Quick summary of the top good news stories from last week.
Fingers Crossed: Scientists at the University of Oxford are in the development phase of what could be the world’s first ovarian cancer vaccine. Director of the university's ovarian cancer cell laboratory said they still had "a long way to go" but he was "optimistic".
Not 13th Century Fake: Scientists prove how old the Shroud of Turin really is. The rest is faith.
Screening Americans: For the first time in decades, the FDA is considering approval for a new, safe sunscreen ingredient. Other countries have been using bemotrizinol for many years, and experts hope its approval will bring new, popular sunscreens on the market and help reduce skin cancer.
Unique Aerial Photography: Images snapped by A. W. Hobart, who leant out of a biplane to produce pictures of life in England in the 1930s, have been digitised and released.
Museum Study: New study reveals that genuine art really does stimulate the brain much more than prints.
CBD Kills Mosquitos: Mosquitos are increasingly developing resistance to insecticides, but a team of experts at Ohio State University "may have a solution." Researchers found that the disease-carrying insects died after being exposed to cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical produced by cannabis plants.
Connectome: Scientists have revealed the first-ever complete map of an adult fruit fly’s brain, captured in stunning detail. The brain diagram, called a connectome, could revolutionize researchers’ understanding of the human brain, which has (perhaps surprisingly) many parallels with a fruit fly’s.
Swimming Freely: For the first time in more than a century, salmon are swimming freely along the Klamath River and its tributaries (on the California-Oregon border), just days after the largest dam removal project in US history was completed.
Historic Victory: An Indigenous tribe that long campaigned for the right to their ancestral land scored an “historic” victory this week, as the Brazilian government recognised their territory. Greenpeace described the move as an “historic and profoundly symbolic victory not only for the Munduruku, but for all Indigenous peoples of the Amazon and Brazil”.
Restoring Balance: A type of weasel has returned to southern England for the first time in more than a century, after conservationists released 15 pine martens in Devon's Dartmoor national park in order to “help to bring back the natural balance of wildlife to our woodlands.”
2030 Renewable Energy Target: The pace of solar installations, in particular, means that the world's renewables target set for 2030 will likely be exceeded.
On Track: Switzerland has given a permit to the country’s first solar power plant to be deployed between railway tracks - paving the way for this innovative solar energy solution in the country.
America's Greenest Cities: California dominates the list of America’s greenest cities according to a new survey.
The Rail Deal: Making rail travel more accessible and affordable, Portugal has introduced a €20 monthly pass for all train services. The initiative is intended to help the country reach its environmental goals and offer citizens an affordable way to commute and explore.
Vertical Solar: Vertical solar panels are proving to be a new solution for northern regions, yielding 20 percent more energy than traditional panels. The mini, square-shaped solar panels have two key features that distinguish them from those typically seen on buildings: they are bifacial, meaning they have two active sides, and they are installed vertically.
Good News For Ukraine: In an agreement reached on Wednesday, European Union countries have given their green light to an unprecedented plan to issue a €35 billion loan to support Ukraine's war-battered economy using the immobilised assets of Russia's Central Bank as collateral.
That's it. You are up to date.
Today's Articles
New Discovery: The brain literally cleanses itself during sleep. Could help fight to prevent and better understand Alzheimer’s.