Surprising Lessons from Nature's Engineers
Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. In this eye-opening Ted Talk, Janine Benyus offers up some incredible insight into the fast-growing world of biomimicry and all the promise it holds for humankind. As Benyus states in her talk, "Learning "about" the natural world is one thing; learning "from" the nat... posted on Aug 19 2015, 9,719 reads

5 Reasons to Be Mindful
In a hyper connected world, bombarded by multiple forms of stimulation, how do we remain aware of the quiet gifts that the present moment has to offer? Cultivating a mindfulness practice can be a powerful way to train our minds and tune into the beauty of here and now. The benefits are manifold. Drawing on the latest research as well as age-old wisdom traditions, this inspiring article offers up f... posted on Aug 18 2015, 26,553 reads

The Fuel of Making Good Decisions
Don't think planning healthy meals and snacks during your day are important? Read this eye-opening article that illustrates the connection between good decision-making and healthy eating. ... posted on Aug 17 2015, 31,513 reads

The Secret Life of the Senses
Our senses provide us with our etchings of reality, various fabrics we draw together to create a semblance of what is real. And yet, how different is the world to a bird, or to a bee, who perceives the world in ultraviolet? Diane Ackerman charts the history of our senses, and explores the mystery of these peculiar messengers, who together weave what is from what could be. ... posted on Aug 16 2015, 5,963 reads

The Promise of Personalized Learning
As public budgets shrink, schools look toward online models for ways to improve student performance but, however cost-effective, they cannot replace the human element in teaching. Here's a hybrid model called blended learning in which computers help students achieve competency by letting them work at their own pace while teachers are freed to do what they do best: guide, engage, and inspire. ... posted on Aug 15 2015, 5,053 reads

I Teach to Learn: Compassion in Education
"Learning, today, is heavily rooted in the material realm. It's almost an assembly line to get a job, to get money, to survive, and for the few who get past that -- to conquer. Materialistic endeavors are, of course, very useful to operate in the world, but it requires a very different skill-set to engage with our inner values." In this essay, Nipun Mehta explores what it takes to grow our "Compas... posted on Aug 14 2015, 19,938 reads

Love at First Sight: K9s Online
12,000 animals come through the doors of the Humane Society of Utah every year, all of which are in need of a new and loving home. Help has come in the form of an unlikely team member, a photographer who is working wonders at uniting man and his best friend. Guinnevere Shuster's "photo booth" style portraits do a much better job of capturing the personalities of the dogs than standard snapshots, r... posted on Aug 13 2015, 4,428 reads

Rescuing Social Change From the Cult of Technology
"Technology is terrific...But in the end, there's no real progress without change in people." This is the conclusion that Kentaro Toyama, leader of Microsoft Research India, reached after five years of working to implement technological solutions for social change. Hear his reflections on progress, technology, and the human will.... posted on Aug 12 2015, 14,115 reads

When You Give a Tree an Email Address
Given the chance to speak to a tree, what would you say? Recently, officials in Melbourne assigned trees in the city limits each an email addresses to help locals report broken limbs and other potential dangers. It turns out though, that people weren't as concerned with communicating about the trees as they were interested in communicating with them. Hear what people had to share, heart to heartwo... posted on Aug 10 2015, 9,347 reads

Body & Spirit: A Conversation with Sculptor Stephen DeStaebler
"We live in our body like its an animate sculpture. The fact that most art in civilization has been figurative is not by accident. When you're more aware of your body, you're more on the edge of survival...We've been brought to think there are little cubbyholes for everything. But truer religion thrives on the questions that you'll never resolve. If you don't honor the potential of one of these ot... posted on Aug 09 2015, 9,054 reads