Global synopsis of last week's best good news stories.
In a week when researchers announced that million year-old bubbles extracted from the ice 1.74 miles below the surface in Antarctica could solve an ice age mystery, and a new wooden satellite was officially deployed in space (in an experiment to explore the viability of using more sustainable alternatives to traditional metal components) - some extraordinary news emerged from Canada. As a result, Joe Velaidum could be described as one of the luckiest people to still be alive. His home door-cam captured a meteorite smashing into his driveway, where he had been standing two minutes earlier.
Meanwhile, in other news...
Solo Adventurers
World Record Smashed: The world’s most grueling sailboat race has a new world record. The Vendée Globe means racing 24/7 for nearly 70 days over 28,000 nautical miles across five stormy oceans. In the end, 40-year-old French sailor Charlie Dalin clinched the win on January 14. First across the line, his global speed lap finished with a time of 64 days, 19 hours, shaving an astonishing nine days and eight hours off the race record. Dalin is now the fastest solo sailor to race non-stop, unassisted, around the world.
South Pole Solo: A 21-year-old Norwegian woman has become the youngest person to reach the South Pole on skis, solo and without assistance. Karen Kylleso accomplished the feat overnight between Monday and Tuesday, 114 years after fellow Norwegian and polar explorer Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole. Kylleso covered the 702 miles in just under 54 days.
Public Health & Conservation
Indonesian Children: Indonesia’s new government has begun an ambitious program to feed nearly 90 million children and pregnant women in order to combat malnutrition. The bulk of the plan provides free lunches and milk at school. It's the world's largest feeding program.
Amazing Progress: Kenya’s malaria death rate has dropped a whopping 93 percent in eight years according to a new WHO report. It significantly surpasses the WHO's 63 percent reduction target. The drop is credited to expanded use of insecticide-treated bed nets and the introduction of the RTS,S malaria vaccine.
Conservation Funds: Congress has passed (with bipartisan support) the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act, which would provide up to $100 million each year to support local and Indigenous communities in managing protected lands worldwide. Also passed was the WILD Act, which supports wildlife conservation within the United States as well as for global priority species.
Archaeology
Mint Condition: 1,000-year-old coin hoard has been found in Suffolk, England - and has astonished researchers. The “historically significant” coins were discovered at the intersection of two early medieval field boundary ditches. Since the coins date back to 1036-1044, archaeologists believe the owner buried them for safekeeping after Edward the Confessor’s coronation in 1042 due to political instability.
All photos credit: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Royal Physician: The tomb of a “conjurer-doctor” has been found in ancient Saqqara. Dating back 4,100 years, the tomb is beautifully decorated with paintings and hieroglyphic inscriptions in vivid colours. In life, this individual was known as Tetinebefou, He was the main physician at the royal court and his accompanying burial accolades include conjurer of the goddess Serket, director of medicinal plants, and chief dentist.
Nine Emperors
A team of archaeologists have discovered a hoard of 141 Roman gold coins dating back to around the Fourth Century CE in northern Luxembourg. According to the National Institute for Archaeological Research, the coins were struck during the reign of nine different emperors who ruled between 364 and 408 CE.
New Tech
Swippitt Hub: New phone charger delivers full battery in 2 seconds.
Solar Beach Umbrella: It's one of those innovative new products that makes you immediately wish that you had one.
Climate
Chicago Milestone: All city-owned buildings are now 100 percent powered by renewable energy. More than 400 buildings - including O’Hare International Airport - are now purely using clean energy. It is projected to slash Chicago’s carbon emissions by 290,000 metric tons every year - which the city says will create the same effect as eliminating 62,000 cars from the road.
‘Cleanest Ever’: The UK’s electricity grid was the cleanest it’s ever been in 2024. New analysis by Carbon Brief showed that CO2 emissions per unit of electricity have fallen by more than two-thirds in the last decade. In total, fossil fuels made up just 29 percent of the UK’s electricity in 2024 - the lowest level on record - while renewables reached a record-high of 45 percent. Nuclear accounted for 13 percent.
Important Legal Milestone: Right now, a number of lawsuits in America are looking to hold the fossil fuel industry liable for billions of dollars in damages from climate disasters because of their alleged role in driving the climate crisis. The lawsuits argue that the companies deceived the public about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change. In response, governments in states like California, Colorado, and New Jersey are looking to hold them responsible for billions in damages. The companies appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the lawsuits - and the court just rejected that appeal, allowing the lawsuits to continue.
Global EV Sales: Despite concerns about a slowdown in the electric vehicle (EV) market, global electric vehicle sales are on track to reach a record 16.7 million units in 2024, according to BloombergNEF. This marks a substantial increase from 13.9 million units sold in 2023 and aligns with forecasts set at the beginning of the year.
And Finally...
Morning Coffee: If you can’t function without your morning caffeine hit, there's good news from new research that links coffee consumption with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The 20-year study of 40,000 adults found that coffee drinkers were 16 percent less likely to die of any cause and 31 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than non-drinkers. But, take note, the health benefits appeared to vanish among those who drank coffee all day, possibly as a result of afternoon caffeine consumption disrupting sleep patterns. “This is the first study testing coffee drinking timing patterns and health outcomes,” said study lead Dr Lu Qi of Tulane University in New Orleans. “Our findings indicate it’s not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that’s important.”
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Today's Articles
World’s Ugliest Lawn: A New Zealand garden has proudly accepted first prize in a global competition designed to promote water conservation.