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UK building huge software mind for world’s largest radio telescope
Every day, we come closer to answering the essential questions that arise from looking up at the sky. How did we come to be? What’s holding all of this together? Are we alone? Astrophysicists and astronomers need data in great volume and detail to find the answers to these questions, and a new Read More...
From the Supreme Court to smoothies: 5 favorites from our optimist editor-in-chief
The Optimist Daily is all about solutions — those that make big impacts in the world as well as those that enhance our daily lives. As solution-seekers, news readers, and good-for-the-world-and-soul product searchers, we often feature discoveries that promise to make our lives better. This week, Read More...
The scoop on matcha tea
If you’re not familiar with matcha, it’s a finely ground powder from dried green tea leaves. Because the matcha leaves grow in shaded bushes, they have increased levels of chlorophyll so they can absorb as much sunlight as possible. This gives the leaves and the drink their eye-catching color. Read More...
This Turkish charity directly connects donors to those in need
Many people couldn’t get by without the invaluable work done by the non-profit sector. Philanthropic organizations the world over, such as the Red Cross or the Halo Trust, provide essential services, effect societal change, and even repair damage from conflicts. In cases of providing funds to Read More...
Sister Cities along Mexico-US border to construct a binational eco-park
The border towns of Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, also known as the “Sister Cities,” are working together on a bold project: a binational river park to be developed where there was going to be a concrete and steel border wall. The plan to construct the wall (which Read More...
This e-nose can detect fraudulent whisky
Unless you are a whisky enthusiast, it’s pretty hard to pick out a great whisky purely from the smell. Most people rely on the drink’s label to tell the good from the bad or the ugly. The alcoholic beverage is one of the most popular worldwide, and with some labels charging hundreds (sometimes Read More...
Waking up stressed? You might be overestimating how much you can do in a day
If you wake up feeling like you’re already behind and overwhelmed, perhaps it’s time to reframe the way you look at the day. The issue may not be that you don’t have enough time in the day to get things done, it could just be that you planned unrealistically. Why do we fall into this Read More...
For the first time, scientists have recorded squids' camouflage abilities
Octopus and cuttlefish are known for their impressive ability to camouflage into their surroundings, changing the color of their skin to escape their predators and catch unsuspecting prey. Squids are cephalopods like octopus and cuttlefish, so one could assume they can camouflage too. However, Read More...
This MIT team designed a desert shelter for humans and animals
We have often written about animal agencies at The Optimist Daily and sharing our space on the planet with our furry or winged neighbors. It’s important to recognize the rights of nature and cohabitate with animals as peacefully as possible, but a design team from MIT just took it to the next Read More...
Five health benefits of argan oil
With time and real-world experience, humans often discover multiple uses for a single plant or vegetable. Okra is a delicious and highly nutritious vegetable that goes great in a variety of spicy dishes, and the gooey compound it excretes can be used to extract microplastics from water. A Read More...