BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you’ve ever watched a bumblebee clumsily bumble from flower to flower, you’ve probably smiled. But it turns out, bees might be sharing that good mood with each other, too, literally. A new study suggests that when one bee experiences a positive moment, that emotional high doesn’t stay personal. Instead, it spreads, influencing other bees in ways that look a lot like optimism. And no, this isn’t just feel-good fluff. The research, published in Science, is a window into the social and emotional complexity of bees, those wobbly little pollinators we thought we had all figured out. One sweet moment, one unexpected shift Imagine this: a bee gets a tiny taste of sugar, then spends just 30 seconds interacting with another bee in the nest. That’s all it takes. After this brief encounter, the second bee, who got no sugar herself, starts acting as she did. Specifically, she approaches ambiguous tasks with a newfound confidence, as if she’s expecting good things. “The moment that surprised us most was when we first saw evidence of contagion after just a brief, 30-second social interaction,” said Dr. Fei Peng, corresponding author of the study from Southern Medical University in Guangzhou. “The observer bees hadn’t received any reward themselves, yet their later judgments shifted in the same direction as the rewarded demonstrators.” This is more than just behavioral mimicry. The study used what’s known as a judgment-bias test, a clever way to measure whether animals expect good or bad outcomes. Optimistic bees approached new challenges quickly; cautious bees hesitated. After interacting with a sugar-happy peer, the observer bees consistently responded more like the optimists. The optimism is in the eyes Interestingly, it wasn’t smell or touch that made the mood catch on. When the same interaction happened in total darkness, the effect disappeared. Sight was key. The observers needed to see their sugar-lucky friend move and respond. Visual cues, not scent or contact, turned out to be the social spark that lit the emotional flame. “These behaviours are hallmarks of an affective shift, not arousal or social copying,” Peng shared with New Atlas. That means something in the observer bee’s internal state, possibly emotion-like, actually changed. A peek inside the bee brain So what’s happening under the hood? While researchers didn’t measure brain chemicals directly, they have a strong hypothesis: dopamine. “In our study we did not measure neurotransmitters directly,” Peng explained, “but the behavioural pattern we observed in the observers… resembles the effects seen when dopamine levels are experimentally elevated.” In other words, the moment of interaction may have triggered a reward-related shift in the brain. And that’s a pretty big deal when it comes to understanding how tiny creatures experience and share internal states. Happiness is catching (even in a hive) This study joins a growing body of work showing that bees aren’t just little pollen-collecting robots. They have moods. They remember experiences. And, as this research shows, they influence one another in subtle emotional ways. What’s more, if positive feelings can ripple through a colony, negative ones might, too. “If we assume positive affective states can spread, then negative ones such as stress from disturbance may also spread among bees,” Peng pointed out. That has significant implications, not just for science, but for how we care for pollinators in agriculture and conservation. Creating low-stress environments could matter more than we realize. A bigger buzz about bee emotions At this point, it’s tempting to call it happiness, but the researchers stop just short of using that term. Still, the conclusion is hard to ignore: bees are affected by each other’s internal states, and those states can shift from one individual to another in a matter of seconds. And if a moment of shared joy can leave a lasting trace in a bee’s brain, maybe it’s time to rethink what we expect from “small” minds. Even among insects, life is not just instinct; it’s interaction. This research is a reminder that emotions aren’t always loud, dramatic things. Sometimes, they’re a quiet moment between two beings, changing the course of the day in ways we might never see. And sometimes, that moment only lasts 30 seconds, but for a bee, it’s enough. Source study: Science— Positive affective contagion in bumble beesThe post The surprising emotional life of bees: what bumblebees can teach us about contagious joy first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a sweeping move to modernize its energy infrastructure and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, the European Union approved 100 cross-border hydrogen and electrolyzer initiatives, laying the groundwork for one of the continent’s most ambitious green energy overhauls. These projects are now part of a broader group of 235 energy infrastructure developments granted official status as Projects of Common Interest (PCI) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI), enabling them to access streamlined permitting processes and substantial EU funding. The initiatives are backed by the updated TEN-E Regulation, a framework designed to improve Europe’s energy networks and bolster both climate and energy security goals. Hydrogen takes center stage in clean energy strategy Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a cornerstone in the EU’s long-term plan to decarbonize the energy system and boost industrial resilience. The newly endorsed hydrogen and electrolyzer projects span multiple countries and will be eligible to apply for funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a major financing instrument that has already delivered billions in support to energy infrastructure. “These cross-projects will strengthen energy connectivity across the continent, bringing nearer the completion of the Energy Union,” the European Commission stated, underscoring the geopolitical and environmental significance of the package. The projects are part of a €1.5 trillion (about USD $1.6 trillion) energy infrastructure pipeline expected to unfold between 2024 and 2040, with hydrogen playing a central role alongside electricity and carbon capture networks. Fast-tracked support and future integration What sets these hydrogen projects apart isn’t just their scale, but the political and technical momentum behind them. Backed by the Energy Union Task Force and regional collaboration groups, the rollout of these initiatives is also designed to sync with upcoming EU-wide plans like the European Grids Package and the Energy Highways initiative. Both are focused on tackling longstanding infrastructure bottlenecks and unlocking cross-border energy integration. The approval also comes with institutional support. Projects with PCI or PMI designation benefit from priority permitting and can tap into higher-level political coordination, helping overcome administrative hurdles that typically delay major energy builds. What happens next Before any ground is broken, the newly announced list of projects will undergo a two-month review period by the European Parliament and Council. Once cleared, the Commission plans to move swiftly, working with national governments and project developers to begin implementation. This latest announcement marks the second PCI/PMI list adopted since the 2022 reform of the TEN-E Regulation, a shift that places emphasis on clean and digital infrastructure over fossil-based energy systems. Since 2014, the CEF-Energy programme has provided €8 billion (about USD $8.6 billion) in funding for energy interconnection projects. The Commission has also proposed a significant budget increase for the 2028-2034 cycle, aiming to raise the CEF allocation to €29.91 billion (about USD $32.3 billion). This would be a fivefold expansion that reflects the urgency of Europe’s climate goals. As the hydrogen economy gains traction, this wave of projects positions the EU to lead globally in clean energy infrastructure, while creating a more integrated and resilient continental energy grid.The post EU greenlights 100 hydrogen projects in major energy transformation plan first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

There are enigmatic, majestic, and enchanting mountains all around the world, each breathtaking and humbling in its own right. However, as well as being places of natural beauty and wonder, many of these mountains hold secrets, intriguing and often dark legends that have been whispered for centuries. These legends, shrouded in mystery, are waiting to be unveiled, making the world’s mountains some of the most intriguing and thought-provoking locations on the planet.

The governor has declared a state of emergency

real value to the American people

Law enforcement responds to a shooting at Whitney Moore Young Jr. Hall on Kentucky State University's campus in Frankfort, Ky., on Dec. 9, 2025. Hannah Brown/The State Journal via APFRANKFORT, Ky.—A…

Family members and friends of North Forsyth High School students watch and wait in a parking lot across the street from the school after a fatal stabbing, on Dec. 9, 2025, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Allison…

A Charlotte Area Transit System light rail departs a station in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 8, 2025. Erik Verduzco/AP PhotoCHARLOTTE, N.C.—A North Carolina judge on Monday ordered a Honduran man to be…

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Some Additional Notes Here are some additional notes on the circuit design and practical use of the Franzi one-tube radio kit: First, it’s noticeable that this is a hybrid radio. It uses a 6J1 valve (tube), equivalent to the EF95 (also known as 6AK5), as a regenerative detector, followed by a transistor (T2) acting as a preamplifier, and then a power amplifier (the well-known LM386) to provide enough audio power to the speaker, It doesn’t include a headphone output, which is a downside, however a simple modification and a high impedance earphone … The post Building a Simple One-Tube Radio Kit – Part 2, by Mike in Alaska appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

On December 11, 1282 Llywelyn ab Gruffydd, the last native and independent Prince of Wales, was killed at the Battle of Orewin Bridge at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells, south Wales by forces of Edward I of England. Llywelyn reigned from 1259 and is known as Llywelyn the Last. — December 11,1602: A surprise attack by forces of the Duke of Savoy and his brother-in-law, Philip III of Spain was repelled by push of pike and gunfire from the citizens of Geneva, Switzerland. It has been commemorated since as the Fête de l’Escalade. — And on December 11, 1946, Hank Williams … The post Preparedness Notes for Thursday — December 11, 2025 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.