BrightSide

Stored and moderated

Bright Story Archive

Explore 441 public BrightSide pages. Each page summarizes and links to reporting from the named original publisher.

Science and HealthNASA News Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

NIAC 2026 Selections

Phase I Saptarshi BandyopadhyayDimming the Sun (DimSun) Using Controllable Dust Cloud to Reduce Solar InsolationNASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryPasadena, CA 91109-80012026 Phase I David BugbyCombinatory Architecture offering Neomobility, on-Venus Adaptability, and Survivability (CANVAS)NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryPasadena, CA 91109-80012026 Phase I Anish DamodaranPS21: Transforming Submillimeter Space Interferometry with Photonic TechnologiesUniversity of Central FloridaOrlando, FL 32826-29332026 Phase I

Science and HealthNASA News Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

ECLIPSE – Efficient variable Conductivity Lunar Insulator for Passive Surveyor Environmental control

Austin Phoenix Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State A disaggregated lunar infrastructure requires novel thermal management methods to enable future lunar operations. While thermal management solutions exist for large infrastructure, the smaller mobile systems that operate independently require improved temperature regulation devices that can survive without heaters or substantial power requirements, while limiting stress-inducing temperature fluctuations. New

Creative JoyMy Modern Met Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

4,000 Bright Yellow Strands Hang in Immersive Installation Inviting Passersby To Walk Through It

4,000 Bright Yellow Strands Hang in Immersive Installation Inviting Passersby To Walk Through It Bright yellow strands now sway across the lawn outside Serpentine South Gallery, inviting visitors to step inside rather than simply admire them from a distance. Created by Venezuelan artist Jesús Rafael Soto, Pénétrable BBL Jaune transforms Kensington Gardens into an immersive environment that responds to every movement. Composed of 4,000 suspended PVC tubes, the installation […] READ: 4,000 Bright Yellow Strands Hang in Immersive Installation Inviting Passersby To Walk Through It

Good EarthPhys.org Earth Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

How community-led health and livelihood programs helped protect rainforests during the pandemic

As COVID-19 disrupted rural economies, communities living near protected rainforests faced rising uncertainty about jobs, health and basic needs. A new study in The Lancet Planetary Health shows that when communities were supported by health and livelihood programs they designed with local nongovernmental organizations, both people and ecosystems were more resilient.

Creative JoyColossal Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

Los Angeles Public Library Unveils the World’s Largest Pop-Up Book

"Luceros y Penumbras," designed by Daniel González and engineered by Matthew Reinhart, is an ode to learning and discovery. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Los Angeles Public Library Unveils the World’s Largest Pop-Up Book appeared first on Colossal .

Creative JoyGood News Network Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

British Runner ‘Calls His Shot’ and Breaks World Record in the Mile–After it Stood for 27 Years

Scottish runner Josh Kerr just put in the fastest mile time in human history, breaking a record that had stood for 27 years after clocking 3:42.66. Set at the recent London Diamond League athletics meet, Kerr finished a half-second faster than the legendary Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj, who ran a mile in 3:43.13 back

Creative JoyMy Modern Met Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

Affirming Abstract Painting Class Reminds Us That Beautiful Flowers Can Be Perfectly Imperfect

Affirming Abstract Painting Class Reminds Us That Beautiful Flowers Can Be Perfectly Imperfect Sometimes, the fear of doing something imperfectly can paralyze us before we begin. That’s a common feeling when it comes to art, even if you can recognize that half the fun is getting messy and making something with your hands. Chasing realism, for instance, can hold would-be artists back from even starting their creative journey. […] READ: Affirming Abstract Painting Class Reminds Us That Beautiful Flowers Can Be Perfectly Imperfect

Science and HealthReasons to be Cheerful Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

Are Electric Cars Making Us Healthier?

This story has been co-published by Reasons to be Cheerful and the Outrider Foundation. At the turn of the century Beijing had one million vehicles. By 2010, just a decade later, the Chinese capital had registered five times as many. And with this gigantic fossil fuel-burning fleet came great clouds of exhaust fumes.

Creative JoyGood News Network Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

Good News in History, July 21

36 years ago today, Roger Waters performed The Wall in Berlin for 350,000 fans to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall eight months earlier. Staged on a vacant lot between Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate, the event was broadcast live throughout the world, and featured performances by Van Morrison, Rick Danko, Levon Helm,

Animal RescueNew Atlas Reviewed Jul 21, 2026

World first: Koala gets life-changing two-shot chlamydia vaccine

Ten months on from the huge news that a chlamydia vaccine had been approved for Australia's koala population, an 18-month-old female known as Bamse has become the first to receive the groundbreaking medicine in a new double-dose format that makes large-scale treatment possible. Continue Reading Category: Infectious Diseases , Illnesses and conditions , Body and Mind , Refractor: Science & Health Tags: Queensland University of Technology , Vaccines , Koala , Animal science , Australia , Biodiversity , Endangered , Disease

Science and HealthNew Atlas Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

Robotic elephant-trunk gripper uses internal camera for a sense of touch

Evolution has already found solutions to lots of problems, so engineers more often borrow ideas from nature instead of reinventing the wheel. We’ve previously seen robots that can curl up like armadillos to protect themselves, and now researchers have developed yet another soft robotic gripper that mimics the tip of an elephant’s trunk. It’s called EleTac and, according to its creators, can actually “feel” the objects it touches. Continue Reading Category: Robotics , Engineering Tags: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology , Biomimicry , Elephant , Touch

Creative JoyMy Modern Met Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

Immersive Art and Electronic Music Come Together To Celebrate the Summer Solstice at LACMA [Interview]

Immersive Art and Electronic Music Come Together To Celebrate the Summer Solstice at LACMA [Interview] The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) marked the summer solstice (on June 21) with SPIRITS, a free public event featuring electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin (also known as Plastikman) and acclaimed digital artist john gerrard. The evening combined a large-scale installation of Gerrard’s new solar artwork, SPIRITS, with a live performance by Hawtin, […] READ: Immersive Art and Electronic Music Come Together To Celebrate the Summer Solstice at LACMA [Interview]

Community WinsGood News Network Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

After 5-yo Diagnosed with Rare Disease, Little Sister Wanted to Be Her ‘Brave’ Bone Marrow Donor

From Salt Lake City comes the touching story of a 5-year-old girl saved thanks to a bone marrow transplant from none other than her 2-year-old sister. Emma Meline was diagnosed with an extremely rare bone disease after her mother Amanda brought her to the pediatrician with a rash and swelling on her leg. Little Lucy,

Creative JoyMy Modern Met Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

Scientists Discover New Monkey Species With Striking Orange Lips in the Congo Basin

Scientists Discover New Monkey Species With Striking Orange Lips in the Congo Basin Scientists estimate there are about 8.7 million species on Earth, but we’ve only named around 1.2 million of them. That means that there’s still around 6 million to 7.5 million species waiting to be discovered. Recently, one new species was added to the growing list after scientists and conservationists confirmed the existence of a previously […] READ: Scientists Discover New Monkey Species With Striking Orange Lips in the Congo Basin

Creative JoyMy Modern Met Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

29 Spectacular Finalists of the 2026 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

29 Spectacular Finalists of the 2026 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has just announced its finalists, and the shortlisted images are truly breathtaking. For the 2026 edition of the contest, almost 4,000 photographs were submitted by both professional and amateur creatives from 66 countries around the world. Now, an expert panel of judges from the art and astronomy […] READ: 29 Spectacular Finalists of the 2026 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest

Creative JoyColossal Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

Presence, Memory, and Time Merge in the Surreal Works of ‘Architects of Absence’

The group exhibition at Gallery Wendi Norris plumbs the dialogue between absence and presence. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Presence, Memory, and Time Merge in the Surreal Works of ‘Architects of Absence’ appeared first on Colossal .

Science and HealthNASA News Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

From Hampton to Mars: How NASA Langley Helped Land on the Red Planet

Fifty years ago, NASA’s Viking 1 and 2 landers made the first successful landings on Mars, opening a new era in planetary exploration. Behind that achievement was a team at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, whose steady leadership and technical expertise helped turn an ambitious idea into a mission that reshaped how we

Creative JoyMy Modern Met Reviewed Jul 20, 2026

Realistic Watercolor Paintings Honor the Quiet Dignity of America’s Workers

Realistic Watercolor Paintings Honor the Quiet Dignity of America’s Workers Luminous watercolor portraits honor the resilience, dignity, and humanity of America’s blue-collar workforce in artist Mary Whyte’s watercolor paintings. Spanning communities across the United States, her series of work brings together workers whose contributions often go unseen while offering an intimate portrait of the people whose labor sustains everyday life. The South Carolina-based artist, who […] READ: Realistic Watercolor Paintings Honor the Quiet Dignity of America’s Workers