This week's top stories
Two breakthroughs on rice that could transform the world
Scientists have achieved two major advances in sustainable rice farming: an innovative cultivation method by Chilean researchers that cuts water use in half, and a new strain from a Chinese-Swedish team that reduces methane emissions by 70%. The potential for impact here is enormous - rice produces 12% of global methane emissions, and uses around a third of the world's freshwater resources.
No more 40 hours: Spanish government reduces workweek
The Spanish government has taken the first legislative steps towards reducing the working week from 40 to 37.5 hours, without loss of pay. The reduction, agreed after more than a year of political wrangling, would affect around 12 million workers, and would make Spain one of the world's first major economies to implement such a policy. Euractive
Global high school graduation rates have soared in the 21st century
The two most populous regions in the world (Central-South Asia and Eastern/Southeastern Asia) have seen the proportion of children completing upper secondary school double since the beginning of this century. We are entering the first ever period in human history when more than half of humanity has at least a high school education.
Wolf return catalyses revival of Yellowstone's riverside ecosystems
Did somebody just say trophic cascade? New research shows that Yellowstone's reintroduction of wolves has catalyzed an extraordinary 1,500% increase in streamside willow growth over two decades, one of the strongest ecosystem recoveries ever documented globally. Phys.org
Malawi slashes child deaths by 80% in three-decade health leap Child mortality in Malawi has plummeted from 234 to 49 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1992, while skilled birth attendance has soared to 92%. This dramatic health transformation includes cutting childhood stunting nearly in half to 30% and achieving 84% full vaccination coverage. MDHS
Ancient Roman scroll reveals hidden text after 2,000 years of silence
The Vesuvius Challenge strikes again - successfully "unwrapping" a Roman scroll charred by Mount Vesuvius's eruption in 79 AD, using a combination of advanced X-ray imaging and artificial intelligence. The breakthrough could help decipher hundreds of similar scrolls found in the buried Roman town of Herculaneum. BBC
Uzbekistan has halved poverty rates two years ahead of schedule
In 2021, the government announced plans to lower the poverty rate by half within five years. They got there early - the latest data shows the poverty rate has fallen from 17% in 2022 to 8.9% in 2024. Almost 720,000 Uzbeks climbed above the poverty line in 2024, with four regions – Bukhara, Samarkand, Namangan and Karakalpakstan – experiencing the biggest declines. Eurasianet
Road transport emissions Europe could peak this year
Carbon emissions from Europe’s transportation sector—one of the hardest to decarbonise —may be nearing their peak thanks to stricter regulations on car manufacturers, and EV sales incentives. Projections suggest road transport emissions could peak as early as 2025 at nearly 800 million tonnes of CO₂, then decline by about 25% by 2035. ICCT
United States achieves historic 95% clean energy milestone
America has reached an unprecedented clean energy tipping point, with carbon-free sources providing 95% of all new power capacity in 2024. The nation added 48.2GW of clean energy—enough to power 36 million homes—a 47% jump from the previous year. Traditionally fossil fuel-dependent states like Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana are now leading the solar surge. Distilled
First complete atlas of human cell shapes and gene effects
Scientists at the Broad Institute have developed a breakthrough method that combines cell imaging and gene editing to reveal how over 20,000 genes affect cell appearance and function. The technique, which colours different parts of cells and uses AI to analyse changes, creates detailed pictures 10 times cheaper than current methods. Perhaps most importantly, all the data is open-access.
'A dramatic transformation in India's healthcare landscape'
The government has confirmed that the world's most populous country is on track to meet its SDG health targets well ahead of schedule, thanks to the work of its National Health Mission, which has drastically cut maternal and infant mortality, boosted the healthcare workforce by millions, and made incredible strides in disease elimination and control. New Indian Express
Global fur production plummets amidst bans and culling
Global output fell to 15 million fox and mink pelts in 2023, compared to 81 million in 2012. Beyond the precautionary culling of animals against the spread of avian flu and Covid-19, many European countries have banned fur farming after evidence of animal welfare violations. An EU-wide ban could be enacted next year. Statista
Australia’s renewable energy growth doubles in six months
Grid registrations for wind, solar, and battery projects have surged, with approved capacity doubling compared to the previous 12 months. The number of projects progressing through the connection process now stands at 49.6 GW , up from 36.4 GW at the end of 2023. This rapid growth is crucial as Australia targets 82% renewable energy generation by 2030. RenewEconomy
West Africa moves closer to achieving universal electricity access The World Bank's recently completed Côte d’Ivoire-Liberia-Sierra Leone-Guinea Interconnector project has delivered affordable, renewable power to 2.8 million people in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and the West African Power Pool is helping boost electricity supply across 14 countries, benefiting more than 244 million people. World Bank
Baltic states disconnect from Russia, boosting energy independence
More than 30 years after leaving the Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have unplugged from its electricity grid and joined the EU’s far cleaner grid (with a little help from some batteries). Despite weeks of fearmongering from the Kremlin, the disconnection went off without a hitch, and there have been no blackouts. Another brilliant strategic victory by Vladimir Putin.
Russia can no longer use energy as a tool of blackmail.
Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission
Principles for the permaweird
Venkatesh Rao in vintage form, with three principles to help us all make sense of the very strange times we all find ourselves in.
- First is Chiang's Law: "Science fiction is about strange rules, while fantasy is about special people."
- Next is Chor-Pharn's Law: "If you know who you are, you get a civilizational war; if you don't know who you are, you get a culture war."
- Finally there's Boyd's Razor: when your boss demands loyalty, give them integrity, and when they demand integrity, give them loyalty