183 stories
All topics
Research shows that 19 major metropolises including Beijing, London, and Paris have reduced air pollution by between 20% and 40% in just 15 years, driven by cycling infrastructure, clean air zones, and electric vehicle adoption.
Shula Kitkowska and Louis Peralta created Up 2 Us Neighbors, an organization that rescues discarded items from storage units and redistributes them to people in need, now handling around 100 requests every day.
Enlicitide, a new oral pill developed by Merck, reduced LDL cholesterol by about 60% in a major phase 3 trial — matching the effectiveness of injectable therapies. The FDA has added the drug to its program for ultra-fast reviews.
Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo set a new all-time record by winning six gold medals at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, surpassing all previous single-Games gold medal records in winter sports.
Monarch butterfly colonies covered 2.93 hectares of oyamel fir forest in central Mexico this winter, up 64% from the previous year. It is the largest coverage area documented since 2018, driven by favorable weather conditions.
Researchers at the University of Geneva developed MangroveGS, an AI model that predicts cancer metastasis and recurrence with nearly 80% accuracy. Trained on colon cancer, it works across stomach, lung, and breast cancer types.
The Atacama Large Millimeter Array in Chile has captured a striking new image of the Milky Way's galactic center near the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, revealing structures never seen before.
Zorevunersen has shown up to 91% fewer seizures in children with Dravet syndrome over three years, according to results published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Prof Helen Cross at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Venezuela defeated Team USA 3-2 in a thrilling final with Eugenio Suárez's RBI double in the 9th inning. Maikel Garcia was named MVP after hitting .385 with 7 RBIs throughout the tournament.
Sodium-ion batteries made from abundant materials like salt are emerging as a safer, cheaper alternative to lithium-ion, featured as one of MIT Technology Review's 2026 Breakthrough Technologies.
Beijing, London, Paris and 16 other major cities have cut air pollution by 20-40% through clean air zones, cycling infrastructure and electric vehicles. Nearly half the cities were in Asia.
Indigenous activists blocked a Cargill grain terminal, forcing Brazil to reverse plans to dredge and privatize the Tapajós River. "This proves that life — the river — has no price," said activist Maria Leusa.
Ireland's €325/week basic income scheme for 2,000 artists has become the world's first permanent program of its kind. A cost-benefit analysis found €1.39 return for every €1 invested.
The World Health Organization has verified Chile as the first country in the Americas, and only the second globally, to eliminate leprosy — a landmark public health achievement decades in the making.
A study of over 246,000 adults with heart disease found that shingles vaccination was associated with a 46% reduction in major cardiac events and a 66% reduction in all-cause mortality within one year.
The monarch butterfly population in Mexico's overwintering forests increased by 64%, with colonies covering 2.93 hectares of oyamel fir forest — up from 1.79 hectares the previous year.
Research shows the shingles vaccine may double as a heart protector, cutting major cardiac events by 46% and deaths by 66% within a year in people already at high cardiovascular risk.
Researchers have engineered a cutting-edge catalyst using single indium atoms that converts carbon dioxide into methanol more efficiently than ever before, opening new pathways for carbon capture and green fuel production.
Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klaebo won six gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics — a new single-Games record. The Games were also the most gender-equal Winter Olympics ever.
The FDA approved Neffy, the first needle-free nasal epinephrine spray for children aged 4 and older. The breakthrough represents the first major update to emergency allergy treatment in over 30 years, eliminating the fear and complexity of injectable epinephrine for the one in 13 children affected by food allergies.
Form Energy began manufacturing iron-air batteries at scale in 2025, enabling multi-day energy storage of up to 100 hours. The batteries use iron — one of the most abundant and cheapest metals on Earth — and literally breathe air to store and release energy through a reversible rusting process.
NOAA deployed a new generation of AI-powered global weather models that significantly improve the accuracy and speed of atmospheric predictions. By integrating machine learning with traditional physics-based modeling, the system offers better lead times for hurricanes, severe storms, and other extreme weather events — ultimately saving lives.
Northern Devon's creative sectors were celebrated at the Flourishing Culture Awards, recognizing the innovation, talent, and hard work driving culture across the region in one of England's most rural communities.
The UK Biobank completed over one billion medical scans from 100,000 volunteers, creating the most comprehensive atlas of the human body ever assembled. Early analysis revealed that heart disease and brain disease often co-occur, suggesting cardiovascular health may protect against dementia.
The UN High Seas Treaty has come into force, creating for the first time a legal framework to protect biodiversity in international waters — covering almost half of Earth's surface that previously had no dedicated conservation law.
Sodium-ion batteries have achieved $55-70/kWh cell costs — 35-40% cheaper than lithium iron phosphate — and were named to MIT Technology Review's 2026 Breakthrough Technologies list as they enter large-scale production.
The FDA approved lenacapavir (Yeztugo), a twice-yearly injectable PrEP medication that prevents nearly all HIV transmission. The drug addresses major barriers to daily pill-based prevention, including stigma and adherence challenges, and could transform the global fight against HIV/AIDS.
Stockholm's electric hydrofoil ferry, which lifts above the water on foils to dramatically reduce energy consumption and wave impact, has been declared a success by the Swedish Transport Administration after a pilot evaluation. The vessel cuts energy use by 80 percent compared to conventional ferries.
Three-time Paralympic medalist Mike Schultz retired from competitive snowboarding after the Milan 2026 Games, but his greatest legacy is BioDapt, the company he founded to build high-performance prosthetic limbs. Today, 95 percent of the world's top lower-limb Paralympic snowboarders compete on his designs.
The High Seas Treaty entered into force in January 2026 after Morocco became the 60th country to ratify it in September 2025. The landmark agreement establishes the first legal framework to protect marine biodiversity in international waters, covering nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans that were previously ungoverned.
Sodium-ion batteries, made from abundant materials like salt, are emerging as a cheaper, safer alternative to lithium — poised to power affordable electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage worldwide.
A UC Davis-led clinical trial has safely performed the world's first spina bifida treatment combining fetal surgery with placenta-derived stem cells, with all six infants born with intact repair sites and reversed brain abnormalities.
AMI Labs, co-founded by Turing Award winner Yann LeCun, raised a record $1.03 billion seed round to develop AI "world models" using JEPA architecture — a fundamentally different approach to AI that learns by understanding physical reality rather than just language.
Portugal generated 80.7 percent of its electricity from renewable sources in January 2026, ranking second in Europe behind Norway's 96.3 percent. The achievement demonstrates that large-scale renewable energy transition is achievable for Southern European nations and validates Portugal's aggressive clean energy investment strategy.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2026 the International Volunteer Year for Sustainable Development, recognizing that 2.1 billion people — 34.5% of the global working-age population — volunteer every month.
Brazil's national space research institute INPE reported that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest fell by 50% in 2023 compared to the previous year, the sharpest annual decline in decades, following the restoration of environmental enforcement under President Lula.
After withdrawing from most events at Tokyo 2021 to prioritize her mental health, Simone Biles returned triumphantly at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning three gold medals and one silver to become the most decorated Olympic gymnast in history.
DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs launched AlphaFold 3, which can predict the 3D structure of proteins, DNA, RNA, and drug-like molecules with unprecedented accuracy, potentially transforming how new medicines are developed.
An international consortium published over 21 papers mapping more than 3,000 cell types in the human brain, creating the most detailed atlas of the organ ever produced and opening new avenues for treating neurological diseases.
The 2024 World Happiness Report ranked Finland first for the seventh straight year, with researchers attributing the success to high social trust, strong public services, low corruption, and a culture that values work-life balance.
Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old Ethiopian-American student from Virginia, was named TIME's 2023 Kid of the Year for developing an affordable soap-based skin cancer treatment that could provide accessible melanoma prevention in developing countries.
When 4-year-old Brinley aimed a flashlight at a construction site across from Cleveland Clinic, the workers shone their lights back — sparking a heartwarming friendship of daily messages, gifts, and cheers.
Researchers at Harvard and MIT demonstrated error-corrected quantum computing using 48 logical qubits on a 280-qubit processor, a major milestone toward practical quantum computers that could revolutionize drug discovery and materials science.
Several humpback whale populations have recovered to near pre-commercial whaling numbers, with some groups removed from endangered lists, marking one of the greatest conservation comebacks in wildlife history.
David, a young Nigerian immigrant, volunteered to walk his elderly neighbor Frank's dog — sparking a cross-generational, cross-cultural friendship that evolved into David becoming Frank's caregiver.
The World Health Organization certified Egypt as malaria-free in October 2023, making it the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this milestone after decades of sustained public health efforts.
Engineers at MIT have created a passive solar desalination system that converts seawater to drinking water using only sunlight, with no electricity or filters needed, at a cost competitive with tap water in many developing countries.
The SELECT trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that semaglutide (Wegovy) reduced major cardiovascular events by 20% in overweight adults, marking the first time a weight-loss drug demonstrated direct heart-protective benefits.
Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum broke the marathon world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, finishing in 2 hours and 35 seconds — 34 seconds faster than the previous record — becoming only the third man in history to complete an official marathon in under 2:01.
A staggering 80.7% of Portugal's electricity in January 2026 came from renewable sources, placing the country second in Europe for clean energy generation — a remarkable achievement for the Iberian nation.
Brazil hosted COP30 in Belém — the first UN climate summit in the Amazon — and launched the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a new funding platform that rewards countries for maintaining their forests.
Researchers are using AI to predict someone's risk of over 1,000 different diseases before symptoms appear, including breast cancer — transforming medicine from reactive treatment to proactive prevention.
IBM has stated that 2026 will be the year a quantum computer first outperforms a classical computer on a practical task, unlocking breakthroughs in drug development, materials science, and financial optimization.
Toyota and Samsung begin mass-producing solid-state batteries that offer 1,000 km range, 10-minute charging, and a 20-year lifespan.
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a novel CRISPR-based genetic cassette that can spread between bacteria to actively dismantle antibiotic resistance genes — offering a powerful new weapon against the growing superbug crisis.
At 41, American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor made history at Milano Cortina 2026 by winning gold in the women's monobob — becoming the oldest individual gold medalist in Winter Olympics history and the most decorated Black Winter Olympian ever. She is also a devoted disability advocate.
Norwegian skiing legend Johannes Høsflot Klæbo cemented his place as the greatest cross-country skier in Olympic history by winning his record-setting sixth gold medal at Milano Cortina 2026 in the grueling men's 50km mass start event.
Stockholm's innovative hydrofoil electric ferry, which appears to "fly" above the water, has been declared a resounding success by the Swedish Transport Administration after a thorough evaluation of its pilot route — offering a glimpse of the future of urban waterway transit.
Scientists in Cambridge, UK have developed a revolutionary system that stores data in glass using lasers, fitting 4.84 terabytes — equivalent to 2 million printed books — into a piece of silica glass just 12 square centimeters in size.
Juan Leon, a Minnesota tow truck driver, noticed abandoned cars throughout the Twin Cities belonging to people arrested by ICE. He began tracking down the families and returning their vehicles for free — an act of everyday heroism that has touched hearts across America.
Following a devastating personal loss, a Philadelphia-area teacher has inspired her students to launch a kindness movement that has spread far beyond her classroom walls, demonstrating the transformative power of compassion in education.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 highlighted AI's transformative positive impact on healthcare in underserved regions, where AI tools are helping diagnose diseases, recommend treatments, and save lives in communities that lack specialist doctors. World leaders called for inclusive, cooperative AI development.
An international research cruise has catalogued over 120 previously unknown deep-sea organisms that produce their own light, reshaping our understanding of ocean ecosystems.
The gene-editing therapy Casgevy is now accessible in 30 nations including Nigeria and India, where sickle-cell disease is most prevalent.
Neuromorphic computers modeled after the human brain can now solve the complex equations behind physics simulations — something once thought possible only with energy-hungry supercomputers. This breakthrough could revolutionize scientific computing while dramatically reducing energy consumption.
UK doctors have reported a breakthrough in treating Huntington's disease, with a new gene therapy able to slow its progression by 75 percent. The treatment targets the faulty gene responsible for the devastating neurodegenerative condition that affects around 30,000 people in the UK alone.
The share of cage-free eggs in the US jumped from 38.7% to 45.3% in just nine months of 2025, saving approximately 20 million hens from life in a cage. This represents the fastest shift since animal advocates began campaigning to ban battery cages.
Brazil and partners launched the Tropical Forest Forever Facility ahead of COP30 — a multibillion-dollar initiative that rewards countries for keeping forests standing and channels funding directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities who are the true stewards of forest landscapes.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science have developed tiny molecular devices whose behavior can be tuned in multiple ways, bridging chemistry and computing. These shape-shifting molecules could lead to AI hardware that naturally learns, rather than merely imitating learning.
Despite a tumultuous geopolitical landscape, 196 nations agreed at COP16 in Rome to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity. The deal was hailed as a win for multilateralism in uncertain times.
The iconic children's literacy show Reading Rainbow returned in 2025 with original host LeVar Burton, bringing its mission to inspire a love of reading to a new generation of children. The revival sparked joy among millions of adults who grew up with the show and their kids discovering it for the first time.
New research in 2025 declared 70 "the new 60," with studies showing that today's 70-year-olds are significantly healthier, more cognitively sharp, and more physically active than previous generations at the same age. The findings reflect decades of improvements in healthcare, nutrition, and lifestyle.
The International Energy Agency confirmed that solar power is now the fastest-growing source of electricity generation ever recorded, with costs dropping 90% in the past decade and installations surging worldwide.
Meta's release of Llama 3 as a completely free and open-source AI model has democratized access to cutting-edge artificial intelligence, enabling startups, researchers, and developing nations to build powerful AI applications without billion-dollar budgets.
Every day at 3 PM, construction workers building Cleveland Clinic's new neurological institute stop to wave, make heart shapes, and hold up signs for Brinley, a 4-year-old waiting for a heart transplant across the way.
After nearly three decades of research, Brazilian scientists have developed polylaminin — a stabilized form of a natural human protein that acts as a scaffold for nerve regeneration. ANVISA has approved Phase 1 clinical trials, and early results, including a tetraplegic woman regaining arm movement within days, have been described as unprecedented.
Verified report based on cited source.
Verified report based on cited source.
When asked if he believed in God, Einstein gave an answer that changed how millions think about the divine. His inspiration? A 17th-century philosopher named Baruch Spinoza, whose vision of God as nature itself produced one of the most profound and liberating texts ever written.
In the lead-up to COP30, Brazil and partners launched the Tropical Forest Forever Facility — a multibillion-dollar initiative that rewards countries for keeping forests standing and channels funding directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
When environmental disasters strike, live fungi are helping to quickly clean up everything from oil spills to toxic runoff through mycoremediation.
France's Savoir Rouler à Vélo program has taught over 500,000 children to cycle safely, aiming to have every child know how to ride by age 11.
The largest oyster reef restoration project in the world has planted 10 billion oysters in Chesapeake Bay, reviving ecosystems and cleaning billions of gallons of water daily.
Atmospheric water generators — devices that extract humidity from air to create drinking water — are now providing clean water to communities in arid regions worldwide.
Cherokee language immersion schools in Oklahoma have produced hundreds of fluent young speakers, reversing decades of language decline.
Artificial intelligence has discovered a revolutionary new superconductor material that works at much higher temperatures, potentially transforming energy transmission and electronics.
Researchers have finally confirmed with DNA evidence that a 146,000-year-old skull known as "Dragon Man" belonged to a Denisovan, putting a face to one of our long-lost human relatives.
A groundbreaking NHS weight-loss program has put 46% of participants with type 2 diabetes into remission, proving that lifestyle changes can reverse the condition.
New research reveals that great apes can engage in imaginative play, pretending to pour and drink invisible tea, demonstrating cognitive abilities previously thought to be uniquely human.
When Bristol's iconic ferry service went bust, 900 residents bought shares to revive it. Now it carries 50,000 passengers a year and runs free tours for those facing financial barriers.
Independent bookstores are experiencing a surprising revival as communities seek the personal connections and curated selections that online retailers cannot offer.
Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has dropped to its lowest level in 15 years, thanks to stronger enforcement and Indigenous-led conservation efforts.
Large-scale seagrass restoration projects are succeeding worldwide, reviving underwater meadows that capture carbon 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.
A major longevity study published in 2025 found that today's 70-year-olds are physically and cognitively comparable to 60-year-olds from a generation ago, thanks to improvements in healthcare, nutrition, and lifestyle habits.
Researchers have created a revolutionary self-healing road surface inspired by nature, using plant-based spores packed with recycled oils that seal fractures when compressed.
Scientists have achieved a sustained net energy gain from nuclear fusion for the first time, marking a historic milestone toward unlimited clean energy.
A study of nearly 14 million children in England reveals that Covid infection carries a substantially higher risk of heart complications than vaccination.
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced its largest coral spawning event in decades, a sign that conservation efforts are helping the ecosystem recover.
From ferry companies to shopping centres, communities are buying up local assets to run for themselves as big retailers and the state retreat.
Solar energy was confirmed as the fastest growing source of electricity in history in 2025, growing from 1% to 9% of global electricity in just a decade. Combined with wind, renewables overtook coal as the world's leading electricity source for the first time.
A newly confirmed galaxy, MoM-z14, pushes the observable universe record even closer to the beginning — and challenges what astronomers expected to see so early.
Marine biologists have developed heat-resistant coral varieties that can survive in waters up to 3°C warmer, offering hope for reef conservation as oceans warm.
A groundbreaking eye implant has enabled blind people to read again, with 84% of participants regaining the ability to read after receiving the revolutionary technology.
In the birthplace of Lego and Hans Christian Andersen, play is in the country's DNA. Denmark is now inviting visitors to put down devices and rediscover the joy of hands-on play.
A new generation of language learning apps is helping Indigenous communities revive endangered languages, with some seeing a 300% increase in young speakers.
A revolutionary plastic recycling technology is moving from demonstration to commercial-scale operations, targeting 100,000 tons annually by the end of the decade.
Revolutionary gene therapy treatment has successfully helped people born with genetic hearing loss to recover some of their hearing, marking a new era in treating hereditary deafness.
An Irish golfer celebrated his first ever hole-in-one after learning to play the sport following an accident that left him with only one arm. He credits golf with saving his life.
A 93-year-old woman has earned her PhD, becoming the world's oldest doctoral graduate and proving that it's never too late to pursue your dreams.
Engineers have created metal tubes that cannot sink by mimicking the water-repelling hairs on spider legs, potentially revolutionizing ship safety.
A major report reveals that cancer survival rates have doubled over the past 50 years, with experts declaring we are now in a 'golden age' for cancer research and treatment.
Scientists have captured audio of jaguars making a surprising sound — meowing like house cats. The discovery adds new understanding to how these big cats communicate.
Conservation organizations are using drones to plant trees in hard-to-reach areas, potentially revolutionizing the expansion and restoration of temperate rainforests.
Two decades of dedicated cancer research have paid off: national survival rates have climbed to 70%, a remarkable achievement in the fight against the disease.
Thousands of musical instruments are thrown away every year. Growing UK schemes are rescuing them and giving both the instruments and the children who play them a second chance.
Positive News staff took on the challenge of buying nothing new for an entire month. The experience revealed surprising lessons about consumption and creativity.
Knurr-and-spell, an ancient English ball game similar to golf that had nearly died out, is being revived in the villages where it was born centuries ago.
At the COP16 biodiversity conference in Rome, 196 nations agreed to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity. The deal was hailed as a win for multilateralism in uncertain times.
A family of four sisters and their parents developed an electric tractor that is now being sold in five countries, proving that sustainable farming equipment can be a family affair.
A French sailor who competed in the grueling Vendée Globe around-the-world race while battling cancer has been named Sailor of the Year for his extraordinary achievement.
Despite challenging drought conditions, farmers achieved record harvests by combining traditional farming wisdom with modern technology and techniques.
The FDA launched a pilot program in 2025 allowing select drug developers to use non-animal methods like organ-on-a-chip systems and computer modeling instead of traditional animal testing. The NIH followed with its own initiative to expand human-based science.
The James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning new details of the Helix Nebula, revealing the dying breaths of a star transforming into raw ingredients for new worlds.
A Chinese woman's ear was torn off in an industrial accident and saved by doctors who grafted it onto her foot for 5 months before successfully reattaching it to her head.
A British war veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan has become the first above-the-knee double amputee to summit the highest peaks on all seven continents.
Rescued elephants at an Indian care center are receiving acupuncture treatments to help relieve chronic pain and nerve damage from years of mistreatment.
A groundbreaking new therapy is offering hope to patients with blood cancers previously considered untreatable, showing remarkable results in clinical trials.
Europe has reached a significant energy tipping point, with renewable sources now generating more power than ever and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.
In January 2025, the FDA approved suzetrigine (Journavx), the first entirely new class of non-opioid pain medication in over two decades. The drug blocks sodium channels to relieve acute pain without the addiction risks associated with opioids.
Scientists recorded the highest number of North Atlantic right whale sightings ever for January, a hopeful sign for the critically endangered species with only 384 individuals remaining.
The world's most northern electric ferry is now operating in extreme Arctic conditions, proving that zero-emission maritime transport can work even in -13°F temperatures.
A father rushed to a burning bar after receiving a frantic call from his daughter inside, ultimately saving 10 people from the New Year's Eve fire in Switzerland.
Scientists at Melbourne's Doherty Institute used mRNA technology to force HIV out of hiding in white blood cells, a critical step toward a cure. The technique encases HIV in a "fat bubble" nanoparticle that reveals the virus to the immune system.
A team in Japan has entered clinical trials for a drug that stimulates the growth of new teeth in adults who have lost them. If successful, it could eventually replace dentures and implants for millions of people worldwide.
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history with 37 World and Olympic medals, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025. The honor recognizes not only her athletic achievements but also her advocacy for mental health in sports.
A Cochrane review of 73 trials found that moderate-intensity exercise may be as effective at reducing depression symptoms as therapy and antidepressants.
University of Newcastle researchers developed a chemical-free method to extract silver from used solar panels by grinding them into powder and floating silver to the surface in water.
In a remarkable year for planetary science, astronomers confirmed the discovery of over 100 previously unknown moons orbiting planets in our solar system during 2025, reshaping our understanding of the outer planets.
New UK rules ban television ads for junk food before 9pm and prohibit them entirely online, targeting childhood obesity that affects one in eight children aged 2-10.
Photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado and his wife Lelia spent over two decades planting 2.5 million trees, transforming a degraded cattle ranch into a thriving nature preserve visible from space.
Using artificial intelligence, researchers identified two previously unknown subtypes of multiple sclerosis, paving the way for personalized treatments.
A previously unknown jaguar was identified in southern Arizona through remote cameras, suggesting that conservation efforts are helping the endangered species expand its range northward.
A pioneering assisted fertilization technique is helping restore disappearing coral reefs in the Dominican Republic, with the approach gaining momentum across the Caribbean.
GanLum, the first new type of malaria treatment in decades, demonstrated a 99.2% cure rate in phase 3 trials — outperforming standard treatments and offering hope to millions.
New data shows global deforestation rates dropped sharply in 2025, with Brazil's Amazon seeing its lowest destruction levels in years and Indonesia continuing its downward trend.
The revolutionary Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is now operational, equipped with the Simonyi Telescope that will scan the entire visible sky every three days.
After suffering a devastating crash in the Giant Slalom, the most decorated Alpine skier in history is back and ready for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Harvard chemist David Liu received the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for developing base editing and prime editing, precision gene-editing tools that can correct mutations without cutting DNA.
Australia became the first country to ban all social media accounts for children under 16, responding to growing evidence of harm from excessive screen time and online platforms.
A new non-opioid pain reliever has been approved that reduces postoperative pain as effectively as opioids but without the risk of addiction.
A major IBM study reveals that open-source AI is transforming the technology landscape in 2025, with smaller, more efficient models enabling businesses and researchers worldwide to harness powerful AI without massive budgets. Over 51% of organizations using open-source tools report positive ROI.
Once the world's most endangered cat with just a few hundred individuals, the Iberian lynx has rebounded to several thousand thanks to dedicated conservation programs across Spain and Portugal.
Researchers at the Arc Institute developed bridge recombinases, a revolutionary gene-editing tool that can insert or replace nearly 1 million DNA bases — far surpassing CRISPR's capabilities.
Young voters powered a wave of civic engagement in 2025 US elections, driving turnout to its highest levels in decades and reshaping the political landscape.
Australia announced it will provide at least three hours of free solar-generated electricity per day to all households — even those without solar panels — thanks to massive renewable energy capacity.
Despite devastating losses, bereaved families from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are building peace where politics has failed, recognizing their 'shared colour of tears'.
The UN FAO reported that deforestation has slowed in every world region over the past decade, with annual forest loss dropping from 17.6 million to 10.9 million hectares.
A groundbreaking retinal implant paired with video-recording glasses has enabled 84% of participants with untreatable macular degeneration to read again.
A family of beavers in the Czech Republic built a dam in the exact location where the government had been planning one for seven years, saving 1.2 million euros.
Researchers developed new methods to detect pancreatic cancer earlier, potentially transforming survival rates for one of the deadliest cancers.
The Ember think tank confirmed solar as the fastest growing source of electricity ever, rising from 1% to 9% of global electricity in just a decade with costs falling 90%.
Researchers at the University of Florida developed an mRNA cancer vaccine that supercharges the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, paving the way for a potential universal cancer treatment.
The Finnish capital achieved zero traffic deaths for an entire year by lowering speed limits to 30 km/h, narrowing lanes, and prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists.
The WNBA drew over 2.5 million fans across the 2025 season, shattering a 23-year-old attendance record with seven teams averaging over 10,000 fans per game.
The US is on course for one of its least violent years since modern records began, with murder rates down nearly 20% and violent crime falling by 11%.
China's carbon dioxide emissions dropped for the first time during economic growth, as electricity from new wind, solar and nuclear capacity was enough to cut coal-power output even as demand surged.
Research shows that today's 70-year-olds are biologically and cognitively comparable to 60-year-olds from previous generations, thanks to advances in healthcare and lifestyle.
At COP16 in Rome, 196 nations agreed to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity, in a win for multilateralism.
After the devastating Palisades fire destroyed their theater, a youth theater group in Los Angeles returned to the stage with a production of Crazy for You, showing remarkable resilience.
An ambitious art initiative called Project 195 is creating a collaborative artwork featuring artists from all 195 countries, celebrating global creativity and connection.
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek released R1, a fully open-source reasoning model that matches OpenAI's best — and anyone can download, modify, and use it for free. The release sent shockwaves through the tech industry, proving world-class AI doesn't have to be locked behind corporate paywalls.
Data shows 88.9% of cars sold in Norway in 2024 were battery powered, putting the country on track to meet its all-electric target and offering a 'big lesson' to the world.
A twice-yearly injection of lenacapavir provided 100% protection against HIV in clinical trials, marking a potential turning point in the fight against AIDS.
The FDA-approved CRISPR therapy Casgevy has successfully cured sickle cell disease patients, with many now living pain-free after a single treatment.
Barcelona's revolutionary superblocks program, which prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists over cars, has expanded to 21 neighborhoods, creating green plazas where traffic once dominated.
Researchers have achieved a world record 33.9% efficiency with tandem perovskite-silicon solar cells, bringing next-generation solar technology closer to commercial reality.
Japanese towns designated as 'Children Zones' have seen birth rates rise above the national average through comprehensive support systems for families.
A vertical farming company has achieved a breakthrough in production costs, making indoor-grown produce competitive with field-grown crops while using 95% less water.
A combination of AI-powered translation tools and language learning apps has helped revitalize 20 indigenous languages that were on the brink of extinction.
After a viral video showed a family losing their apartment and all belongings in a fire, strangers from around the world donated $2.4 million in just 48 hours.
The Paris 2024 Olympics achieved unprecedented sustainability, cutting carbon emissions in half while delivering an inspiring celebration of athletic excellence.
Brazil's Amazon rainforest saw deforestation drop by 50% compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest levels since 2018.
Scientists have developed a simple blood test that can detect Alzheimer's disease up to 20 years before symptoms appear, enabling earlier intervention.
