Latest Stories
Talent-Hungry Companies Are Teaming Up With Historically Black Colleges
From Google to the NFL, major companies are confronting the labor crunch through deep partnerships with HBCUs.
As Temperatures Rise, Farms Are Sprouting in Alaska
Even as farms decline across the US, a longer growing season is bringing food security to a state that has long relied on sustenance from afar.
The Swedish City That Asked Its Banks for an Ultimatum
If Gothenburg doesn’t meet its climate and social goals, its lending banks will charge it a fine — at the city’s request.
The City Where All the Buses Are Free
When Covid hit, Alexandria, Virginia saw an opportunity to make its residents fall in love with the least-loved transit option of all.
How One Nigerian State Overcame Vaccine Hesitancy and Eradicated Polio
As much of Nigeria struggles to contain a polio outbreak, traditional leaders in Cross River have made sure their local constituents embrace the vaccine.
The Whimsical Skywalks of Rotterdam
By connecting the city’s rooftops, the floating bridges pay homage to under-appreciated urban spaces.
Featured Collections
Editors’ Picks
Rock-a-Bye Mama
New moms in difficult situations sometimes find it tough to connect with their babies. Carnegie Hall is helping change that with one of the simplest, most innate tools in the mothering toolbox: lullabies.
The Race to Measure the Global Emissions Plunge
A heroic effort is underway to record the global lockdown’s ripple effects — before they disappear.
This River Restoration Project Is Literally Unearthing Gold
A mining technique that damaged the environment for decades is now being used to protect it.
Most Popular
The Case of the Vanishing Cafeteria Tray
Once a staple of communal dining, food trays are disappearing — along with a harmful human impulse.
You’ve Got Mail from Timbuktu
Anyone can receive a postcard from this city rumored to be at the edge of the earth — and support a post-tourism economy in the process.
The City Where All the Buses Are Free
When Covid hit, Alexandria, Virginia saw an opportunity to make its residents fall in love with the least-loved transit option of all.
Crushed by negative news?
Sign up for the Reasons to be Cheerful newsletter.