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February 28, 2020
A weekday read of our top news stories featuring solutions and people creating solutions to make the world a better place. Subscribe to The Optimist Daily Update for a positive Read More...
February 28, 2020
A weekday read of our top news stories featuring solutions and people creating solutions to make the world a better place. Subscribe to The Optimist Daily Update for a positive Read More...
These exercises will boost your brain’s neuroplasticity
The amazing thing about exercise is that it not only benefits your body but also the way your brain functions. With exercise, you stimulate chemical changes that enhance learning, mood and thinking—amongst other things. In a new study, researchers found a link between exercise and enhanced Read More...
Handheld device prints skin right onto wounds of burn victims
In search of new ways to treat severe burns that don’t involve skin grafts, scientists at the University of Toronto have been busy developing a handheld device that can print out large sheets of "bio ink" to boost the healing process. A number of options already exist for burn victims, with Read More...
Scientists figure out a way to recycle plastic hundreds of times
Currently, people in the UK are recycling nearly 45 percent of their plastic waste, and that number is expected to rise in the following years. However, one of the problems with current plastic recycling methods is that you end up with a lower-quality plastic with worse properties than the Read More...
Launch startup powers rocket engines with fuel derived from plastic waste
From park benches to car parts, it appears that turning garbage into useful products is quite a diversified line of work. Now, launch startup Skyrora is making a case by upcycling plastic waste into a new type of fuel to power its 3D printed rocket engines. Having tested both its Read More...
Oil-soaking sponge cleans contaminated wastewater from offshore drilling
Drilling and fracking for oil under the seabed produces 100 billion barrels of oil-contaminated wastewater every year by releasing tiny oil droplets into the surrounding water. While most efforts are concentrated on cleaning up large oil spills, researchers are looking for ways to eliminate the Read More...
If we truly want to 'correct' prisoners, then prison education is a must
The problem with America’s prisons is that although they are called “correctional facilities”, prisons are really just a place where criminals are punished. This is reflected in America’s absurdly high recidivism rates: people released from state prisons have a five-year recidivism rate of Read More...
Scientists have managed to extract breathable oxygen from moondust
The Moon has no breathable oxygen – which obviously presents a hurdle for astronauts. There’s only so much we can take with us, so figuring out how to produce it there is crucial. Now, researchers from the European Space Agency (ESA) have created a prototype device that can make oxygen out of Read More...
Every Day I Make a Decision Not to Give Up
Standing on strong shoulders: perseverance as practice Two-thirds of Americans say they are stressed about the future of their nation, according to a recent report. Almost 60 percent of Americans say the current political climate is a source of stress. Fear and anxiety are also on the rise in Read More...