Helsinki airport deploys man’s best friend to screen travelers for COVID-19
Two months ago, scientists in Germany proved that, with little training, sniffer dogs can become incredibly good at detecting the novel coronavirus. Now the Helsinki Airport, Finland, is working together with such trained dogs, to detect COVID-19 among passengers, in a bid to provide a cheap, fast Read More...
Finnish town gives locals free cake if they cut their carbon footprint
A town in Finland has found a rather tasty incentive to encourage its inhabitants to cut down their carbon emissions: free cake. Lahti, situated 100 kilometers north of Helsinki, has developed an app that tracks residents' CO2 usages based on traveling by car, public transport, bike or walk. The Read More...
This is what happens when you give emergency cash to gig workers
What happens when you give gig workers no-strings-attached emergency cash grants of up to $1,000? In a new study, researchers found they were able to get back to work quicker after an emergency, felt less stressed, and, in some instances, got on track toward new financial goals, like saving to be Read More...
What can we learn from the happiest people in the world
March 20th was the United Nations’ annual International Day of Happiness. And while it may have gone overlooked because of the current coronavirus pandemic, the day serves as a good reminder of the importance of happiness in our lives. But how do we reach the state of being happy during such Read More...
Amateur astronomers discover new type of northern light
The dark winter months means the arrival of beautiful northern lights in the more extreme areas of our world. This year, amateur astronomers helped discover a new type of northern light scientists are calling “dunes” due to their rolling, wave-like appearance. Northern lights are kind of Read More...
Finland offers to the world its online AI crash course as a Christmas
Last year, Finland launched a free online crash course in artificial intelligence with the aim of educating its citizens about the new technology. Now, as a Christmas present to the world, the Nordic country is making the six weeks program available for anyone to take. Led by the world’s Read More...
What Finland’s new parliament can teach America about gender equality
Finland’s new parliament looks radically different from most governments: it’s dominated by women under 35. The parliament is led by newly elected prime minister Sanna Marin, who, at 34 years old, is the youngest in the world. This may sound radical to Americans, but Finland elected its Read More...
What Finland’s amazing new library can teach us about valuing public amenities
In a country that boasts one of the world’s highest literacy rates, the arrival of the new central library in the capital of Finland last year was a kind of moon-landing-like moment of national bonding. The €98 million facilities, whose opening in December 2018 marked the centenary of Finnish Read More...
This beach in Finland is completely covered in rare ‘ice eggs’
For years the Optimist Daily has been writing about natural phenomenons, and yet, we continue to be surprised that they happen in our awe-inspiring world. This week, something very rare happened in Finland that we bet you have never seen before. Walking along a beach on the Hailuoto island of Read More...
Helsinki has an app that gives you all the guidance you need to live sustainably
No matter what you think of the proliferation of smartphones in society, it’s hard to deny that apps can make some facets of life much easier—including living a sustainable life. In Helsinki, the capital city of Finland, a new app has been launched that lets residents, tourists and business Read More...