Quick summary of the top good news stories from last week.
In what may prove to be an exceptional event, the discovery of deep-sea Dark Oxygen between Hawaii and Mexico by Prof Andrew Sweetman from the Scottish Association for Marine Science appears to signal that it is time to reconsider the origins of life on Earth - as photosynthesis has never before been found to occur without sunlight.
In other important news from last week...
Medicine and Health
Beating Malaria: Malaria is the poster child for Pestilence. It’s killed more people than almost anything else. Now, after 70 years of trial and error, the really good news is that we have two cheap and effective vaccines (developed by scientists in the UK and manufactured in India) that give us a serious shot at eradicating it in the next decade or two.
Novel Nasal Spray: One dose of a new treatment, delivered by nasal spray, clears away build-ups of the toxic tau protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease from inside brain cells, improving memory, according to new research. It paves the way for new treatments for the debilitating disease.
Inspired by Cephalopods: A unique material inspired by a pigment in the skin of octopus, squid and cuttlefish has been harnessed by Seaspire to boost the skin-protecting active ingredients in sunscreen, as well as providing a shield against skin damage. And while it comes with all the benefits to humans, including antioxidant properties, it's harmless to the environment, which could revolutionize not just sun protection but skincare in general.
Conservation, Nature and Wildlife
Iron-Tipped Teeth: With their huge size, venomous bite and the fantastical connotations of their name, Komodo dragons seem like the stuff of legend. Now, that status has been elevated further: scientists have discovered that their teeth are coated with a layer of iron that helps keep their serrated edges razor sharp. It is the first time such a coating has been seen in any animal.
England to Rwanda: Conservationists are celebrating after a black rhino raised at a Yorkshire zoo in northern England has given birth to a calf after being released in Rwanda. Breeding programmes have taken place across Europe to help boost black rhino numbers, as they are listed as critically endangered by the World Wildlife Fund.
Chain Reaction Harmony: Researchers from Stanford University found that a group of males will harmonise a rumbling sound, from one to the next, to signal that it's time for everyone to move on. They liken it to the way a barbershop quartet builds a chorus from one voice to the next.
Salmon Return: In the county of Derbyshire, in the central heart of England, the removal of a dam is having the desired effect. It’s the first time in 100 years that salmon have reached so far up the River Derwent.
A First For Taxonomy: Researchers at the International Botanical Congress have voted to eliminate a “c” in more than 200 scientific names of plants. The nomenclature change will modify the names of species with derivatives of the word caffra, an Apartheid-era racial slur used against Black people in southern Africa, to derivatives of “afr,” signaling the species’ African origins. This decision marks the first time taxonomists have voted in favour of changing offensive species names.
Archaeology and Culture
New Discovery Peru: The remains of what is thought to be a 4,000-year-old temple and theatre have been discovered by archaeologists in Peru, reports ArtNews. These discoveries predate the country’s most well-known archaeological site, Machu Picchu, by approximately 3,500 years.
Opus Sectile: Some rather special mosaics have been found off the coast of Naples. In its day, Baiae was a sunny seaside getaway for Rome’s elite - and a rather debauched one at that.
Clean Energy and Renewables
SunCable: The world's largest renewable energy and transmission project has received key approval from government officials. The massive power link project will send Australian solar power to Singapore via 2,672 miles of undersea cables.
Unprecedented Pace: Electricity industry association Eurelectric has released figures showing that 50 percent of public electricity generation in the EU came from renewables for the first time in the first half of 2024. The association said Europe was decarbonising at an unprecedented pace, with 74 percent of power coming from "renewable and low-carbon energy sources," which includes nuclear power.
Novel Approach: At over 1,000 ft (324 m) high and about the same width, massive floating wind turbine array gets thumbs up. While ever bigger wind turbines of conventional design is being pursued by most, Norway’s Wind Catching Systems (WCS) has taken a different approach.
Italy's Renewables Growth: Electricity produced from renewable sources in Italy in the first six months of the year surpassed power generated from fossil fuels for the first time ever, reports Reuters. Italy plans to increase the electricity produced by renewables to 63 percent of the total by the end of this decade.
Solar Panel Recycling: Currently, the US recycles a mere ten percent of its solar panels. The rest go into landfill, even though they are packed with reusable materials. The good news is that industry pioneer SolarPanelRecycling.com has just opened a new, state-of-the-art solar panel recycling facility in Texas that can drastically move the dial.
Good News From SA: South Africa, which is the world's most carbon-intensive major economy, appears to be finally getting its act together about reducing emissions, having signed into law the Climate Change Bill which aims to enable it to meet its emissions reduction commitments under the Paris climate agreement.
That's it. You are up to date.
Today's Articles
The 'Flying Housewife': Fanny Blankers-Koen won 4 gold medals whilst pregnant at the 1948 Games and was named female athlete of the century in 1999.
Never-Before-Seen: Extraordinary collection of images just released by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory to celebrate its 25th birthday.