Production on our malaria vaccine podcast is in full swing, and we wanted to share a few updates. We knew this was a big story when we started, but none of us imagined how sprawling it would turn out to be. We’ve learned about so many unexpected logistical challenges; it kind of blows our minds that these rollouts ever happen at all.
Over the past month we’ve exchanged voice notes with a 12-year-old school health club champion, unearthed a vaccine song, met researchers working on a program to allocate different coloured bracelets to signify patient’s dosage stages, learned about a hospital boat outside Freetown, and had more than our fair share of comical miscommunications and steep learning curves.
As our senior producer, Marcus Costello says, “What’s interesting about documentary making like this, is that through the process of learning and meeting people, you realise that the story needs to go in a different direction to the one you planned initially.”
So, we’ve been following the breadcrumbs and we're starting to get really excited about what we've already got in the can. The most exciting news is that we can now introduce you to our co-host for this series, Malawi-based journalist Teresa Chirwa-Ndanga, who we met through our friends at Deutsche Welle Akademie.
She's amazing - and she's going to play a big part in bringing this whole thing to life.
This week's top stories
Egypt eliminates malaria after 4,000 years
The WHO has certified Egypt, home to 100 million people, as malaria-free, marking a century since the country's initial efforts to eliminate the disease. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros poetically stated, 'Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future.' WHO
Viet Nam eliminates trachoma
Tedros again: 'This milestone is a testament to the unwavering dedication of Viet Nam’s health workers, including many working at community level. It underscores the power of collective action, innovative thinking and a shared commitment to a healthier future for all.' WHO
The Amazon has a new state park
The Giant Trees of the Amazon State Park in Pará will protect some of the oldest and most majestic trees in the Amazon rainforest. Spanning 5,600 km2, the park will protect a rare tropical forest which is home to angelim vermelho, the tallest tree species in the tropical Americas, reaching 88.5 metres. Andes Amazon Fund
US geologists unearth enormous treasure trove of lithium
At the beginning of this week, researchers at the United States Geological Survey announced they've found lithium in an underground brine reservoir in Arkansas. They estimate there might be up to 19 million tons—more than enough to meet all of the world’s demand. A reminder: the idea that lithium is some rare or exotic substance is pure oil industry propaganda. NYT 🎁
Youth crime is falling in Queensland, but politicians say it's going up
There's a state election happening in Queensland, Australia, and both major political parties have centred their election campaigns on supposed rising crime rates and the need for harsher penalties. In reality, Queensland's youth crime rate has halved over the past 14 years, reaching a record low in 2022-23. Similar declines have occurred across all Australian states. ABC
Scientists reach milestone in efforts to bring back Tasmanian tiger
Pure sci-fi. Colossal Biosciences says they've reconstructed 99.9% of the genome of the extinct thylacine, based on samples from a 110-year-old preserved head. They're now working with its closest living relative—a marsupial called the fat-tailed dunnart—as a way to bring the animal back. 'We are really pushing forward the frontier of de-extinction technologies.' CBS
White House welcomes largest recorded reduction in overdose deaths
According to preliminary CDC data, drug overdose deaths fell 12.7% in the year ending in May, with 41 states reporting declines. This marks the sixth consecutive month of decreases and the first time since early 2021 that estimated annual overdose deaths have dropped below 100,000. NBC
IEA says solar will become Earth's largest energy source by 2033
The IEA's World Energy Outlook predicts solar output will quadruple by 2033, overtaking coal to become the world’s largest energy resource. Its latest projections show that the world is now on track for 2.4ºC of warming (down from a projected 2.6ºC in 2021 and 3.5ºC in 2015, when the Paris Agreement was signed). Carbon Brief
Canada enables contraceptive care based on choice, not wallets
Canadian citizens currently pay for prescriptions through private, public, or out-of-pocket plans. Parliament has passed a bill to cover 100% of diabetes and contraception medication costs for both those without coverage and with out-of-pocket plans. An estimated nine million Canadian women will gain access to common contraceptives under the new plan. BBC
AI for lab tasks and understanding conception, X-rays, and sepsis
Austrian scientists have used AI to identify three proteins (not two, as previously thought) that lock sperm onto egg cells during fertilization; AI-driven systems are identifying broken bones in the UK and fighting sepsis in the US; and in Canada engineers have built a robot that can automate chemistry lab tasks using computer vision and voice recognition.
IUCN adds 12 new green-listed sites
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has welcomed 12 new sites to its Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, totalling 87 protected areas across 18 countries. The additions include sites in China, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, and Zambia, as well as a first for Brazil with the Soure Marine Extraction Area on Marajó Island, at the mouth of the Amazon River. IUCN
Hope Is A Verb
Meet Sonia Vallabh, a lawyer turned scientist with one of the most compelling stories we've ever heard. In 2011, Sonia was diagnosed with prion disease, a rare and fatal genetic illness with no viable treatment. Against all odds, Sonia and her husband retrained as a patient–scientists and set out to cure the disease before Sonia misses her window. 13 years later, they've found a way to shut off enough genetic signals to halt the disease - and potentially save hundreds of thousands of lives around the world.
Social progress
Nigeria rolls out the R21 malaria vaccine
This is a big deal—Nigeria has the largest burden of the disease in the world. Over 800,000 doses will be distributed in two pilot states, Kebbi and Bayelsa, in November, ahead of a national roll-out in which all children under one are set to receive the vaccine. Reuters
China’s under-five mortality rate reaches record lows
In 2023, the child mortality rate dropped below 4.5 per 1,000 births for the first time ever, comparable with middle- and high-income countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. That's more than a tenfold reduction from 1996, when the child mortality rate was 46 per 1,000 live births. Global Times
India fortifies millions against malnutrition
India's government will extend the distribution of fortified rice—rice with added nutrients including iron, folic acid, and B12—under all welfare schemes until December 2028. This initiative is projected to improve nutrition for millions, reduce the risk of iron deficiency by 35%, and prevent an estimated 16.6 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) annually. Krishak Jagat
Malaysian mothers win their fight for equal nationality rights
Mothers-turned-activists have long campaigned for changes to Malaysia's constitution, which currently only recognises the right of fathers to pass their nationality to their children. Parliament has now overwhelmingly approved a bill granting equal rights to both parents, set to benefit thousands of binational families. Context
The Philippines is one step closer to legalising divorce
In May, the House of Representatives passed the Absolute Divorce Act, allowing divorce after five years of separation or two years of legal separation. Activists believe the current bill goes further than any previous attempts to legalise divorce, with growing public support—50% of adults in favour—boosting the chance of success. DW
Mexico stays on path towards poverty reduction
The previous government's anti-poverty programmes helped lift over five million people out of poverty, primarily through the 'Bank of Wellbeing', which provided direct financial aid to the country's poorest and most remote areas. New President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to expand these programmes, strengthen the bank, and fund healthcare for women aged 60 and above.
The future of prisons?
Countries like Germany and the Netherlands have long demonstrated that a workable alternative to poorly-maintained and overcrowded prisons can exist. In South Carolina, the Restoring Promise initiative, inspired by Germany, reduced prison violence while promoting inmate autonomy and dignity. The Marshall Project
Better internet for over 20 million Filipinos
The World Bank has approved $287 million in funding for the government’s Philippines Digital Infrastructure Project. The project aims to improve climate-resilient, secure, and inclusive broadband connectivity by connecting the 'national fiber optic backbone' to more localised and underserved areas across the country. World Bank
Campaigning for same sex marriage works
Campaigns for same-sex marriage are active in dozens of countries around the world. A new report shows that regardless of political or national context, these efforts are successfully boosting support through the simple act of familiarising alternative family narratives. Support grows even after marriage equality is achieved, fostering inclusion and advancing other key LGBTQ+ policies. Washington Blade
Environmental victories
Global mercury emissions in decline
Despite global emissions inventories that indicate otherwise, a new MIT study shows that mercury emissions from human activity have been declining. Using data from 51 monitoring stations over 11 regions in the Northern Hemisphere, researchers found that atmospheric concentrations of mercury declined by about 10% between 2005 and 2020. MIT News
The ‘Yellowstone’ of Europe
Conservation Carpathia has set its sights on establishing a new 2,023-km2 national park in Romania's Carpathian Mountains. It’s one of the largest unsettled areas in central Europe, with coniferous forests, wetlands, alpine ridges, and high-altitude forests that are home to 1,500 animal and plant species, including rare birds such as golden eagles and Ural owls. NatGeo 🔐 (PDF here)
Tree planting in the Philippines reduces poverty
A compelling example of how tree planting can contribute to both climate mitigation and poverty alleviation. From 2011 to 2016, a national greening programme implemented 80,522 localised projects, which consisted of planting hundreds of thousands of hectares of trees while generating hundreds of thousands of jobs for local communities, ensuring long-term incentives for plantation maintenance and care. VoxDev
A big boost for river restoration across the US
Almost $92 million will be invested into 19 projects across California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to restore aquatic ecosystems and improve the health of fisheries. You can check out details of the individual projects here. 'This is an important part of our toolbox to improve the ecosystem, mitigate impacts of drought, and improve climate resiliency.' Mirage News
Singapore trades horse racing for new homes
After 181 years, Singapore hosted its final race at the Turf Club this October. The racecourse will be returned to the government to provide much-needed public and private housing for the nation-state, which has a population of six million in an area smaller than New York City. Bloomberg
Australian conservationists combat invasive weeds with dogs
Cordgrass infestations have been successfully reversed across eastern Australia, thanks to some friends. 'Tracy Lyten, one of the founders of Skylos Ecology, knows that the most impactful conservation decisions are based on strong data. And in her eyes, the six dogs who work at Skylos are the ultimate data collectors. "They can tell us things that no other monitoring method can," says Lyten.' Biographic
Scotland to restore land around Loch Katrine
Scotland just approved plans to restore native forests, peatlands, and woodlands around Loch Katrine. When completed, the project will create one of Europe’s largest woodlands, capture one million tonnes of carbon over 60 years, and secure water supplies for a quarter of Scotland’s population. Bird Guides
Amazon makes good on its promise to remove plastic air pillows
After years of pressure from environmental advocates, the retail giant has replaced the plastic air pillows inside its packages with paper-based padding that can be collected in curbside recycling programmes. The company is aiming to ship two-thirds of its sales in North America without any additional packaging by December 2024. Grist
How one man is restoring hundreds of lakes in India
In response to India’s water crisis, Nimal Raghavan, an engineer-turned-social activist, has restored 212 lakes and 1,480 km of rivers and river canals, and helped raise the groundwater level from 107 metres to 9 metres below ground, giving millions of people access to clean water. His NGO, Mega Foundations, is focused on restoring bodies of water in Tamil Nadu, the driest place in South India. Fair Planet
The clean energy transition
Europe sticks to 2035 ban on fossil fuel car sales
Despite challenges from industry heavyweights—including the CEO of BMW, Oliver Zipse, who described the ban as 'no longer realistic'—the EU has stuck to its guns, upholding legislation for car manufacturers to phase out the sale of new petrol cars by 2035. In the past year, EV car sales have slowed in Europe, casting doubt over the viability of the legislation. Financial Times 🔐
Why there is no stopping EV adoption globally
Someone should send this to Mr Zipse about why electric vehicles are unstoppable. The overarching benefits are plentiful: improved battery capacity, superior technology, and increasingly competitive pricing. Throw in the environmental benefits, more charging infrastructure, and quieter cars, and the future of EVs is a no-brainer. Noah Smith
Australia leads the world for clean energy growth
Well, this was a surprise: the IEA's WEO 2024 reveals that Australia led the world in the growth of clean energy capacity between 2018 and 2023, up by 100% during that period. A big part of that is the country's extraordinary boom in residential solar. During the same period, unabated fossil fuel emissions fell by around 20%. PV Tech
Chinese wind powers up
Chinese manufacturers have overtaken Western manufacturers as the biggest suppliers of turbines globally. In 2020, the Danish manufacturer Vestas enjoyed 60% market share, but that has dropped to 20% today, a shift that signals a change in leadership in the booming global wind market. Wood Mackenzie
Canada eyes vast new potential for offshore wind development
Canada's Senate recently passed a bill that paves the way for large-scale offshore wind energy projects in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador on Canada’s Atlantic coast. With the longest coastlines in the world and wind speeds rivalled only by those of the North Sea, this new bill will unlock the country's enormous offshore wind potential. CBC
Drill, baby, drill
The US Bureau of Land Management just approved the Fervo Cape Geothermal Power Project in Utah. The project will construct up to 20 geothermal power plants covering approximately 631 acres, including 148 acres on public lands, and produce up to 2 GW of clean energy, enough to supply over two million homes. Can anyone tell we're excited about geothermal? NPR
Republican states fail to stop EPA’s coal-fired power plant rules
In a surprising—and welcome—development, the US Supreme Court has given the green light for the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce new rules about emissions. Under current regulations, coal-fired power plants are required to reduce their emissions by 90% by 2039 or face closure. CBS News
EU lawmakers fight to stop early deaths from air pollution
Around 300,000 people in the EU die prematurely each year from respiratory illness related to poor air quality and pollution. Now European lawmakers are trying to reverse this trend by introducing legislation that will hold European governments accountable for failing to meet emission reduction targets. Electrek
A picture tells a thousand words
We throw numbers around a lot in this section, but sometimes it's good to be reminded of the scale of what those numbers mean. This is what 500 MW of utility-scale solar looks like, combined with 500 MWh of storage, part of a massive solar-plus-storage project in the Taklamakan Desert in China. This is enough to power approximately 500,000 homes every year.
Scientific progress
Forget electronics: here come 'orbitronics'
All electronic systems rely on the charge of electrons to store and transfer information, but it's not efficient. Now Swiss and German researchers have found a way to harness what's known as orbital angular momentum; the new method relies on the motion of electrons around the nucleus of an atom to store and process data. It could open the door to a whole new type of technology known as 'orbitronics'. The Debrief
Researchers edge closer to discovering the secrets of Roman concrete
Modern concrete was developed in England in the 19th century, but it's much less resilient than Roman concrete, which is unmatched for its durability. Incredibly, we still don't really know how they made it, but we're getting closer—some researchers say they added quicklime, while others say it's volcanic ash. NYT 🎁
First 3D-printed metal part on the International Space Station
In August, a 'technology demonstrator' built by the European Space Agency and Airbus printed a metal part in microgravity conditions. This is an important milestone: long-term space missions aren't possible unless humans figure out a way to create spare parts and construction components and print tools on demand. ESA
MOAR desalination
There's obviously something in the air—the last few weeks have seen a flurry of desalination stories. Here are two more: a trailer-sized, solar-powered system built by a team at MIT that desalinates around 5,000 litres of water per day, and one by engineers in Saudi Arabia that relies on cheap materials and can generate two to three litres of water per square metre.
Chinese scientists revive activity in the brains of pigs
In some cases, functionality was restored up to an hour after circulation stopped, and then sustained for hours. The trick? Incorporating the liver into the life support system. The grisly experiment represents a huge step forward in working out how to restore brain function after a patient has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Science Alert
Handheld diagnostic performs 1-hour blood tests from a finger prick
Elizabeth Holmes, eat your heart out. Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder have developed a handheld device that can scan for biomarkers in around a hour—from a single drop of blood. The machine uses an ingenious system that mixes the sample with particles that react to sound waves, isolating the biomarkers. New Atlas
Chemists discover first new chemical bond in a decade
First predicted in 1931 by Linus Pauling, chemists in Tokyo have just now managed to make the first observations of single-electron covalent bonds between two carbon atoms. It is not often that chemists create a new kind of chemical bond—the achievement represents a fundamental discovery. Nature
The best bits of the internet (Gus)
This essay about the restoration of Notre Dame is amazing. GQ
The roof frame was a different story. Known in French as the charpente, it was an ingenious assemblage of triangular-shaped trusses, each one consisting of horizontal and vertical beams and diagonal rafters designed to support the heavy roof cover and distribute the weight over the walls beneath it. Built from thousands of pieces of wood and assembled without nails, it was a singular achievement, one of the oldest surviving all-wood structures in the world. And now it, along with Viollet-le-Duc’s Flèche, was gone.
There's a tree called the Angel Oak in South Carolina that gets 400,000 visitors a year, and I'm going to remember that the next time someone tells me the magic is all gone. Garden & Gun
Colin Cook lost his leg to a shark while surfing off Oahu, and Sydney Corcoran was injured in the Boston Marathon bombing. Both were traumatized; both were struggling to return to normalcy. Then they found each other. Not just a triumph of descriptive writing, this also happens to be a feel-good romance and a reminder that bad things can happen to good people—and that those good people can still have beautiful things. Esquire
Fascinating piece about how 99% of ancient texts are lost to history, but thanks to new imaging technology (which has already revealed the location of Plato's tomb), we might be on the cusp of the biggest recovery of lost knowledge in human history. Using examples ranging from Aristotle's Politics, which nobody read for 1,500 years, to lost texts about Sparta (written by actual Spartans, rather than their enemies), antiquities scholar Justin Germain shows how recovering these works could completely reshape our understanding of the ancient world. Works in Progress
The latest video from science communication juggernaut Kurzgesagt is a banger: 'In many ways the vibe is that we live in dark times. But as Terry Pratchett said, we are the storytelling ape, we think in narratives and live in a network of stories that make up our world. So without minimizing the darkness, we want to add a story that we find helpful for dealing with the world.'
That's it for this edition! See you next week.
With love,
Gus and Amy