Seaweed refers to all kinds of marine plants and algae that grow in the ocean, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. It contains fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, including iodine, iron and calcium, and is a good source of omega-3 fats. According to this video, it also absorbs five times more carbon than land-based plants, which […]
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy tells stories that drive social change. She wrote, “My films are examples of how one story, eloquently told, can move a country’s lawmakers to break through decades of impunity and legal deadlock. Film, art, literature, music and performance help people express themselves and even just be themselves.” “In 2014, a Pakistani teenager called […]
Guatemala is using plastic to trap plastic in its rivers. How? With plastic “biofences”. This video, produced by the World Economic Forum, circulated rapidly worldwide earlier this year. It shows the plastic-catching barriers stopping floating trash. This simple structure keeps 60% of the plastic from reaching the seas that lead to the ocean. Guatemala is […]
Over the last 300 years, only a handful of people have tried making spider silk into a cloth. Yet natural spider silk is soft, light and incredibly strong. Its strength, resilience and flexibility are as yet unmatched (scientists are still trying to produce synthetic spider silk that replicates the properties of the natural protein fiber). […]
Studies show that animals have evolved mechanisms for protecting themselves from infection and illness. Did you know, for example, that chimpanzees eat plants not just for their nutritional value, but to ward off disease? This is important for humans because we share about 99% of our DNA with these animals, making them our closest living relatives. So instead […]
This horse seems to understand people in need. He’s Peyo, a stallion that visits people in hospitals and retirement homes in France. After a thorough cleaning, he’s allowed to enter these establishments and walk down the corridors until he stops at the door of someone’s room. That means he wants to visit them. Those he […]
“Now is the time for world leaders to act. Help protect 30% of the planet by 2030.” That’s the message on the Campaign for Nature website. Why 2030? Currently, almost half of our planet is in a natural state, and 15% of the land and 7% of the ocean are covered by protected areas. Campaign […]
All previously chronically homeless on the streets with no money in their pockets, 200 people are living in a 27-acre community just outside Austin, Texas, and are paying rent of between $225 to $430 per month. Many of the residents who live in very small homes and recreational vehicles at Community First! Village are employed […]
Did you know? Hugging a tree, even touching it, will likely make you healthier. And just being around trees has beneficial effects. Nature & Health magazine reports that, “Tree-hugging has been shown to specifically benefit depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), headaches, muscle weakness, stress and poor concentration.” Studies especially in Asia have long suggested […]
You can learn to see the positive Research shows that optimism is beneficial to health and productivity: optimists tend to have better cardiovascular health and a stronger immune system. They also earn a higher income and have more successful relationships. Individuals’ optimism or pessimism may depend to a certain degree on their genetic and environmental origins. […]
