CNN Hero of the Year Turns Vacant Lots on Chicago’s South Side into Flower Farms

cnn-hero-of-the-year-turns-vacant-lots-on-chicago’s-south-side-into-flower-farms

Hope and opportunity are blossoming on the South Side of Chicago where a man and his wife have used flowers to help poor communities turn over a new leaf. Running two nonprofits, Southside Blooms and Chicago Eco House, Quilen Blackwell and his wife Hannah Bonham are helping at-risk youth find opportunity while simultaneously cutting into […]

Town on the Banks of the Nile Turns Flooding into Fortune

town-on-the-banks-of-the-nile-turns-flooding-into-fortune

In South Sudan, on the banks of the Nile, a flood of rare destructive power swept an already water-stressed city into poverty before acting as the catalyst for a transformative humanitarian success. Development funding from the Netherlands and South Korea has made a big difference in the city of Bor, where tens of thousands of […]

Chopstick Robot Building Kit Delighting Underfunded STEM Classes Around the World

chopstick-robot-building-kit-delighting-underfunded-stem-classes-around-the-world

In Singapore, a pair of self-described “tinkerers” have made headlines around the world for their simple educational toy set to help low-income families introduce their children to robotics. More than just robotics, the stick-in-socket building set encourages kids to manifest the wonders they create in their minds, so long as they can be made with […]

Textile Waste and Forgeries Cut from Indian Supply Chains with Brilliant Desk-Top Spectroscope

textile-waste-and-forgeries-cut-from-indian-supply-chains-with-brilliant-desk-top-spectroscope

An Indian initiative is utilizing a scientific technique known as spectroscopy to prove the authenticity of traditional, handwoven silken garments over forgeries. Often making headlines in the study of planets and nebulae in our galaxy, the spectroscopy device allows for quick and indisputable textile analysis at the molecular level—giving traditional weavers the authority to market […]