Quick synopsis of last week's top good news stories.
For the first time, work-life balance has surpassed pay as the leading motivator for employees globally. Work-life balance was the highest-ranking factor for staff for their current or future jobs for 83 percent of the 26,000 workers surveyed across 35 countries, in line with job security (83 percent), and slightly ahead of pay (82 percent). The Dutch recruitment company Randstad’s latest annual review of work confirms a trend that many have observed since the pandemic.
Meanwhile, in other positive news...
Defying Trump on Climate
Four pieces of good news were reported last week after Trump announced that America was withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. 1: Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's philanthropy arm stepped in to say it will provide funding to help cover the U.S. contribution to the U.N. climate body's budget, filling a gap left by Trump, Reuters reported. 2:
The Nature Conservancy also independently pledged to continue honoring the Paris Agreement goals and help the rest of the U.S. “do its part,” too. 3: A bipartisan coalition of 24 U.S. governors pledged to continue the country’s work toward achieving Paris Agreement goals. Representing nearly 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the nation’s population, the Climate Alliance members pledged to reduce collective greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, a target it is on track to achieve. 4: 84 percent of the Inflation Reduction Act funds earmarked for clean energy projects will not be able to be rescinded by the Trump administration, says Reuters.
To this was added a new report that showed public trust in scientists is still high despite the rising popularity of anti-science politicians. A survey of almost 72,000 people in 68 countries, found no evidence of the oft-repeated claim of a crisis of trust in scientists. In fact, most participants (52 percent) believed that scientists should be more involved in policymaking. Across 68 countries, the study recorded a relatively high level of trust in scientists, with a mean trust level of 3.62 (1 being very low and 5 being very high).
Medical Research
Breast Cancer: A phase 3 clinical trial led by Australia’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Center (Peter Mac) has shown that adding a targeted immunotherapy drug to chemotherapy dramatically improved - almost doubled - the cure rate for patients with the most common kind of breast cancer. The findings suggest adopting a new treatment paradigm for the disease.
Huntington’s: It’s been known for decades that Huntington’s disease is caused by an inherited gene mutation. But now, scientists have some answers regarding how this mutation harms cells and why it develops in middle age - and the study results offer both a clearer picture of the disease and new windows of understanding about how to postpone or potentially prevent the onset of Huntington’s.
Conservation & Nature
Māori Mountain: A mountain - Taranaki Maunga - on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island has been granted the same legal rights as a human - a move that is being celebrated by Indigenous people, who consider it their ancestor. The mountain's new rights will be used to uphold the mountain’s health and wellbeing, including protecting wildlife that flourishes there.
Mangrove Restoration: Sri Lanka has an ambitious initiative to expand its mangrove forests by more than 50 percent. The mangrove restoration plan aims to restore 10,000 hectares of its mangrove forests by 2030. Mangrove forests serve multiple critical functions: their complex root systems create natural barriers against storm surges, waves, and tides while providing essential nursery habitats for fish and other marine life.
Sustainability Breakthroughs
New Iron Making Method: Researchers claim their new iron making method can complete the process in just three to six seconds - thus boosting productivity by 3,600 times - and eliminates the need for coal entirely.
Fossil-Fuel-Free Cement: The first commercial use of Sublime Systems’ sustainable cement shows that it's possible to make it without emitting carbon dioxide.
Environment & Renewables
Waterwheels: Efficient and environmentally friendly - the efficiency of waterwheels can be as high as 85 percent or so, in terms of converting water power into electricity. They are enjoying a renaissance globally, such as in Nepal and and India, and along the banks of London’s River Wandle and in Northern Ireland where a restored historic waterwheel powers a restaurant.
'Rising Star': More electricity was made from sunshine than coal in the EU last year. Solar panels generated 11 percent of the EU’s electricity in 2024, while coal-burning power plants generated 10 percent, according to data from climate thinktank Ember. “This is a milestone,” said Beatrice Petrovich, co-author of the report. “Coal is the oldest way of producing electricity, but also the dirtiest. Solar is the rising star.”
Fastest Energy Change: A new report from the International Solar Energy Society says that solar and wind capacity are being installed five times faster than all other new electricity sources combined. If current growth rates continue, it predicts that by 2032, there will be more global solar and wind generation than coal and gas - combined. It's the fastest energy change in history.
Scotland Court: Approval of the giant Rosebank oilfield off Shetland was ruled unlawful by an Edinburgh court this week. The judgment said the carbon emissions that would be created by the burning of oil and gas at the largest untapped oilfield in the UK had not been taken into consideration.
Electric Vehicles
Efficiency Pursuit: Renault has designed record-chasing single-seat EV beast that it plans to
use to set a new record for EV efficiency. The sculpted bodywork is both art-deco and futuristic.
US EV Revolution: Despite a wave of doubters, the electric vehicle revolution is still going strong. Per the latest report by Cox Automotive, 2025 will be the strongest year for the American auto industry since before the pandemic. It predicts that with 1 in 4 cars sold will be electric.
And Finally...
Life’s Building Blocks: It took years for scientists to gain access to the samples that NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission took from the asteroid Bennu, but the wait is proving to be worth it - because they have found residues of compounds left over by the evaporation of liquid water. And, if such objects contain brine solutions rich in organic compounds, it’s at least theoretically possible that life may have already been evolving in those environments before their arrival on Earth.
That's it. You are up to date. Feel free to share this page with friends and family in order to spread the good news.
Today's Articles
Indus Valley Civilization: There's a $1 million reward being offered if you can decode this ancient script.
Stunning Images: The Travel Photographer of the Year competition has unveiled the winners of its 2024 contest.
Unsolicited Advice: When Kevin Kelly had his 68th birthday, he gifted his children bits of advice he wished he had known at their age.
Funny Celebrity Quotes: If you're feeling like having a bit of a chuckle, hopefully some of these will do the trick.