Synopsis of last week's most important positive news about nature, medicine and renewable energy.
Medicine
Cancer Breakthrough: Oxford University scientists have discovered proteins in the blood that could warn people of cancer more than seven years earlier than currently possible - and event prevent it.
mRNA Cancer Vaccine: In a first-ever human clinical trial of adult patients, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed at the University of Florida reprogrammed the immune system to attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal brain tumour. The breakthrough will now be tested in a Phase 1 pediatric clinical trial.
Nature / Wildlife
Honeybee Comeback: New data from the Census of Agriculture shows that the U.S. added nearly 1 million bee colonies between 2017 and 2022. That boosts the total number of colonies to an all-time record high of 3.8 million. Thanks to conservationists, honeybees are now the fastest-growing livestock segment in the country.
Marine Paradise: Peru's new Mar Tropical de Grau National Reserve will protect 1,157 km2 (447 square miles) between two large existing marine ecosystems: the cold waters of the Humboldt Current and the warm waters of the Southern Equatorial Current.
Fish Stocks Recovery: The most recent statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provide good news for marine conservationists and seafood fans alike: the number of fish species on the US government’s overfishing list has reached a new low, indicating the health of American fisheries. According to NOAA’s annual 'Status of the Stocks' report, a healthy 94 percent of fish stocks are now considered free of overfishing.
Iberian Lynx: The lynx population in Spain and Portugal has reached 2,000, a milestone that indicates that it is almost free from the risk of extinction. Twenty years ago, there were less than 100 in the wild.
Night Sky
Isaribi Kochu: Light pillars appeared in the night sky over Japan last week. No, it wasn't an alien invasion - the real reason for these remarkable looking lights wasn’t to be found in space, but in the sea.
More Northern Lights: There is good news for anyone who enjoyed the recent show-stopping aurora borealis - or missed it: there are almost certainly more on the way. Probably within two weeks.
Climate / Renewable Energy
"Miracle" Breakthrough: Concrete and steel production are major sources of CO2 emissions, but a new solution from Cambridge could recycle both at the same time. If done using renewable energy, the process could make for completely carbon-zero cement.
End of US Coal: Effectively signalling an end to the US coal industry, the Bureau of Land Management just announced it would end all new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana. Environmentalists celebrated the decision, saying it would result in six billion tons of “highly polluting coal” staying in the ground.
Good News From India: India is rapidly emerging as a renewable energy powerhouse, according to new research by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Renewable energy accounted for 71.5 percent of the record power generation capacity added by India in the first quarter of 2024, while coal’s share of total power capacity dropped below 50 percent for the first time since the 1960s.
Climate Reparations: Lawmakers in Vermont have passed the Climate Superfund Act, making it the first state to hold Big Oil accountable for damages wrought by the climate disasters their products contribute to.
US Tailpipe Emissions: The Ford Motor Company says that it supports the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) new regulations to reduce passenger vehicle tailpipe emissions by 49 percent over 2026 levels by 2032.
UK Wind Beats Gas: It was the UK’s number one source of electricity for 28 years running, but the carbon-belching reign of natural gas is finally over. For the first time, wind has provided the bulk of the country’s electricity over an entire year. Wind generated 32 percent of the UK’s electricity, compared to 31 percent for gas.
Today's Articles
Not So Guilty Pleasure: Swiss scientists have created a healthier, more sustainable chocolate. Could there be any better news?
New Dolphin Super Power: Already equipped with an impressive sonar system, new research reveals that dolphins have an extra ability that evolves as they mature.