Quick summary of last week's good news stories.
Promising Antibiotic: Finnish scientists have discovered promising antibiotic candidates from microbes found beneath the Arctic Ocean seafloor. The compounds, derived from actinobacteria, show potential in reducing bacterial virulence without fostering resistance, a growing concern in antibiotic development.
Extra Benefits of Travel: Travel can offer significant health benefits, according to a study by Australia's Edith Cowan University which found that exposure to new environments, physical activity and social interactions help improve the body's self-repair and immune system. By reducing stress and boosting resilience, travel can counteract illness and aging, the study found.
Methane From Cows: You will no doubt be aware that the methane in cow burps is a major source of greenhouse gases. There may now be a new way of addressing that problem: clay mixed in with cattle feed reduces emissions by a third.
Hidden Figures: A group of Black women central to NASA's success during the space race and known as the 'Hidden Figures' have been honored in a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on Capitol Hill. "At a time in America when our nation was divided by color and often by gender, these women dared to step into the fields where they had previously been unwelcome." The 'Hidden Figures' were considered crucial to NASA's work from 1930-1970.
'Future of Propulsion': Sharrow Marine's new twisted smart propeller boosts efficiency by 30 percent and is much quieter.
Wildlife, Nature & Conservation
Tuna Rebounds: Effective conservation management of southern bluefin tuna over the last decade has resulted in a strong recovery of the population, and last week the species was delisted by Australia's environment ministry, reports DCCEEW.
Conservation Role Model: Indigenous groups have long argued that they are in the best position to conserve and protect forests, having been successful stewards of lands for thousands of years. And the Ashaninka people of Brazil are a shining example of this as they have successfully protected and restored their territory in the Amazon. It is now a model for an ambitious project to help 12 Indigenous territories in western Amazon, amounting to 640,000 hectares (1.6 million acres).
US Wetland Funding Boost: Over $157 million in funding has been approved for the conservation and restoration of 91,425 acres of wetlands and associated upland habitats in 17 states for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other birds (including 11 endangered species).
Illegal Mining: Brazilian officials say they have nearly rid Indigenous Yanomami territory in the northern Amazon of the thousands of miners who had been operating illegally in the region.
BC First Nations: The traditional homelands of the Saulteau and West Moberly Lake First Nations, about 750km northeast of Vancouver, are littered with tens of thousands of old, disused oil and gas wells. The Narwhal reports that a new project run by First Nations is aiming to reclaim and restore all the orphaned sites by 2030.
Africa Landmark Deal: The continent’s foremost intergovernmental body has ruled, after nine years of deliberation, that the government of the DRC should hand back parts of the giant Kahuzi-Biéga National Park to its ancestral owners, the Batwa people. This is a massive deal - not only for the park itself, but because it sets a legal precedent among all member states of the African Union recognizing Indigenous people's crucial role in safeguarding the environment and biodiversity.
Big Win in Ecuador: Los Cedros Protected Forest, a 480 sq.km (185 sq.miles) reserve of cloud forest in the Ecuadorian Andes, recently notched a major victory against the oil and gas industry via the rights-of-nature movement, arguing that mining would violate the forest’s constitutional rights, and they demanded the protection of its “right to exist, survive, and regenerate.” The courts agreed.
IVF Corals: Scientists are pleasantly surprised after lab-grown corals were found to have survived a marine heatwave in the Caribbean. 90 percent were in good health following the heatwave. It’s the first scientific evidence showing IVF corals to be more resistant to heat than regular corals.
Today's Articles
Phew! Human race now has a back-up plan thanks to “a form of information immortality” meant to instruct future species on how to recreate humans.
World Happiness Report: Reveals the happiest country in the world for people under 30 and it may surprise you.
Healthiest Forests: The world's healthiest, most biodiverse, and most resilient forests are found in Indigenous protected areas.