Education
Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.
Frankie the Dinosaur urges humanity not to choose extinction
Right before the commencement of the United Nations climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, the UN Development Program posted a video of a special guest speaker: Frankie the Dinosaur. Frankie’s warning was clear: if we don’t work together to dramatically reduce our use of fossil fuels, Read More...
US government funds psychedelic therapy research for the first time in 50 years
Fifty years after being classified as a Schedule I drug in the US, psychedelic therapy has officially received federal funding from the government in what researchers see as a huge shift in the medical and public perception of the benefits of psychedelics. Using psychedelics to help treat tobacco Read More...
Novel DNA extraction method confirms identity of Sitting Bull’s great-grandson
Researchers from the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre at the University of Cambridge are celebrating the successful extraction of usable DNA from a long-dead person after 14 years of effort. The method, developed by a team of scientists led by Eske Willerslev, was recently used to confirm the Read More...
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...
Cape Verde's sea turtle conservation efforts prove to be a resounding success
The West African island nation of Cape Verde is experiencing first-hand the rewards of years of conservation effort. In the past five years, Cape Verde has seen a surge in sea turtle populations across all 10 of its islands. According to the country’s environment ministry, last year’s nest Read More...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...