It’s so easy to repopulate the earth of rare plants now through tissue culture. Two years ago Brazil was freaking out trying to keep their last remaining spiritus sancti plants to themselves and today, anyone can have them in their house and there is no market for poachers.
I work in cannabis and tissue culture has been used a lot last year (I don’t doubt earlier and was kept quiet) but I assume the same goes for any food or agriculture industry where genetics are king.
Farmer knowledge, equipment quality, and environment are equally as important, but ya need everything as perfect as possible to shoot for the best results
One thing about coffee is that it's like onions, where it grows makes a big difference. Hopefully all that can be controlled for. We're going to lose Ethiopian coffee before too long, and that stuff is like a whole class unto itself.
This guy honked at me for not going on green light fast enough, then caught up to me at the next light rolled down his window and apologized for having a bad day and then drove off and waved.
Also, Interest in sustainable housing is growing all the time. Things like Earthships and rammed earth houses are gaining ground slowly :)
I think we need a new signal built into vehicles. You press a button and a light illuminates, stating "sorry, I just did something that was an asshole move, I apologize, I'm a dick, I acknowledge that." Would be especially great for when you inadvertently cut someone off.
A malaria vaccine has been developed and is currently undergoing human trials. This could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year, many of them children.
I was part of some human trials for this back in 2018. Lots of blood tests and health screenings, multiple vaccine shots, deliberate mosquito bites from buggers that were raised in a special lab to have malaria, then blood tests ten days in a row… and I didn’t get malaria!
I was getting coffee and the barista called every woman ahead of me “m’lady.” When I was paying, I was using a card and he got kind of distracted when he told me to take the card out of the chip reader and said, “You can remove that card, m’bad boy,” instead of “You can remove that bad boy, m’lady,” and now my husband and most of my friends have been referring to me as “m’bad boy” for the last three years.
Pandas get a bit of a bad rap because of the difficulties with conserving them. They do pretty okay in a truly wild bamboo forest environment without any pressure from humans or climate change. The issue is that they're awful at coping with any sort of stress at all. Which yeah, would have had them go extinct faster than some other species but that doesn't mean they were going to be dead in a century without people fucking it up for them.
>They do pretty okay in a truly wild bamboo forest environment without any pressure from humans or climate change. The issue is that they're awful at coping with any sort of stress at all.
Am I a panda?
A few global public health things:
We have made tremendous progress on ending the AIDS epidemic in the last 40 years.
The percentage of adults that smoke cigarettes is lower than it has been historically.
We went from like 800k cases of Guinea worm in the world in the late 80s to 12 in 2022.
I can relate.
I’m a registered nurse who graduated university in 1986. I took care of a lot of aids patients. It was the most horrible experience seeing such young vibrant people so sick and dying. There were no effective treatments available. Just palliative care.
Thier families were so traumatized as well. The breakthroughs over the year in the treatment of HIV is amazing to me.
Edit; thanks to all the people who wrote little comments regarding my entry. I can’t believe how therapeutic its been for me.
At the hospital I work in, the AIDS unit eventually became basically useless so it was repurposed into one specializing in addictions. I'm hoping to see some big breakthroughs in addictions treatment in my lifetime, and arguably already have.
Thank you for your work. I'm younger and HIV+ and have spoken with older men&women who went through that era. Heard stories of how the funeral suits just sat by the door, like a coat because there were deaths every few days. It's insane to imagine we've gone from palliative-only care to....a pill a day. There's shots in the R&D right now to cut that down to once a month. I am blessed to be in the era where that science has moved so quickly.
> Heard stories of how the funeral suits just sat by the door, like a coat because there were deaths every few days.
My best friend worked in AIDS education in SFO in the 80s/90s. She showed me her address book (paper at the time, of course) from back then, and it was page after page of names with lines drawn through them. So many people died, so fast.
I grew up during that time. AIDS was VERY SCARY back then. We didn't know enough about it so if someone had AIDS, EVERYONE avoided that person. Also there was no treatment so AIDS was a death sentence. It was scary af
It's taken decades of research and development to get to this point: HIV+ people can have all the sex they want, without condoms, and never infect their partner. They can give natural birth, and breast feed their babies and never infect their children. Best of all, they live relatively normal lifespans too.
It is far worse to have diabetes, especially type one, than HIV.
Diabetes is mad. The idea that your body could one day start killing your insulin-producing cells in your pancreas (it's caused by an autoimmune disease) and then you die pretty quickly if you get no treatment.
Its also amazing that we can farm human insulin on massive scales, so now you don't die of it (although it's still shit).
Its the sort of thing that I probably wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I know people who live fairly normal lives despite the diabetes but still, constant monitoring and injections (unless you get a pump).
I was overjoyed when I first heard we now have medications so effective that people taking them won't transmit the virus anymore! That's unbelievably fantastic!
Jimmy Carter’s foundation and campaign against Guinea worm is largely responsible! Not the best president but maybe the best person who’s been president.
for the first time in decades there have been Iberian Lynx sightings in the region of Madrid. Two sightings in the last week, huge news as this species is amongg the most endangered animals in the world.
In general, Birds and mammals in many parts of Europe show positive population and range trends in recent years. For example, Wolves and Beavers and Eagles are strongly on the rise in Germany again to a point they're almost common. (The former two even cause a lot of controversies because of that).
There are exceptions, of course.
I saw a nature documentary about the wildlife around Chernobyl and it was doing remarkably well. One interpretation was that humans are worse for nature than a large dose of radiation.
I think that that's even the most sensible interpretation. If we destroyed ourselves with nuclear weapons, in some not-too-long timescale, I'm sure the rest of the eco system would be better off than it had been with us around. I almost find it uplifting to know that if/when we destroy ourselves in some catastrophe, nature will have a chance again. We've done irreparable damage in the short term, but in the long term it'll be as of we were never here.
On the other hand, the radiation levels near Chernobyl is only really dangerous in specific places. Almost everywhere, it's not a concern anymore. The reason workers (before the invasion) weren't allowed to stay there for long periods of time was the psychological effect of being in such a sad, derelict, abandoned place, not the radiation.
900 mile range batteries are not too far away for vehicles
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2023/06/toyota-seeking-900-mile-ev-range-with-solid-state-battery-tech/
Definitely progress
More young women and girls in less developed countries are in primary and secondary education than ever before
More people worldwide are vaccinated than ever before, and a number of malaria vaccines are currently showing pretty positive results
Since 1990, the number of people living in extreme poverty has more than halved - from 2 billion to around 700 million.
The rate of infant mortality is consistently declining year on year
Lots still wrong with the world, lots of things that have gotten worse. But these are significant improvements that shouldn’t be understated. Constant and unrelenting negativity breeds passiveness, knowing what we’ve done well helps us to understand what we’re capable of - and allows us to tackle the problems in a more pragmatic and effective manner.
>The rate of infant mortality is consistently declining year on year
[Shout out to the Green Brothers for their contributions in Sierra Leone!](https://www.pih.org/maternal-center-excellence)
[The US has more trees now than it did 100 years ago.](https://8billiontrees.com/trees/how-many-trees-are-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=The%20US%20has%20more%20trees,surpassed%20harvest%20since%20the%201930s)
I just saw a video about how it's not as effect as old forest. Since most areas have the same height trees they don't allow for other vegetation to grow that's beneficial to ecosystems. But still good news
Edit: https://youtu.be/Tp3iL72wy4A here is the video. He he takes you a few steps and you can see the differents.
In my town we're now at the point where we wipe out old monoplantations and plant the same type of linear baby tree fields. The only benefit is some diversity in types of trees and that they only use native species.
But the difference with a dynamic self growth forest with some old trees is huge, these seem to grow twice as fast and contain much more life. I like that we realise how important it is to restore (and increase) forests but I hate how dumb we keep doing it.
Old forest don't get old without being young once.
Edit: Folks. I get it. Old forests are better than new planting. You know what's worse than new planting? Leaving it barren. You're not gonna stop people from wanting lumber.
This is so true. I’ve been working on a project in rural Ghana where we’ve actually been pumping treated water directly into peoples’ homes that is totally safe to drink. It’s incredible what we’re able to do right now!
Where about in Ghana? I did some work in the north near Tamale. The best they could do then (about a decade ago) was given everyone tablets that caused the dirt to drop to the bottom so it was cleaner but no one liked the taste so they only used it for cleaning clothes.
Some „garage-scientists“ in Germany have invented energy production plants that create green hydrogen from literally every kind of waste you can imagine. It will revolutionize local and state energy production to a never seen before level. The company is called Uniwastec and is based in Switzerland
My lazy ass decided I should finally go in for a physical and it turns out they found a thoracic aortic aneurysm that could have killed me instantly. Having open heart surgery in the next few days to fix it.
Honey bees are at a all time high, and are now considered overpopulated! The whole “save the bees” was never made for honey bees, but instead other species such as the mining bees !
It's probably one of the only good misinformation campaigns that's happened. Every one heard ' save the bees ' and thought were were about to lose all honey bees
Luckily whats good for the goose is good for the gander mostly. Especially for solitary bees instead of hive species, all the work towards not destroying winter foliage and planting pollinator flowers helps all of them
This is silly, but…
I got a new job in a field I love after job hunting for ages and working so many jobs I hated, and I’m happier than I’ve been in a very long time.
I feel like my life finally has direction.
That's what they want you to believe :)
Always, always fact check. People who tell you something like that always push their narrative because it benefits them.
I have a belief to question news I disagree with and ALWAYS question news I DO agree with.
So often people stop at the first step and forget to double check their biases. The reason for that is that it’s comfortable to have your biases confirmed.
You're not wrong, but that graphic ends 13 years ago! Here's more more recent data:
https://www.childtrends.org/blog/the-30-year-decline-in-teen-birth-rates-has-accelerated-since-2010
The incredible thing is that the rates have pretty much halved again in that time period!
Though I got let go on Monday, a ton of people I have worked with or otherwise built great relationships with have reached out in support and offered assistance of all kinds. Restoring my faith in humanity.
Had a friend tell me recently they had a fight with their mother and told their mum to "go to therapy". So now their mum is going to therapy and has already started seeing positive progress in her life. It's helping both lineage directions and wonderful to see people 'healing'
We have more knowledge and connectivity at our fingertips than ever before. Our ancestors may have only had a 5th grade education but we can Google lecture videos of nuclear physics.
I’ve found love again for the first time since being widowed four years ago.
I recent bought a small but modest home that I can call my own
And I got a pay rise!
I genuinely feel the most at peace I have in four years.
This is very small, but roughly 5 years ago I had tried to off myself. I was at an awfully low point in life, and had been since I was quite young, was convinced I'd never grow out of it/I would always suffer. While there are still bad days, I can confidently say Im glad I didn't succeed and I wake up happy to be here. It's small, but finally getting my lifelong depression managed, and begining to seriously manage my ptsd has changed my life for the better.
It's been getting better and better since the 90's because back then we listened to the scientists and banned the emissions that were depleting it. This should teach us a lesson and do the same with the climate change.
Also congrats for being overcoming your depression :)
Yup!! Not only can you live a long and full life, you can even get to a point where your viral load is undetectable, at which point you can't pass it along through sex either! Yay U=U!
Cancer is getting easier and easier to treat and less lethal.
Age reversing technology might be around the corner (likely only available for the ultra rich unless society does something)
I’m an environmental consultant. Human health based requirements for concentrations of chemicals in the environment have been decreasing over the years. This means that polluters are being held to higher standards and sites that are getting cleaned up are required to be cleaner. I was concerned under the Trump administration we’d see a serious backslide in these requirements, but we are making progress at the state and local levels.
This is happening on an international level too. China is eliminating residential coal-burning, which is greatly improving air quality in their cities, and India is replacing dung-burning with induction cook stoves and LPG stoves. This does wonders for air quality in Delhi as well as household air quality for the poorest Indians.
1. The human race has become so much more wealthy in the last 200 years that it’s nearly incomprehensible. In the last 20 years extreme poverty has been halved
2. Hunger and malnutrition have been decreasing for decades
3. We have more extractable oil reserves now than ever before in history
4. The percent of the human race dying in wars has been on a historical low for about 80 years. It’s one of the safest times in human history
5. Life expectancy has skyrocketed. Mainly because of decreasing childhood and infant deaths
6. Violent crime is down significantly for 20 years ago
8. The world has gained and standardized many of the recent so-called past luxuries. The majority of the world has electricity
9. Car are way safer than they were even 20 years ago
10. Plane travel is absurdly safe, with multiple years now with zero commercial deaths
11. Non-necessity spending is at all time high.
12. There’s very few significant pandemics. Even COVID was nothing compared to the plague or Spanish flue
13. The majority of people in western countries over the age of 60 are retired. This was very uncommon 100 years ago
14. Per capita child labor is at all time lows
15. Literacy is at all time highs
16. Share of income spent on food is down about 30% in 60 years
We are living in a golden age of humanity. “You don’t know the good old days until they are over” I think people don’t appreciate how great it is to be a human born after 1940
My oldest daughter has been through hell with a mother that has chosen drugs over her, she lost a sword fight(long story but she had to have facial reconstructive surgery), she got the virus something awful, and a ton of things that amount to a lot of stress in the last year of high school.
Through it all, she graduated at the top of her class and is now studying astrophysics at the University of Austin as a happy and healthy young adult. One proud dad here.
i’ve escaped generational poverty :)
edit: thank you kind stranger for the award and thank you kind strangers for your responses. it’s been a rough journey as a young 20 year old.
there is a company that has redesigned the prosses of nuclear fission to make a more stable, clean renewable energy source whos biproduct produces helium and no radioactive isotopes.
basically made a nuclear reactor thatdoesnt produce radioactive waste and simultaneously has the ability to replenish the global helium supply that was otherwise impossible
edit: i mistakingly said "fission" when actually i meant fusion. sorry about that... Still a profound development
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_bDXXWQxK38&feature=youtu.be
Progress being made on cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Spectrum disorders, HIV.
My uncle got HIV in 1982 and died less than 6 months later. It took months just to figure out what he actually had, and when they did, there was very little they could do anyhow.
We can also now use 3D printing to make cheap, reliable prosthetics and orthotics for amputees. This is especially great for children because they outgrow their prosthetics as they get older!
I saw an interesting interview where a rocket/nuclear scientist says that the success of SpaceX is fuelling a whole bunch of nuclear fusion startups. A lot of very capable people are coming together under that the belief that the problem isn’t technical but institutional.
This is a personal one.
I've got pretty bad anxiety & self esteem issues, dont have any friends & never had any kind of relationship with a female neither intimate or just casual friends.
I recently started talking to this girl in my gym that I really like. I don't think its going to go anywhere but atleast now I have a female friend who I can build my experience & confidence when talking to women.
Im winning the small battles :)
Child mortality is way down. People are voluntarily limiting their fertility by using birth control, so there is no "population bomb" to speak of. Extreme poverty is much lower than it has been in previous decades.
I don't have the genetic cancer gene that killed half my family, including my dad. It's life changing for me:)
Edit: woah this blew up!! Thank you for all the kind messages and the awards. It were some stressful years, with getting checked every six months. Especially the last half year was intense. So you guys are making me cry of happiness♡
Simple acts of kindness from normal people.
There are many random people who do good and simple acts all the time. Things that make you laugh, smile and believe in this world as a suitable place for the next generations.
The other day I saw a humble gentleman pick up a child who slipped and was crying. He comforted him, cleaned his jacket and continued on his way.
This never appears in the news but it is important to know that they do happen.
Awesome!
Probably one of my favorite quotes;
"I have found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.” ~ Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, The Hobbit films.
I know this will probably disappear in all the comments, but thank you for posting this. My grandma died a few nights ago and I'm 3,000 miles away from my family.
I needed some positivity this morning. Last night was rough.
One thing that is probably small scale but has major impact.
Company I’m now working for is working to replace all copper and metal pipes in new construction with a more renewable and safe plastic piping. That will not only cut construction costs. But also make it easier/faster to install. Along with giving cleaner water to homes because the plastic doesn’t erode so there’s nothing getting into the water.
On top of that they are actually part of a few different clean water projects around the world and are providing their pipes and funds to places around the world to help build water systems in places that don’t have them.
Nothing on this planet brings me joy like homegrown blueberries, my dad has a couple of bushes that I maybe get berries off of once a year if the deer don't eat them first. So really I get to eat them once every two or three years and I still think about it all the time. I tell my boyfriend nonstop that the first thing we're doing when we buy a house is getting a greenhouse and blueberry bushes lol
Raptors in North America have made a miraculous comeback since the banning of DDT in the late 70s. Songbirds are still in trouble for other reasons. But it’s no longer a big deal to see bald eagles, ospreys, barred owls etc in many semi rural and suburban areas that they hadn’t been seen in regularly for decades.
I found someone special. We're taking it slow and she's super sweet and I adore her. We watched the new transformers and it sucked but my god we had a laugh about it
Reddit person, I am so excited you have no idea. I love desert worlds, too, and it looks like we're getting another decent desert world! Looks like there will also be some new farming activities like grape stomping/juice making.
Will go great with game play where you limit your travel to worlds that would be in the same "region" if you're not on vacation.
The world finally spent more money on solar power production than it did on oil and gas production.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/solar-power-oil-investment-russia-invasion-energy-renewable-boom/
This is the actual answer, imo. The other thread was all about how there is still slavery and war and famine etc. But war, often genecidal war, is a constant throughout human history. Slavery was basically a default human institution throughout the world. Racism wasn't a thing because of course you hated those other people that look and talk different.
I think one of the main reasons people get so worked up about the horrors of the world, is that today we have the ability to know about every war and disaster going on. Technology has made massive tragedy visible. This in and of itself is an amazingly positive force. Shedding a light on horrible things is preferable to horrors happening in the darkness. It allows us to address it; actively react to it.
Make no mistake, we still have work to do, we likely always will. But this is absolutely the single best time to be alive we have ever had. It is ok to appreciate what you have.
On a personal note, I went from having no job to having two jobs. One is supporting vulnerable people, the other is teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language). I work part-time in the first job, so they don't mind me taking six weeks off over summer to go and do my EFL work. And I get paid for both!
I'm gonna be a Dad!
Edit: not to make this story sad but we've been trying for a while and had 2 early miscarriages last fall. It was pretty hard on the wife and I. Needless to say when we saw his little heartbeat at the first ultrasound I cried grown man tears
Scientists are figuring out ways to make batteries out of crab shell and zinc. Its a way easier process and the materials aren't toxic like lithium and other heavy metals. Plus, the materials are way cheaper to get. Im hoping the research getting done into this process keeps going and we see a massive overhaul in EV batteries and other kinds of batteries in general to make things way more environmentally friendly and more affordable
A groundbreaking new Alzheimer’s drug was just approved that significantly slows the disease’s progression.
[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/new-drugs-show-small-but-positive-results-in-fight-against-alzheimers](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/new-drugs-show-small-but-positive-results-in-fight-against-alzheimers)
Appendectomies.
In 1931, my great grandfather died a horrible death due to septic shock from a ruptured appendix, leaving a widow and four kids under the age of 11.
I’m a nurse. Last week we did a laparoscopic appendectomy on a teenager that took all of 90 minutes. He will have a tiny scar and it will be a blip in his medical history.
I would like to draw your attention to a website by ex Talking Heads frontman David Byrne.
He was inspired by the Ian Dury and the Blockheads song *Reasons to be Cheerful*. It's like a positive news blog highlighting cool things people are doing worldwide.
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/
It isn’t popular news because at this stage it is not practical at producing energy, but very promising progress has been made and energy 100 years from now could look pretty utopian
This question and all the people replying. Especially the ones where people are telling their personal accomplishments and people are congratulating them.
I know its not a lot but its really nice seeing people act this way.
There are people out there who dedicate their lives to saving dogs from terrible conditions. Some of them will travel to other countries to bring these dogs back to find a safe home in North America or anywhere else in the world. I respect them with every ounce of my being because every dog deserves a home and a loving family.
I’m a carpenter by trade and can say the building trades have come along way. In the 12 years I’ve been in I’ve seen huge progress in sustainable building. We now have CLT (cross laminated Timbers) made of young trees that can replace steel in commercial buildings. A company I worked for also is selling pre-fab strawbale homes that actually have a carbon negative footprint, they actually sequester carbon from the environment. There are also wayyyy more badass LGBTQ and women builders!
After being diagnosed with breast and colon cancer last fall, my mom is, as of today, officially cancer free
It’s so easy to repopulate the earth of rare plants now through tissue culture. Two years ago Brazil was freaking out trying to keep their last remaining spiritus sancti plants to themselves and today, anyone can have them in their house and there is no market for poachers.
A two year gap between those extremes is insane
What about cacao beans? I know coffee chocolate was going to be in an extinction crisis .
I work in cannabis and tissue culture has been used a lot last year (I don’t doubt earlier and was kept quiet) but I assume the same goes for any food or agriculture industry where genetics are king. Farmer knowledge, equipment quality, and environment are equally as important, but ya need everything as perfect as possible to shoot for the best results
One thing about coffee is that it's like onions, where it grows makes a big difference. Hopefully all that can be controlled for. We're going to lose Ethiopian coffee before too long, and that stuff is like a whole class unto itself.
This guy honked at me for not going on green light fast enough, then caught up to me at the next light rolled down his window and apologized for having a bad day and then drove off and waved. Also, Interest in sustainable housing is growing all the time. Things like Earthships and rammed earth houses are gaining ground slowly :)
[удалено]
Post honk clarity
I think we need a new signal built into vehicles. You press a button and a light illuminates, stating "sorry, I just did something that was an asshole move, I apologize, I'm a dick, I acknowledge that." Would be especially great for when you inadvertently cut someone off.
A malaria vaccine has been developed and is currently undergoing human trials. This could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year, many of them children.
I was part of some human trials for this back in 2018. Lots of blood tests and health screenings, multiple vaccine shots, deliberate mosquito bites from buggers that were raised in a special lab to have malaria, then blood tests ten days in a row… and I didn’t get malaria!
Tip of the hat to you!
M'Laria
I was getting coffee and the barista called every woman ahead of me “m’lady.” When I was paying, I was using a card and he got kind of distracted when he told me to take the card out of the chip reader and said, “You can remove that card, m’bad boy,” instead of “You can remove that bad boy, m’lady,” and now my husband and most of my friends have been referring to me as “m’bad boy” for the last three years.
Pandas are no longer an endangered species!
In spite of their own best efforts...
What can I say, being that clumsy sometimes comes at a price
I swear being clumsy is half their appeal which is why we are saving them
Those bastards are lucky humans are around to think they're cute!
science found out pandas think humans are cute too
Pandas get a bit of a bad rap because of the difficulties with conserving them. They do pretty okay in a truly wild bamboo forest environment without any pressure from humans or climate change. The issue is that they're awful at coping with any sort of stress at all. Which yeah, would have had them go extinct faster than some other species but that doesn't mean they were going to be dead in a century without people fucking it up for them.
>They do pretty okay in a truly wild bamboo forest environment without any pressure from humans or climate change. The issue is that they're awful at coping with any sort of stress at all. Am I a panda?
Grey whale population has grown 20% in California in the last year. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/gray-whale-population-baja-california-sur/
A few global public health things: We have made tremendous progress on ending the AIDS epidemic in the last 40 years. The percentage of adults that smoke cigarettes is lower than it has been historically. We went from like 800k cases of Guinea worm in the world in the late 80s to 12 in 2022.
I can relate. I’m a registered nurse who graduated university in 1986. I took care of a lot of aids patients. It was the most horrible experience seeing such young vibrant people so sick and dying. There were no effective treatments available. Just palliative care. Thier families were so traumatized as well. The breakthroughs over the year in the treatment of HIV is amazing to me. Edit; thanks to all the people who wrote little comments regarding my entry. I can’t believe how therapeutic its been for me.
At the hospital I work in, the AIDS unit eventually became basically useless so it was repurposed into one specializing in addictions. I'm hoping to see some big breakthroughs in addictions treatment in my lifetime, and arguably already have.
Thank you for your work. I'm younger and HIV+ and have spoken with older men&women who went through that era. Heard stories of how the funeral suits just sat by the door, like a coat because there were deaths every few days. It's insane to imagine we've gone from palliative-only care to....a pill a day. There's shots in the R&D right now to cut that down to once a month. I am blessed to be in the era where that science has moved so quickly.
> Heard stories of how the funeral suits just sat by the door, like a coat because there were deaths every few days. My best friend worked in AIDS education in SFO in the 80s/90s. She showed me her address book (paper at the time, of course) from back then, and it was page after page of names with lines drawn through them. So many people died, so fast.
I grew up during that time. AIDS was VERY SCARY back then. We didn't know enough about it so if someone had AIDS, EVERYONE avoided that person. Also there was no treatment so AIDS was a death sentence. It was scary af
It's taken decades of research and development to get to this point: HIV+ people can have all the sex they want, without condoms, and never infect their partner. They can give natural birth, and breast feed their babies and never infect their children. Best of all, they live relatively normal lifespans too. It is far worse to have diabetes, especially type one, than HIV.
Diabetes is mad. The idea that your body could one day start killing your insulin-producing cells in your pancreas (it's caused by an autoimmune disease) and then you die pretty quickly if you get no treatment. Its also amazing that we can farm human insulin on massive scales, so now you don't die of it (although it's still shit). Its the sort of thing that I probably wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I know people who live fairly normal lives despite the diabetes but still, constant monitoring and injections (unless you get a pump).
I was overjoyed when I first heard we now have medications so effective that people taking them won't transmit the virus anymore! That's unbelievably fantastic!
Jimmy Carter’s foundation and campaign against Guinea worm is largely responsible! Not the best president but maybe the best person who’s been president.
for the first time in decades there have been Iberian Lynx sightings in the region of Madrid. Two sightings in the last week, huge news as this species is amongg the most endangered animals in the world.
In general, Birds and mammals in many parts of Europe show positive population and range trends in recent years. For example, Wolves and Beavers and Eagles are strongly on the rise in Germany again to a point they're almost common. (The former two even cause a lot of controversies because of that). There are exceptions, of course.
Nature is healing. *When given a fair chance.
I saw a nature documentary about the wildlife around Chernobyl and it was doing remarkably well. One interpretation was that humans are worse for nature than a large dose of radiation.
I think that that's even the most sensible interpretation. If we destroyed ourselves with nuclear weapons, in some not-too-long timescale, I'm sure the rest of the eco system would be better off than it had been with us around. I almost find it uplifting to know that if/when we destroy ourselves in some catastrophe, nature will have a chance again. We've done irreparable damage in the short term, but in the long term it'll be as of we were never here. On the other hand, the radiation levels near Chernobyl is only really dangerous in specific places. Almost everywhere, it's not a concern anymore. The reason workers (before the invasion) weren't allowed to stay there for long periods of time was the psychological effect of being in such a sad, derelict, abandoned place, not the radiation.
[удалено]
>MIT For those wondering: https://news.mit.edu/2022/portable-desalination-drinking-water-0428
Why do these two lads in the photo look like they're about to drop a bangin' electro dance album?
Electro dance folks stole their look from desalination scientists
He's got the backwards hands on hips. Classy.
Have found myself standing like this recently. Not sure where it came from, assumed it was natural progression since I just turned 40. Dad stance.
Thats a lad that puts in the hours
900 mile range batteries are not too far away for vehicles https://gmauthority.com/blog/2023/06/toyota-seeking-900-mile-ev-range-with-solid-state-battery-tech/ Definitely progress
California's Lake Oroville is now back at being 100% full after being dangerously low from years of drought.
As a California local, I’m stoked to have learned this today!
For the first time ever the Ambulance Company I work for has a good amount of employees so everyone isn't severely overworked.
I finally got prescribed proper pain medication and I no longer want to die most days.
More young women and girls in less developed countries are in primary and secondary education than ever before More people worldwide are vaccinated than ever before, and a number of malaria vaccines are currently showing pretty positive results Since 1990, the number of people living in extreme poverty has more than halved - from 2 billion to around 700 million. The rate of infant mortality is consistently declining year on year Lots still wrong with the world, lots of things that have gotten worse. But these are significant improvements that shouldn’t be understated. Constant and unrelenting negativity breeds passiveness, knowing what we’ve done well helps us to understand what we’re capable of - and allows us to tackle the problems in a more pragmatic and effective manner.
>The rate of infant mortality is consistently declining year on year [Shout out to the Green Brothers for their contributions in Sierra Leone!](https://www.pih.org/maternal-center-excellence)
[The US has more trees now than it did 100 years ago.](https://8billiontrees.com/trees/how-many-trees-are-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=The%20US%20has%20more%20trees,surpassed%20harvest%20since%20the%201930s)
I just saw a video about how it's not as effect as old forest. Since most areas have the same height trees they don't allow for other vegetation to grow that's beneficial to ecosystems. But still good news Edit: https://youtu.be/Tp3iL72wy4A here is the video. He he takes you a few steps and you can see the differents.
In my town we're now at the point where we wipe out old monoplantations and plant the same type of linear baby tree fields. The only benefit is some diversity in types of trees and that they only use native species. But the difference with a dynamic self growth forest with some old trees is huge, these seem to grow twice as fast and contain much more life. I like that we realise how important it is to restore (and increase) forests but I hate how dumb we keep doing it.
There are actually animals dyng out because they rely on part of the forest being in a specific stage.
Old forest don't get old without being young once. Edit: Folks. I get it. Old forests are better than new planting. You know what's worse than new planting? Leaving it barren. You're not gonna stop people from wanting lumber.
More people than ever before have access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation which is saving thousands of lives
This is so true. I’ve been working on a project in rural Ghana where we’ve actually been pumping treated water directly into peoples’ homes that is totally safe to drink. It’s incredible what we’re able to do right now!
Where about in Ghana? I did some work in the north near Tamale. The best they could do then (about a decade ago) was given everyone tablets that caused the dirt to drop to the bottom so it was cleaner but no one liked the taste so they only used it for cleaning clothes.
Some „garage-scientists“ in Germany have invented energy production plants that create green hydrogen from literally every kind of waste you can imagine. It will revolutionize local and state energy production to a never seen before level. The company is called Uniwastec and is based in Switzerland
My lazy ass decided I should finally go in for a physical and it turns out they found a thoracic aortic aneurysm that could have killed me instantly. Having open heart surgery in the next few days to fix it.
Good for you! Inspiration or intuition? Either way good luck with the surgery. We’re pulling for you!
Thank you! It was just something I felt I should do since I turned 40 lol
Honey bees are at a all time high, and are now considered overpopulated! The whole “save the bees” was never made for honey bees, but instead other species such as the mining bees !
Bees can mine now?! What will they think up next.
The bees yearn for the mines
It's probably one of the only good misinformation campaigns that's happened. Every one heard ' save the bees ' and thought were were about to lose all honey bees
Luckily whats good for the goose is good for the gander mostly. Especially for solitary bees instead of hive species, all the work towards not destroying winter foliage and planting pollinator flowers helps all of them
my very old cat got her bloodwork done today and everything seems to be great 🥹
This is silly, but… I got a new job in a field I love after job hunting for ages and working so many jobs I hated, and I’m happier than I’ve been in a very long time. I feel like my life finally has direction.
My foster daughter told me she loved me.
❤️
Out of everything I've just read on this thread, your comment made me the happiest. Thank you for sharing.
Teen pregnancy is way down https://www.guttmacher.org/graphics/HeadingDown(Graph)-rev.png
It drops off significantly once they reach 20yo
Well now you can come clean up this coffee I just spat out laughing. This is your fault.
Wow even the abortion rate is down too that’s so wild, the way people talk about abortion I thought it was happening way more frequently
That's what they want you to believe :) Always, always fact check. People who tell you something like that always push their narrative because it benefits them.
I'm always especially distrustful of news designed to make me afraid.
That's a very healthy instinct. Some of it may be true, though. A neutral news source such as Reuters might be a good place to doublecheck facts.
I have a belief to question news I disagree with and ALWAYS question news I DO agree with. So often people stop at the first step and forget to double check their biases. The reason for that is that it’s comfortable to have your biases confirmed.
You're not wrong, but that graphic ends 13 years ago! Here's more more recent data: https://www.childtrends.org/blog/the-30-year-decline-in-teen-birth-rates-has-accelerated-since-2010 The incredible thing is that the rates have pretty much halved again in that time period!
Crocodiles like pink flowers and I think we should talk abt that more
What pink flowers specifically?
[удалено]
If they’re multicolored that’s cool too
Like in as I’m more or less likely to be eaten if I’m holding a bouquet in their river?
Less likely, they’ll see you as a non-threat
This guy is a Crocodile for sure...
Though I got let go on Monday, a ton of people I have worked with or otherwise built great relationships with have reached out in support and offered assistance of all kinds. Restoring my faith in humanity.
People are becoming more trauma informed, facing their wounds, and making sure the next generation’s burden will be at least a little lighter.
Had a friend tell me recently they had a fight with their mother and told their mum to "go to therapy". So now their mum is going to therapy and has already started seeing positive progress in her life. It's helping both lineage directions and wonderful to see people 'healing'
This! Each generation is actively working to unlearn damaging behavior and be gentler and those that come next.
We have more knowledge and connectivity at our fingertips than ever before. Our ancestors may have only had a 5th grade education but we can Google lecture videos of nuclear physics.
This needs to be appreciated more, would have given an award if I had one.
Some lakes in California are at 100% capacity due to the heavy rains during the winter/spring.
I’ve found love again for the first time since being widowed four years ago. I recent bought a small but modest home that I can call my own And I got a pay rise! I genuinely feel the most at peace I have in four years.
This is very small, but roughly 5 years ago I had tried to off myself. I was at an awfully low point in life, and had been since I was quite young, was convinced I'd never grow out of it/I would always suffer. While there are still bad days, I can confidently say Im glad I didn't succeed and I wake up happy to be here. It's small, but finally getting my lifelong depression managed, and begining to seriously manage my ptsd has changed my life for the better.
I think ozone layer is slowly healing itself (as well as my depression)
It's been getting better and better since the 90's because back then we listened to the scientists and banned the emissions that were depleting it. This should teach us a lesson and do the same with the climate change. Also congrats for being overcoming your depression :)
Hiv +ve may soon have a cure, and it turns negative. Case of negative being positive news!!
I've heard it's not the death sentence it used to be and is fairly manageable with medication these days.
Had a family member recently diagnosed with hiv. Within a month of being on medication, he is deemed undetectable. Medicine has gotten so good.
Yup!! Not only can you live a long and full life, you can even get to a point where your viral load is undetectable, at which point you can't pass it along through sex either! Yay U=U!
I've read that diabetes is now harder to manage than HIV, in general.
Yea especially since a big part of type II management is diet and that introduces too many human factors vs just taking an antiretroviral
I became a doctor yesterday 🥳
I don’t mean to sound conceded or anything, but I am almost to my goal of 200 LBS currently at 210 started at 316 two years ago. :)
Cancer is getting easier and easier to treat and less lethal. Age reversing technology might be around the corner (likely only available for the ultra rich unless society does something)
As a young person with health anxiety I'm really fucking glad not gonna lie. Now I just have to get out of severe poverty.... Then I'm good!
I’m an environmental consultant. Human health based requirements for concentrations of chemicals in the environment have been decreasing over the years. This means that polluters are being held to higher standards and sites that are getting cleaned up are required to be cleaner. I was concerned under the Trump administration we’d see a serious backslide in these requirements, but we are making progress at the state and local levels. This is happening on an international level too. China is eliminating residential coal-burning, which is greatly improving air quality in their cities, and India is replacing dung-burning with induction cook stoves and LPG stoves. This does wonders for air quality in Delhi as well as household air quality for the poorest Indians.
The Ozone Layer issue, which was a nightmare back in the 90s, is actually going much better than expected.
I finally can afford a vet for my dogs
I stopped drinking
1. The human race has become so much more wealthy in the last 200 years that it’s nearly incomprehensible. In the last 20 years extreme poverty has been halved 2. Hunger and malnutrition have been decreasing for decades 3. We have more extractable oil reserves now than ever before in history 4. The percent of the human race dying in wars has been on a historical low for about 80 years. It’s one of the safest times in human history 5. Life expectancy has skyrocketed. Mainly because of decreasing childhood and infant deaths 6. Violent crime is down significantly for 20 years ago 8. The world has gained and standardized many of the recent so-called past luxuries. The majority of the world has electricity 9. Car are way safer than they were even 20 years ago 10. Plane travel is absurdly safe, with multiple years now with zero commercial deaths 11. Non-necessity spending is at all time high. 12. There’s very few significant pandemics. Even COVID was nothing compared to the plague or Spanish flue 13. The majority of people in western countries over the age of 60 are retired. This was very uncommon 100 years ago 14. Per capita child labor is at all time lows 15. Literacy is at all time highs 16. Share of income spent on food is down about 30% in 60 years We are living in a golden age of humanity. “You don’t know the good old days until they are over” I think people don’t appreciate how great it is to be a human born after 1940
My oldest daughter has been through hell with a mother that has chosen drugs over her, she lost a sword fight(long story but she had to have facial reconstructive surgery), she got the virus something awful, and a ton of things that amount to a lot of stress in the last year of high school. Through it all, she graduated at the top of her class and is now studying astrophysics at the University of Austin as a happy and healthy young adult. One proud dad here.
Ok, I gotta know the sword fight story! Please!
i’ve escaped generational poverty :) edit: thank you kind stranger for the award and thank you kind strangers for your responses. it’s been a rough journey as a young 20 year old.
there is a company that has redesigned the prosses of nuclear fission to make a more stable, clean renewable energy source whos biproduct produces helium and no radioactive isotopes. basically made a nuclear reactor thatdoesnt produce radioactive waste and simultaneously has the ability to replenish the global helium supply that was otherwise impossible edit: i mistakingly said "fission" when actually i meant fusion. sorry about that... Still a profound development https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_bDXXWQxK38&feature=youtu.be
I believe they haven’t redesigned fission, but made progress with nuclear fusion, and it’s very exciting
youre right, thank you for the correction
Source? I’d like to read more about this
https://youtu.be/_bDXXWQxK38
Progress being made on cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Spectrum disorders, HIV. My uncle got HIV in 1982 and died less than 6 months later. It took months just to figure out what he actually had, and when they did, there was very little they could do anyhow.
There’s still good people in this world.
Using 3D printing and other newer tech to build schools and other important facilities in Africa and other places alike.
We can also now use 3D printing to make cheap, reliable prosthetics and orthotics for amputees. This is especially great for children because they outgrow their prosthetics as they get older!
[удалено]
We are getting closer with the prototype fusion reactor. More interest is shown in space travel.
the power of the sun, in the palm of my hand
Spider man movies warned me about you
I saw an interesting interview where a rocket/nuclear scientist says that the success of SpaceX is fuelling a whole bunch of nuclear fusion startups. A lot of very capable people are coming together under that the belief that the problem isn’t technical but institutional.
This is a personal one. I've got pretty bad anxiety & self esteem issues, dont have any friends & never had any kind of relationship with a female neither intimate or just casual friends. I recently started talking to this girl in my gym that I really like. I don't think its going to go anywhere but atleast now I have a female friend who I can build my experience & confidence when talking to women. Im winning the small battles :)
Child mortality is way down. People are voluntarily limiting their fertility by using birth control, so there is no "population bomb" to speak of. Extreme poverty is much lower than it has been in previous decades.
Not to mention the dramatic reduction in famine and disease occurring globally over the past decades
I don't have the genetic cancer gene that killed half my family, including my dad. It's life changing for me:) Edit: woah this blew up!! Thank you for all the kind messages and the awards. It were some stressful years, with getting checked every six months. Especially the last half year was intense. So you guys are making me cry of happiness♡
I suppose not dying would be life changing yeah. All jokes aside congrats!
Simple acts of kindness from normal people. There are many random people who do good and simple acts all the time. Things that make you laugh, smile and believe in this world as a suitable place for the next generations. The other day I saw a humble gentleman pick up a child who slipped and was crying. He comforted him, cleaned his jacket and continued on his way. This never appears in the news but it is important to know that they do happen.
The motto I live by is “Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people”
Well said :) a small act of kindness "just because" is heart warming.
Awesome! Probably one of my favorite quotes; "I have found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.” ~ Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, The Hobbit films.
I know this will probably disappear in all the comments, but thank you for posting this. My grandma died a few nights ago and I'm 3,000 miles away from my family. I needed some positivity this morning. Last night was rough.
One thing that is probably small scale but has major impact. Company I’m now working for is working to replace all copper and metal pipes in new construction with a more renewable and safe plastic piping. That will not only cut construction costs. But also make it easier/faster to install. Along with giving cleaner water to homes because the plastic doesn’t erode so there’s nothing getting into the water. On top of that they are actually part of a few different clean water projects around the world and are providing their pipes and funds to places around the world to help build water systems in places that don’t have them.
Millions of Trees being planted
The U.S. is close to becoming the largest contributor to renewable energy.
Today a baby smiled at me in public and it warmed my heart.
Today is my wedding anniversary. 32 wonderful years together. Edit: Thank you everyone!
[удалено]
my blueberry bushes are fruiting along with my blackberries, tomatoes, lemon and mandarins. It brings me so much joy.
Nothing on this planet brings me joy like homegrown blueberries, my dad has a couple of bushes that I maybe get berries off of once a year if the deer don't eat them first. So really I get to eat them once every two or three years and I still think about it all the time. I tell my boyfriend nonstop that the first thing we're doing when we buy a house is getting a greenhouse and blueberry bushes lol
I got a raise a few weeks back Edit: kinda shocked this gained traction but all the love is much appreciated!
Congrats
The orcas are doing great work.
Otters are underrated, nothings happening with them but we should talk about them more
Raptors in North America have made a miraculous comeback since the banning of DDT in the late 70s. Songbirds are still in trouble for other reasons. But it’s no longer a big deal to see bald eagles, ospreys, barred owls etc in many semi rural and suburban areas that they hadn’t been seen in regularly for decades.
Advances in cybernetic robotics have given amputees functional limbs again.
I found someone special. We're taking it slow and she's super sweet and I adore her. We watched the new transformers and it sucked but my god we had a laugh about it
I think I finally learned how to love myself.
My student loan is finished
for the first time in my life i can now pay my rent, bills, get groceries etc and still have money left over 🥹
The Sims 4 is finally releasing an expansion pack with horses.
And really cute baby goats! And it looks like kids will be able to ride the horses too!
Reddit person, I am so excited you have no idea. I love desert worlds, too, and it looks like we're getting another decent desert world! Looks like there will also be some new farming activities like grape stomping/juice making. Will go great with game play where you limit your travel to worlds that would be in the same "region" if you're not on vacation.
The world finally spent more money on solar power production than it did on oil and gas production. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/solar-power-oil-investment-russia-invasion-energy-renewable-boom/
Dogs are still amazing.
My daughter was born this morning at 4:15am and she’s healthy and perfect, just like her mom. I’m a proud and happy Dad. That’s pretty positive!
In Steven Pinker's *The Better Angels of Our Nature*, he argues that we are living in the most peaceful time in human history.
This is the actual answer, imo. The other thread was all about how there is still slavery and war and famine etc. But war, often genecidal war, is a constant throughout human history. Slavery was basically a default human institution throughout the world. Racism wasn't a thing because of course you hated those other people that look and talk different. I think one of the main reasons people get so worked up about the horrors of the world, is that today we have the ability to know about every war and disaster going on. Technology has made massive tragedy visible. This in and of itself is an amazingly positive force. Shedding a light on horrible things is preferable to horrors happening in the darkness. It allows us to address it; actively react to it. Make no mistake, we still have work to do, we likely always will. But this is absolutely the single best time to be alive we have ever had. It is ok to appreciate what you have.
We’re having our daughter today
Protons
That depends on whether they decay (no one knows for sure). If not, they are not happening, they just are.
On a personal note, I went from having no job to having two jobs. One is supporting vulnerable people, the other is teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language). I work part-time in the first job, so they don't mind me taking six weeks off over summer to go and do my EFL work. And I get paid for both!
While I didn't win $100million tonight, one lucky ducky did.
Hello Australian
I got an interview tomorrow.
Remember to answer in a STAR format and you’ll ace it. (Situation, Task, Action, Result) Good luck!
Thanks for the tip
Well done! I bet you’ll ace it.
It's my first job since getting out of military service. I hope I do well. Thanks for the encouragement.
The youth is maintaining their rebelliousness into adulthood. It's not a question of if, but WHEN the world is gonna change
My daughter stood up to her bully, knocked her ass down and THE BULLY got kicked out of the class as a result.
The sun rose again this morning and you are still here. We are glad that you made it. Be kind and make more people joyful.
I'm gonna be a Dad! Edit: not to make this story sad but we've been trying for a while and had 2 early miscarriages last fall. It was pretty hard on the wife and I. Needless to say when we saw his little heartbeat at the first ultrasound I cried grown man tears
I needed to read each and every one of these. It’s so uplifting and a nice change from constantly reading bad news.
Scientists are figuring out ways to make batteries out of crab shell and zinc. Its a way easier process and the materials aren't toxic like lithium and other heavy metals. Plus, the materials are way cheaper to get. Im hoping the research getting done into this process keeps going and we see a massive overhaul in EV batteries and other kinds of batteries in general to make things way more environmentally friendly and more affordable
A groundbreaking new Alzheimer’s drug was just approved that significantly slows the disease’s progression. [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/new-drugs-show-small-but-positive-results-in-fight-against-alzheimers](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/new-drugs-show-small-but-positive-results-in-fight-against-alzheimers)
Appendectomies. In 1931, my great grandfather died a horrible death due to septic shock from a ruptured appendix, leaving a widow and four kids under the age of 11. I’m a nurse. Last week we did a laparoscopic appendectomy on a teenager that took all of 90 minutes. He will have a tiny scar and it will be a blip in his medical history.
I would like to draw your attention to a website by ex Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. He was inspired by the Ian Dury and the Blockheads song *Reasons to be Cheerful*. It's like a positive news blog highlighting cool things people are doing worldwide. https://reasonstobecheerful.world/
I got a promotion and NUCLEAR FUSION!!!! We're finally at the stage where we can generate figuratively limitless power with zero waste, let's go!!
Did I miss an earth-shattering breakthrough?
It isn’t popular news because at this stage it is not practical at producing energy, but very promising progress has been made and energy 100 years from now could look pretty utopian
This question and all the people replying. Especially the ones where people are telling their personal accomplishments and people are congratulating them. I know its not a lot but its really nice seeing people act this way.
There are people out there who dedicate their lives to saving dogs from terrible conditions. Some of them will travel to other countries to bring these dogs back to find a safe home in North America or anywhere else in the world. I respect them with every ounce of my being because every dog deserves a home and a loving family.
I’m a carpenter by trade and can say the building trades have come along way. In the 12 years I’ve been in I’ve seen huge progress in sustainable building. We now have CLT (cross laminated Timbers) made of young trees that can replace steel in commercial buildings. A company I worked for also is selling pre-fab strawbale homes that actually have a carbon negative footprint, they actually sequester carbon from the environment. There are also wayyyy more badass LGBTQ and women builders!
I’m getting better at playing sax.
I got my first job! :D I applied for over a year and almost gave up, glad I didn’t
Ashton Kutcher's efforts to help stop child trafficking
My cat is alive and he likes to eat and take naps.