An analysis of 83 studies concluded that optimism was a significant predictor of good physical health outcomes — for cardiovascular disease and various cancers as well as for immune response.

Bright Side Sumit Paul-Choudhury Canongate £20, 288pp There is an old Russian parable about two frogs that are dropped into milk churns. The first, realising it can’t jump or climb to safety ...

While there are many reasons to despair at the state of the world right now, there are also plenty of reasons for optimism - and power in embracing it.

Researchers identified an “optimism bias” in the brain that resists accurate information about the world. This means people “update” their beliefs accurately only when things turn out to ...

The song mocks an absurdly hopeful outlook, but there may be some wisdom on display as well. In “The Bright Side,” Sumit Paul-Choudhury argues that optimism, though it may seem irrational at ...

This is an edited extract of the Wyndham City Barry Jones Oration delivered on September 18 2024 by Gareth Evans, distinguished honorary professor ...