At the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria, trash used to build up, with nowhere to go but a growing pile in the Sahara desert. That was, until an organization called Precious Plastic teamed up with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as well as residents in the camps. Together, they created a recycling center […]
When Ronald Braunstein takes the podium, baton in hand, he isn’t merely conducting an orchestra — he’s creating an inclusive space where musicians with mental illness are both seen and heard. Braunstein, an award-winning conductor, is the founder of Me2/, the world’s only classical music organization that was created for people with mental illnesses and
A 4-month-old baby giraffe has a new lease on life at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California, thanks to a brace devised by doctors specializing in human medicine. Msituni, which means “in the forest” in Swahili, was born on February 1 with a life-threatening abnormality. A hyperextension of the carpi (similar in
Meet the Baby Giraffe Saved by Human Medicine Continue Reading »
Finalizing a wedding headcount can be tricky if a bride or groom has a large extended family, but when it came time for Shahzeb Anwer to plan his wedding in Pakistan, the task didn’t faze him — he invited the entire city of Birmingham, Alabama, to his nuptials. Anwer became acquainted with the Magic City,
Many a Burning Man attendee has been known to wax rhapsodic about their experiences communing in the desert. And that type of passion is well documented throughout history — sociologist Émile Durkheim called the self-transcending effects of mass gatherings “collective effervescence.” Now, a study out of Yale suggests that the transformative impact of festivals persists
Attending Festivals Can Increase Connection to Humanity, Study Shows Continue Reading »
Over 400 years after the Pilgrims set sail for America in the Mayflower, an autonomous robotic vessel of the same name completed a momentous journey of its own. The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS400) departed from Plymouth, England, for Washington, D.C. on April 27 and made landfall at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on June 5 after independently
Japan, a longtime leader in global technology, has engineered an innovative system that harnesses the power of ocean currents to produce a consistent, renewable source of green energy. According to Bloomberg, the giant subsea turbine, made by IHI Corp., has been in the works for over a decade. Recently, the heavy equipment manufacturer based out
Japan Is Harnessing the Power of Deep-Sea Currents to Generate Electricity Continue Reading »
A rare albino Galapagos giant tortoise has made its public debut at a Swiss zoo. This unique baby reptile hatched on May 1 in an incubator at the Tropiquarium, a zoo in Servion, Switzerland, Reuters reports. The young animal, which debuted earlier this month, also has a sibling that hatched a few days later, on
Rare Albino Galapagos Giant Tortoise Makes Its Debut at a Swiss Zoo Continue Reading »
Time spent in nature has long been lauded as a tonic for the mind and soul. And a recent study published by Environment International suggests that living within 300 meters (roughly 984 feet) of public urban green spaces, like parks and wooded areas, is better for your body, too. According to the research, being in
Living Near Green Spaces Linked to Reduced Stroke Risk, Study Finds Continue Reading »
Explorers have identified the remains of the USS Samuel B. Roberts, known as the ”Sammy B” — the deepest shipwreck ever discovered. The ship, which had broken into two pieces, was located on a slope over 22,600 feet, or four miles, deep in the waters off the island of Samar, Philippines. The U.S. Navy destroyer escort
WWII Ship Found Off Philippines Coast Is World’s Deepest Wreck Ever Discovered Continue Reading »
