💡 24 fact-based optimistic news from April
❌ Slovakia closes its last coal-fired power plant – six years ahead of schedule. 🏢 Thousands of deaths avoided in Taiwan earthquake. 🛫 Successful demo flight with the first private supersonic aircraft since Concorde. 🦾 Chatbot convinced conspiracy theorists.
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Writing about bad things that haven't happened is difficult. But sometimes it's possible.
Taiwan was recently rocked by the largest earthquake since 1999. Then, over 2,400 people died. This time, only about a dozen did.
Most media reported on the earthquake, but few covered the real news: Thousands of lives were saved in Taiwan. Thanks to the efforts people and authorities have put in since then.
This is at least as big a news story as the earthquake itself.
This is how the news could look like, and what we are trying to show with Warp News. Thank you for being a subscriber!
Scroll down a bit and you'll find all of this month's fact-based optimistic news.
Mathias Sundin
The Angry Optimist
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💡 Fact-based optimistic news
👩⚕️ Sharp decline in tuberculosis in Cambodia
The number of tuberculosis deaths has decreased by 45 percent during the 21st century. New cases of tuberculosis have also decreased by 45 percent during the same time period.
☣️ Toxic chemical emissions have decreased by 21% over ten years
Emissions of toxic chemicals in the USA decreased by 21 percent between 2013 and 2022. Over this ten-year period, emissions from manufacturing facilities decreased by 9 percent while the economic value that the manufacturing industry contributed to the American economy increased by 14 percent.
🏢 Thousands of deaths avoided in Taiwan earthquake
Building codes and infrastructure have been strengthened to withstand seismic forces, reducing damage and saving lives. An advanced early warning system and education programs have helped prepare the population.
❌ Slovakia closes its last coal-fired power plant – six years ahead of schedule
Slovakia has now ceased production at its last coal-fired power plant. The country's electricity is now almost exclusively from nuclear and renewable sources. The goal has been to phase out all coal power by 2030. A goal that is now achieved six years ahead of schedule.
🌞 Scientists solve decade-long problem: Converting carbon dioxide to methanol (good for the climate)
The process occurs at room temperature and normal air pressure, simplifying the conversion. Achieving this at room temperature is something scientists have been trying to accomplish for several decades.
🏭 Terraform Industries converts electricity and air into synthetic natural gas for the first time
The company's process involves cost reductions, with the conversion of clean electricity to hydrogen for less than $2.50 per kilogram and CO2 capture for less than $250 per ton.
🛫 Successful demo flight with the first private supersonic aircraft since Concorde
Boom Supersonic has successfully completed the first flight with XB-1, the world's first civilly developed supersonic aircraft. This paves the way for Overture, which will become the world's fastest airliner and will be powered by 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.
🚢 The world's largest electric ferry charges in six minutes - and reduces emissions
Electrification of a previously diesel-electric ferry reduces CO2 emissions annually by about 28,000 tons. The transition to fully electric operation is expected to be cost-effective within eight years, and the ferry is estimated to operate many more years than that.
🦾 Chatbot convinced conspiracy theorists to reconsider their beliefs
People's belief in conspiracy theories decreased by about 20 percent after talking to an AI. The chatbot used a fact-based method to question conspiracy theories. The change in belief persisted for at least two months, suggesting a lasting effect.
🚀 SpaceX plans even bigger Starships
In front of SpaceX employees, Elon Musk has updated his vision for how to take humans to Mars and establish a self-sustaining colony there. The key is the rocket currently being developed, Starship, which they are planning to make even bigger.
🔋 New fast-charging electric vehicle battery with a lifetime of 400,000 miles
StoreDot has introduced a new electric vehicle battery that can be charged up to 80 percent in just 5-10 minutes. The battery boasts a lifetime of 65,000 miles thanks to the ability to undergo 2,000 ultra-fast charging cycles.
🌌 The most detailed measurement of the universe's expansion
This is the first time researchers have measured the expansion history of the distant period, 8-11 billion years ago, with a precision of better than one percent. With just one year of data, DESI has surpassed all previous 3D spectroscopic maps combined.
🔋 Battery storage in Europe expands significantly
The demand for energy storage has reached new heights in Europe with over 10 GW of new installations last year. The capacity is predicted to increase sixfold by 2030, with a total capacity of over 120 GW.
🤑 Gen Z is richer than previous generations at the same age
Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, has significantly higher incomes and greater financial stability compared to millennials and baby boomers at the same age.
🌎 Global Overshoot Day occurs later this year
According to the Global Footprint Network, ecological "overshoot" occurs when human demand exceeds the regenerative capacity of natural ecosystems. The later in the year this day occurs, the better. (But the model also has clear flaws.)
🔋 Electric cars will continue to rise in the US (despite what some claim)
Despite challenges such as inadequate charging infrastructure and high costs, 42 percent of respondents are considering buying an electric car as their next vehicle.
🚅 Europe's longest test track for Hyperloop opens in the Netherlands
The EU is investing in hyperloop technology with a new testing facility in the Netherlands. Hyperloop could significantly reduce commuting times between cities in Europe.
🚗 Fewer traffic deaths in the US last year
Traffic deaths in the USA decreased by 3.6 percent last year. This marks the second consecutive year of a decrease in deaths, despite an increase in miles driven.
🚁 Dragonfly to explore the fascinating landscape of the moon Titan
NASA's Dragonfly aims to explore Saturn's moon Titan with a unique helicopter that will fly and take samples. Titan is the only known celestial body in the solar system, besides Earth, that has liquid on its surface and a dynamic weather system.
🧠 BrainLM uses the same principles as ChatGPT to interpret brain activity, offering faster analyses
Instead of learning from text and images, BrainLM is trained to interpret functional images from the brain. This facilitates comprehensive studies in neuroscience and improves understanding of human cognition.
👴🏿 Life expectancy is increasing globally, but most notably in Eastern Africa
The global average life expectancy increased by 6.2 years between 1990 and 2021, primarily due to decreased deaths from intestinal infections. Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa saw the largest increase, with 10.7 years.
📱 Simplified view of dopamine and social media
Dopamine is often misunderstood and inaccurately described as solely addictive and harmful. Research shows that dopamine has a complex role in the brain, involving learning and reward signals, but is not directly equivalent to pleasure or addiction.
📉 Decrease in youth suicide in Europe
A number of European countries have shown a decline in youth suicide since the year 2000. Long-term preventive efforts may have contributed to this positive development.
📉 UK greenhouse gas emissions are at their lowest level since 1879
The country has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 53 percent since 1990, while its gross national product has increased by 82 percent. Coal usage fell to the lowest level since the 1730s.
Other texts
🖥️ Should Sweden invest in models or increase the use of AI? – report from the second meeting of the AI Commission
The AI Commission's second meeting was held in Gothenburg. There, as you know, people take the tram. Besides that, we discussed whether Sweden should invest in AI models or increase the use of AI, or perhaps both?
📰 This is what the news could look like
The big news was not how many died in the earthquake in Taiwan, but how many did NOT die
☯️ Bad and better – at the same time
For the first time, fewer than five million children are dying per year. Fantastic! But... nearly five million dead children, terrible! Hans Rosling taught us that something can be bad and get better at the same time.
🎵 Now there's a ChatGPT for making music (my three-year-old son and I made an opera)
I sing out of tune and can't play any instrument. My son is three years old. Yet, we have made an opera together. This has been made possible thanks to the latest developments in generative AI.
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