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Promising flu vaccine derived from tobacco plant passes clinical trials
Since the influenza virus mutates every year, the vaccine against it has to be reformulated accordingly every flu season, which is a massive undertaking. But a recent breakthrough — which sees the tobacco plant as the main protagonist — could make things easier for vaccine developers. In Read More...
Diving program teaches kids to document sunken slave ships
In the quest to create a more complete picture of African-American genealogy, an underwater archaeology group called Diving With a Purpose (DWP) focuses on documenting old slave ships that have sunk to the bottom of the sea. Documenting these ships and other artifacts of the transatlantic slave Read More...
Ecologists discover two new species of fluffy marsupials in Australia
It’s a rare occasion when not one, but two new mammals are discovered by scientists in a single day, yet that’s exactly what happened in Australia this past week. In a new study published in Nature's public access Scientific Reports journal, scientists confirmed that there are actually three Read More...
Emily Harrington becomes fourth woman to free-climb El Capitan in one day
While the rest of the world was watching the US election unfold last Wednesday, Emily Harrington was facing El Capitan in Yosemite. By the end of the day, she became the fourth woman to ever free-climb, or scale without ropes, the giant granite face. Alex Honnold drew attention to the Read More...
Renowned Brazilian pianists regains ability to play thanks to bionic gloves
Due to a mugging incident, it has been more than 20 years since internationally acclaimed pianist João Carlos Martins has played his beloved instrument with 10 fingers. But the Brazilian maestro is finally able to play his favorite Bach sonatas once again thanks to innovative “bionic gloves” Read More...
Rising white shark populations off California signals ‘a healthy ecosystem’
White sharks have long been impacted by humans. Commercial fisheries caught them for decades, and the sharks’ primary food—marine mammals—has been hunted to the brink of extinction. After California moved to protect its white shark population back in 1994, white shark numbers have risen Read More...
Colorado votes to reintroduce wolves to the state
While most of America was paying attention to the messy madness surrounding the presidential elections, environmentalists in Colorado were quietly celebrating a little victory: the passing of Proposition 114, which tasks Colorado Parks and Wildlife with crafting a plan to reintroduce wolves to the Read More...
It’s autumn. Time to enjoy the health benefits of pomegranates
We love eating seasonally at the Optimist Daily. Now that it’s autumn, there’s a special red fruit that is in-season and chock full of antioxidants: pomegranates! Let’s take a dive into the nutritional benefits of pomegranates, shall we? Health benefits of pomegranates Registered Read More...
Maid of the Mist launches zero-emissions touring boats at Niagara Falls
Since 1846, the iconic Maid of the Mist ferries have been bringing visitors up close and personal with the breathtaking waterfalls at Niagara Falls. Now visitors are able to enjoy the awe-inspiring trip in a more environment-friendly manner, thanks to the recent launch of two new all-electric, Read More...
Volunteers rescue at least 120 beached whales in Sri Lanka
A disaster was in the making on Monday when at least 120 short-finned pilot whales came ashore in Sri Lanka and wound up being stranded. It was the biggest mass stranding in the country’s history, but fortunately, Sri Lanka’s navy and local volunteers were able to save all but four of the pilot Read More...