Quick summary of the top good news stories from last week.
As Notre Dame gears up to reopen its doors in December, Paris is on the verge of a remarkable eco-revival, bringing nature back to the heart of the City of Light with a transformational Green Facelift.
Meanwhile, experts have announced that the solar maximum has officially arrived and we can therefore look forward to an Aurora Bonanza, whilst there's also potential good news for restless young adults as the Portuguese government plans to slash taxes for young people - creating an Under 35s Low-Tax Haven - to discourage locals from leaving and attract skilled foreign workers. A decision is scheduled for next week.
Medicine & Public Health
Smart Insulin: For decades, researchers have been working to develop a system that can automatically adjust insulin activity based on the amount of glucose in a person’s blood. Now, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk in Denmark, has engineered an insulin molecule with a switch that turns its activity on and off in response to glucose levels in the blood - published in the journal Nature.
Finger Prick Diagnostic: Nobody enjoys giving blood samples, but it’s a necessary part of many hospital stays and doctor visits. Soon we might not have to, thanks to a new device that can isolate biomarkers for different diseases using sound waves, from a single drop of blood, in around an hour.
Remarkable Discovery: The spit from Gila monsters, a reptile native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, carries a substance that can help scientists find difficult-to-locate pancreatic tumors known as insulinomas. Traditional PET scans detect tumors about 65 percent of the time, while the new Gila monster-derived option did so in 95 percent of patients.
Global Teen Pregnancy: According to UN data, the birth rate for girls aged 15 to 19 has decreased significantly, from 64.5 births per 1,000 girls in 2000 to 41.3 in 2023. Central and South Asia have witnessed an even greater decline, with rates falling by more than two-thirds.
Malaria Free: In an achievement hailed as “truly historic” by the WHO, Egypt has joined 44 countries and one territory to officially be declared malaria-free.
Heart Attack Detector: Johns Hopkins University researchers have designed a tiny chip that diagnoses heart attack by detecting important biomarkers in minutes rather than hours, even if they are present at very low concentrations. The researchers foresee an at-home heart attack detector in the future.
Conservation & Wildlife
Breeding Success: A Polish zoo is celebrating the arrival of four Sumatran tiger cubs. Officials at the Wrocław Zoo said the tigers - a critically endangered species whose numbers have dwindled to around 400 in the wild - were “a breeding success on a global scale.”
Azores: The Azores Islands - a nine-island Portuguese archipelago - will become the North Atlantic’s largest marine protected area and enable Portugal to meet the goal of safeguarding 30 percent of its sea by the end of the decade. The new marine sanctuary will encompass nearly 115,830 square miles, providing protection for its vast and unique biodiversity.
First Nature Envoy: The UK government has appointed Ruth Davies as its first ever envoy for Nature. She is a former environment campaigner described as “the environmentalist’s environmentalist”, who will be charged with forging global agreement on halting the decline of species.
Hidden Habitats: The discovery of worms and snails under the deep-ocean floor near hydrothermal vents reveals that these still-mysterious, dark hotspots of life extend beyond what’s visible above the crust.
Renewables & Sustainability
Tidal Wave Power: A screw-like tidal energy converter is now a step closer to real-world deployment after successful tests. With an increased demand for renewable energy, a wave (sorry) of technological innovations has been emerging in the tidal energy space. Available round the clock and with predictable intensity, tidal waves can deliver a continuous and reliable supply of electrical energy.
New York Beats Goal: One year ahead of its target, New York just reached 6 gigawatts of distributed solar installed across the state - enough to power over one million homes.
Re-Turn: Ireland's recycling scheme hailed as a great start after more than 600 million drinks containers were returned since the deposit scheme launched in February.
Arkansas Discovery: Researchers have discovered a collection of lithium - a primary component in lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries - in Arkansas that, if recovered, could far exceed the projected world demand for lithium in car batteries, reports Forbes.
And Finally...
Good Karma? A study has found that when supermarkets donate safe produce with minor blemishes or food nearing its expiration date, they not only reduce food waste and help people in need, but also make more money. Beyond getting tax breaks from donations, stores that gave away food saw a boost in revenue from food sales. Donating instead of discounting carved out more shelf space for fresher (and higher-priced) inventory. Plus, giving away iffy-looking produce - a practice the research team called “preemptive removal” - can improve the overall perception of a retailer. After analyzing 21 stores, the researchers found that food donations can bump food prices by up to 1 percent, which means a 33 percent increase in profit margins.
Today's Articles
Nima Rinji Sherpa: Record-breaking teenager’s fight for recognition of his community's remarkable achievements.
The Mars Meteorite: 25 years ago, even the President of the United States thought alien life had been found.