Community
Whether it’s yoga, rock climbing or Dungeons & Dragons, taking leisure to a high level can be good for your well-being
Whether it’s yoga, rock climbing or Dungeons & Dragons, taking leisure to a high level can be good for your well-being Serious leisure pursuits, such as collecting old editions of Dungeons & Dragons monster manuals or mastering yoga postures, require participation over longer periods and can lead to increased skill and connection with the activity. […]
🎭 Entertainment
Mapping cemeteries for class – how students used phones and drones to help a city count its headstones
Mapping cemeteries for class – how students used phones and drones to help a city count its headstones Miami University students, under the guidance of an environmental scientist, used geospatial technology tools to map a historic cemetery in Oxford, Ohio, which had over 6,000 headstones and no digital records. The project, which took about six […]
💻 Technology
Local governments provide proof that polarization is not inevitable
Local governments provide proof that polarization is not inevitable Polarization is not inevitable at the local level, where communities with fewer than 50,000 residents are more resilient to partisan dysfunction. Local governments deal with concrete issues that keep leaders’ attention focused on specific problems, rather than lengthy ideological debates, which can reduce polarization. The national […]
🏛️ Politics
One cure for sour feelings about politics − getting people to love their hometowns
One cure for sour feelings about politics − getting people to love their hometowns A recent study found that people who love their hometowns are more likely to participate in local politics, volunteer for campaigns, and discuss local issues with friends. Local patriotism has a significant impact on civic engagement, even after accounting for factors […]
🏛️ Politics
Building ‘beloved community’: Remembering the friendship between Martin Luther King Jr. and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh
Building ‘beloved community’: Remembering the friendship between Martin Luther King Jr. and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of “beloved community” and continued his work after King’s assassination. Hanh founded the School of Youth for Social Services in Vietnam to […]
🏛️ Politics
How museums can help rebuild trust in a divided America
How museums can help rebuild trust in a divided America Museums remain one of the few places where people across political and cultural lines can engage in dialogue, with 92% of adults viewing them as nonpartisan sources of education. Museums have a unique opportunity to model how people might think and listen together by fostering […]
🏛️ Politics
Time banks could ease the burden of elder care and promote connection
Time banks could ease the burden of elder care and promote connection Time banking, a community-based mutual aid system, could ease the burden of elder care by providing affordable and reciprocal support to older adults. The global demographic shift towards an aging population poses significant challenges, including high costs and a shortage of professional caregivers, […]
🏥 Health
How one Florida program reduced preterm births – and how it could serve as a model for other communities
How one Florida program reduced preterm births – and how it could serve as a model for other communities Preterm birth is the second-leading cause of infant deaths in the US, affecting nearly 374,000 babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy in 2023. The Central Hillsborough Healthy Start program in Florida has reduced preterm births […]
🏥 Health
NASA Citizen Science Toolkit for Librarians
NASA Citizen Science Toolkit for Librarians NASA has created a new Toolkit for Librarians to help share NASA citizen science opportunities with patrons and community members. The toolkit includes a guide, editable poster, model agenda, and handout to prepare for and lead a NASA Science event for people ages 8 and up. The toolkit creators […]
🔬 Science
Sims streamers are distancing themselves from EA, but for some the choice is hard
Sims streamers are distancing themselves from EA, but for some the choice is hard The Sims 4 community is experiencing turmoil as its biggest streamers are distancing themselves from EA due to the game’s publisher being acquired by a $55 billion investment group. The acquisition, led by Jared Kushner and other investors, has raised concerns […]
💻 Technology