A prescription for birdwatching? Doctor's orders to do some gardening?

• It might not be as far-fetched as it sounds. A new study co-authored by University of Colorado Boulder researchers suggests that spending time in nature can fight loneliness — even if you go it alone, Axios Denver's Alayna Alvarez reports.

Why it matters: With 1 in 6 people worldwide experiencing loneliness, researchers are looking for remedies that go beyond traditional medical care.

🔬 Zoom in: The study, published last month in The Lancet Regional Health, followed 320 adults experiencing loneliness in Barcelona.

• Half participated in weekly two-hour group outings to parks and gardens and other nature-based activities for nine weeks.
• The rest received recommendations for free, accessible outdoor activities they could do on their own.

What they found: Loneliness scores dropped an average of 10.5% after three months and nearly 17% after a year across both groups.

• Group outings were especially effective for participants who started out lonelier or with poorer emotional well-being. But both groups reported feeling less lonely, whether exploring nature together or alone.

🍂 What's next: CU Boulder professor Jill Litt, who led the international research project behind the study, notes that research on how nature can combat loneliness could lead to new programs.

• That could mean group outings in parks as an accessible, affordable form of therapy, or insurance coverage for activities like joining birdwatching clubs.

Share this story ... Find your Axios Local city.

Joy du jour from reader Claire Duchene of Brooklyn, N.Y.:

• "Lately, I've taken up cycling in Prospect Park. The other day I was on a ride, and a man was blasting music from his boombox and dancing for the amusement of all passing cyclists and runners. At first, with my headphones on, I did what most New Yorkers would do and ignored the man."
• "On my second pass, I paid more attention and couldn't help but smile at his infectious enthusiasm, dance moves and cheering of the passing runners, a few of whom danced and jammed along with him as they passed. ... That stranger made my day with his expression of pure joy and desire to share it with the world."