every now and then if we want to get a good dosage of “chills”—that powerful emotional response reflected by a pleasurable sensation of tingles, and even goosebumps. But what exactly is it that makes our bodies respond that way to a piece of Read More...

Young girl eating carrots and broccoli

5 ways to get your kids to eat more vegetables

Heading into Halloween and the winter holidays, ‘tis the season where your kids are bound to overload on sugar. Balancing out the pumpkin pie and gingerbread houses with hearty vegetables will help keep your kids healthy and energetic, but how do you convince your little ones to eat more veggies Read More...

Children enjoying Halloween with costumes.

Candy to costumes: 6 ways to make your Halloween more sustainable

Halloween is just around the corner, and many families are excited to celebrate the holiday in full force for the first time in two years. Last year we shared how to sustainably dispose of post-holiday waste, and this year, we bring you six more ways to green up the special occasion. Greener Read More...

young climate activist in hand-made canary costume poses in tree for climate change

These crafty activists flock together and stitch canaries for climate change

Over the past few months, residents in the UK would have had the chance to spot more than 70 “flocks” of UK crafters that have been gathering across the nation as a way to encourage politicians to react more aggressively to the climate crisis. The participants in this project, which was Read More...