📈 Human Progress
In the last decades humanity has made great progress with less extreme poverty, increased health, wealth and democracy. We follow in the tradition of professor Hans Rosling.
🌼 A periodic table for flowering plants has been created – includes 9,500 species
Researchers analyzed 1.8 billion genetic letters from over 9,500 species of flowering plants. The research reveals the evolutionary history of flowering plants.
🌳 India's forests have steadily increased over the past 15 years
India ranks globally as third in net gain of average annual forest area between 2010 and 2020. They have prioritized biodiversity and conservation with an expanded network of protected areas.
🛰️ NASA has discovered a way to predict flash droughts months in advance
Flash droughts occur suddenly and quickly, but now researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have found a way to detect them early. Plants' "glow" diminishes before a flash drought, and this change can be observed by satellites.
👩⚕️ We are close to eradicating polio
The world has made significant progress in the fight against polio, reducing the number of cases by a hundredfold since the 1980s. Two of the three serotypes of wild poliovirus have been eradicated. New vaccines and improvements in sanitation and testing will help us overcome the last obstacles.
🌍 The planet has likely passed "peak pollution" – emissions will now only decrease
The world has likely passed "peak pollution" for harmful local air pollutants. Emissions have significantly decreased in wealthier countries and China. The goal is to help developing countries quickly reduce pollution without hindering their development.
⚰️ Murders continue to decrease in the US
The number of murders has decreased by over 19 percent in more than 200 cities compared to 2023. Even in 2023, the number of murders dropped significantly.
🚱 We pay to live without electricity and water, that's how good our lives are
How crazy is it to pay to be without electricity and running water? That's my first thought when I read about Kyrkestatorpet, where you can "live as the crofters did in the past." But then I think about the effects that might come from a visit to an outhouse...
🎣 The list of overfished species in the US has reached an all-time low
94 percent of fish stocks in the USA are no longer subject to overfishing. Key species have been removed from the list of overfished stocks. Thus, there are fewer species on that list than ever before.
🐳 Researchers begin to understand the basics of sperm whale language
Scientists have identified the fundamental components of sperm whale communication. Through the analysis of over 8,700 clips of sperm whale clicks, a complex communication system resembling a phonetic alphabet has been revealed.