Synopsis of last week's most important positive news from around the world.
True Game Changer: Cystic fibrosis once guaranteed an early death: a child born in the early 2000s could expect to live until age 35. Then in 2019, Trikafta - a new drug combination that corrects the misshapen protein that causes cystic fibrosis - came along. Today, reports The Atlantic, those who begin treatment in early adolescence can expect to survive to 82 - an essentially normal life span.
The End is Nigh: La Sagrada Familia Foundation has announced that the monumental church in Barcelona is set for completion in 2026. Work on the Sagrada Familia began in 1882 and was led by Gaudà until his passing in 1926. Gaudà designed the huge church to be topped with 18 spires, 12 of which are now complete. The final six towers are currently under construction including the 170-metre-high central spire, which on completion will make Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world.
Happiest Countries: The World Happiness Report is back for its 2024 edition and there have been some changes in the top 10, even if the top spot hasn’t changed now in six editions.
Office For Autism: Australia is the first country to create an Office for Autism and the first to release a draft national autism strategy. "We didn’t realise no one had a position like this in the world," said Emily Bourke, Australia’s first assistant minister for autism.
The ELVIS Act: Tennessee has made history by signing the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, becoming the first piece of legislation specially designed to protect artists from unlawful AI mimicry.
Reviving LIFE: Bedford Media, the company run by Karlie Kloss and her billionaire husband Joshua Kushner, are reviving LIFE Magazine for the modern era - more than two decades after the original print edition was shuttered by Time Inc.
American Bees: Does anyone remember how freaked out everyone was about all the honeybees dying? Freak out no more: America’s honeybee population has hit an all-time high, according to data from the new Census of Agriculture.
Nilgai Comeback: The largest antelope species in Asia, the nilgai, is making a comeback in northwestern Bangladesh after being hunted to extinction in the 1930s. Recent forays back into their historical habitats indicate that Bangladesh is once again hosting nilgais within its borders.
Monday's Solar Eclipse: Why catch it fleetingly if you could watch it the whole way along its 115 mile path? Watch it on the Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast Initiative.
Whales Get 'Personhood': Indigenous leaders of New Zealand, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands signed a historic treaty that recognizes whales as legal persons in a move conservationists believe will apply pressure to national governments to offer greater protections for the large mammals.
Crop Dusting: Scientists have found that scattering volcanic dust on crops boosts yields by up to 20 percent while also removing carbon dioxide from the air. Researchers believe the dust improved harvests by replenishing minerals and micronutrients.
Coal-Free: Slovakia stopped production at its last coal-fired power plant this week. Its electricity will now come almost entirely from nuclear and renewable sources - joining Belgium, Austria, Sweden and Portugal as Europe's coal-free countries.
Fusion Record: Scientists in South Korea have announced a new world record for the length of time they sustained temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius - seven times hotter than the sun’s core - during a nuclear fusion experiment, in what they say is an important step forward for this futuristic energy technology.
New Packaging: Bpacks, a UK-based startup, has launched the world’s first tree bark-based packaging material as an alternative to plastic. Made from the waste of the wood production industry, the packing technology works with equipment used for plastic-based packaging production, making it easier to switch to a more environment-friendly alternative.
Norway's Revolution: The Norwegian Road Federation has announced that 9 out of 10 new car purchases this year have been battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The number of BEVs on Norway’s roads is therefore on track to overtake petrol cars by the end of this year or in early 2025, a first for any country, according to calculations by Reuters and analysts.
Barbie's Back! If like millions of people, you were a fan of Barbie last year, you’ll soon be able to watch the movie in Barbie Land. Barbie The Movie: In Concert is coming to venues across America this summer.
Today's Articles
Unique Opportunity: During Monday's total solar eclipse, NASA will fly high-altitude planes into its path.
Most Valuable Comic: ‘Action Comics’ No. 1 introduced Superman to the world in 1938, and sets new auction record.