All articles from Reasons to be Cheerful
Why an Indian Village Leader’s Welfare Reels Are Going Viral
In December 2025, 20-year-old Gamit Vipul chanced upon something interesting while doing what people his age do across the world: scrolling through reels on Instagram. It was a short video made by som
May Cause Joy: The Full-Spectrum Health Benefits of Dance
When musician David Byrne, the founder of Reasons to be Cheerful, performed at the sold-out Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles last fall, the entire crowd was on its feet for almost the entire show. I dance
How the West Could Turn a Trickle of Water Into an Endless Supply
Hotter, drier weather, poor planning and a ballooning population are putting enormous pressure on the American West’s water supply. So, to get more out of every drop, some cities and counties are begi
What We’re Reading: Otter-Spotting on Colorado’s Rivers
Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at [email protected] and we just might feature it here. In otter
Do Sanctuary Cities Work?
At 10 p.m. on June 27, 1980, Jose Artiga received word that El Salvador’s death squads were hunting him. The then-23-year-old engineering student had been involved in political protests — and for that
Paris Staged a Huge Stress Test for Extreme Heat
This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. On a sunny Friday afternoon in October 2023, some 70 children filed into a cool, dark tunnel in the south of P
Endangered Butterflies Are Thriving Behind Bars
On a cool spring morning in Washington state, the work of saving an endangered species unfolds in an unlikely place: a greenhouse just outside the perimeter of a women’s prison. Inside, trays of host
What We’re Reading: No Mow May Gets Wild
Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at [email protected] and we just might feature it here. No mow FO