285: Principles for the Permaweird
"Consensual reality is significantly flawed." Plus, good news on high school graduation rates, two breakthroughs for rice-farming, labour reform in Spain, fur production plummets, and Baltics ditch Russian energy.
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
☝️ See also: how Spain's economy became the envy of Europe
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
Progress
First-ever global report on drowning prevention shows progress
The WHO has recorded a 38% drop in the global drowning death rate since 2000—a major global health achievement. Progress across regions varies, with Europe witnessing a 68% drop in drowning death rates between 2000 and 2021, compared to just 3% in Africa. The good news is that we know how to do this now - simple, practical interventions, such as installing barriers to prevent child access to water.
Health workers drive public health success in Indonesia, Kenya In Indonesia, the government has been intensifying efforts to address pandemic-related declines in immunisation rates, with healthcare workers travelling by boat to remote islands, and in Kenya, community health workers are piloting the country’s first digital system for mass public health to ensure up to 13 million children receive treatment for neglected tropical diseases.
Nine in ten people in the world are now in range of a 4G network In 2015, less than half — 44% — of the world population was in the range of a 4G network. A decade later, that figure is 90%, The biggest increases can be seen in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In North Africa, only 7% of people were in range of a 4G network in 2015, rising to 85% in 2023. Our World In Data
WHO outlines plan to tackle rising cancer rates in South-East Asia The WHO South-East Asia Region recorded 2.4 million new cancer cases in 2022, with cases projected to keep rising in the future. However, progress is being made — six countries now have dedicated national cancer plans, Bhutan has achieved 90% screening rates, eight countries have introduced HPV vaccination, and the region has seen the fastest decline in tobacco use globally. WHO
UK launches world-leading trial to catch breast cancer earlier
NHS England is overhauling breast cancer screening, by trialling artificial intelligence to help radiologists. The £11m initiative, the world's largest to date, will see AI analyse two-thirds of 700,000 mammograms over the next few years. If successful, each mammogram could be scrutinised by just one specialist instead of the current two, freeing up doctors’ time and cutting waiting lists. BBC
The gender gap is closing in the United States
New data from the Bank of America Institute shows that women’s median discretionary spending, average annual income and employment growth have all outpaced men’s in recent years. One reason for this has been a rise in university education, with women between the ages of 25 and 34 more likely than men to have a degree. Fast Company
Half a million people to benefit from better sanitation in Mali
A new World Bank-supported project will build towers, pumping stations, an underground reservoir, and tens of thousands of new household connections and public water points in and around Bamako, the capital city. An estimated 227,000 people will gain basic water access, 270,000 will experience improved service quality, and 30,000 in rural areas will benefit from ecosystem restoration. Smart
The number of highly unequal countries is falling
The number of high-inequality countries has declined in the past few decades, from 74 in 2000 to 51 in 2020. Of the 23 economies that exited the high-inequality group, 11 moved to moderate inequality and 12 to low inequality. Notably, COVID-19 did not reverse this trend, with most economies seeing inequality decline post-pandemic relative to pre-pandemic. World Bank
Environment and Conservation
Europe makes historic ruling against failure to address pollution
For the first time, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that failure to address environmental pollution violates the human right to life. The ruling came in a case brought by Italian citizens who claimed that illegal waste dumping and burning was devastating their health and will have ramifications for cases all over Europe. ClientEarth
Spain becomes first European nation to ratify High Seas Treaty
A step closer to the required 60-nation threshold, with 16 countries now committed. The agreement will establish unprecedented safeguards for marine biodiversity in international waters, protecting crucial habitats from industrial exploitation while ensuring equitable sharing of ocean resources across nations.
Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores
Ecuador establishes new area to protect biodiverse wetlands
The Urcu Yaku Kamak Provincial Conservation and Sustainable Use Area spans 213 km2 and protects sensitive high-altitude wetlands and grasslands that also regulate the local water cycle. The conservation area will help guarantee water security for surrounding residents, safeguard biodiversity, and promote co-management with local communities. Andes Amazon Fund
Near-extinct species recover in Australia and the Caribbean
In Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, an initiative to restore the area’s ecological diversity to pre-colonization state has brought the brush-tailed bettong back from local extinction. Meanwhile, on a tiny Caribbean island, the critically endangered Sombrero ground lizard has seen a 1,500% increase in population just a few years after efforts began to remove mice from the island.
A new era of forever-chemical free clothing?
As of the 1st January this year, businesses in California and New York are banned from selling raincoats, shirts and other everyday apparel with per- or poly-fluorinated chemicals, or PFAS for short. California’s ban also covers linens and some other textiles. In response, some companies have updated their products globally, meaning consumers everywhere stand to benefit. PFAS Observer
Nigerian women restore massive mangrove forests
Indigenous Ogoni women have successfully planted 2.6 million mangrove trees across Nigeria's oil-damaged Niger Delta since 2018, achieving remarkable survival rates of up to 96%. The community-led initiative has transformed 40 square kilometers of degraded coastline into thriving wetlands, bringing back disappeared fish species and vital food sources like mud creepers. Mongabay
Dam removals in the United States are reviving rivers in the Northeast
Thanks to funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 806 dams have come down in the Northeast, home to more than 30,000 small dams built in the 19th century, and hundreds more removals are in the pipeline. Studies have shown that dam removals improve water quality, watershed resilience, and fish passage, as well as create habitats for organisms. Yale Environment 360
England’s recently augmented reserve is now its biggest bird sanctuary
Land purchase by the organization RSPB has expanded the Geltsdale Nature Reserve by a third in area, to 55 km2. Already home to a diversity of bird species, the reserve now contains curlews, golden plovers, merlins, short-eared owls, black grouse, dippers, and ospreys, and hopes to attract more, like the golden eagle. The Guardian
Urban renewal in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, and, um, Bradford
In Rio de Janeiro, nonprofits are helping residents in low-income heat island communities beat the heat by building green roofs, in Paris, the Seine has ten times more fish and mussel species than it did in the 1960s, and possibly, rare mussels too, and in Bradford, England, a clean air zone has reduced visits to the doctor for respiratory illnesses and heart problems by around 25%.
Restoration success stories in Australia, Colombia, and the Philippines
In South Australia, a new program aims to restore Flinders Island to its pre-settlement state by removing mice, cats, and rats, in Colombia, villagers have remediated land left behind by gold mining by growing mercury-absorbing plants, and in the Philippines indigenous communities have been planting trees since 2015 to restore forests lost to decades of logging and agriculture and mitigate flooding.
And finally, we know this is a bit of a throwaway but we couldn't resist.
Energy and Climate
Global solar and battery storage costs set to keep falling this year
The cost of utility-scale solar and battery storage is projected to drop by 2–11% in 2025, according to Bloomberg. Projecting further out, the levelized cost of electricity—which measures the lifetime cost of building, operating and maintaining an energy asset —could fall by 22-49% by 2035. New wind and solar are already cheaper to build than new coal and gas in nearly every global market.
World has twice as much lithium as previously assessed
New estimates from the US Geological Survey reveal the world has twice as much lithium as previously assessed in 2018. In the past year alone, 40 times more lithium was 'discovered' than was mined. This upgraded estimate is enough to produce 800 million electric vehicles. Put another way, the world now has 450 years worth of supply. Dave Jones
Global electric vehicle sales jump in January
Global EV sales reached 1.3 million in January, marking an 18% surge from 2024 despite seasonal slowdowns. The clean transport transition is gaining momentum across all major markets, with Europe seeing 21% growth, North America 22%, and emerging markets showing a remarkable 50% increase. BYD, the world’s largest EV maker, saw passenger vehicle sales surge 47.5% year on year.
Toyota’s first US battery plant ready to meet growing demand
Toyota’s monster new $14 billion battery plant in North Carolina—its first outside Japan—is set to begin production. While Toyota currently offers just one all-electric model, the facility will support the launch of 5–7 new EVs over the next two years. Inside EVs
More US coal plants retire early as renewables grow
Since 2017, nearly a quarter of coal plants have accelerated retirement plans. Today, coal supplies just 16% of U.S. electricity, far behind renewables and fossil gas, and while some utilities have attempted to extend the lifespans of their coal plants, the economics don’t add up - 99% of US coal plants now cost more to run than building new renewables. NYT
Philippines fast-tracks massive renewable energy build-out
In the last eight months of 2024, the government granted priority status to 91 renewable projects that will add 17.6GW of clean power capacity, nearly quadrupling the country's 2023 renewable output. The push marks the island nation's largest-ever renewable energy initiative, putting it on track to reach 35% clean electricity by 2030 while supporting affected coal communities through the transition. Progress Playbook
One of Europe’s sunniest countries makes use of its natural resources
With around 250 to 300 days of sunshine per year, Greece is making the most of its solar resource. Solar generated 21.54% of the country’s electricity last year - more than double the 9.68% recorded in 2021. Combined, solar and wind accounted for 43.27% of Greece's electricity in 2024, nearly three times as much as the 15% they generated a decade ago. John Hanger
Science and Technology
New map reveals Arctic seabed in unprecedented detail
The Seabed2030 project has released a groundbreaking new map, adding 1.4 million km2—an area three times the size of Sweden - of the Arctic. Using advanced compilation methods, researchers achieved unprecedented detail, twice as precise as previous mapping capabilities. The enhanced data will replace outdated 19th-century navigation charts. Oceanographic
Hidden layer revealed in Earth's mantle
Scientists have found surprising complexity in Earth's 'boring middle' including a mysterious new layer 1,000 km below the surface and intricate flow patterns of hot rock. Using earthquake wave data and high-pressure lab experiments, the research transforms our view of the mantle from a simple 'lava lamp' flow to a complex, churning system. Science
Humpback whales use human-like speech patterns in their songs
Scientists have discovered that male humpback whales structure their songs similarly to human language, following a mathematical pattern called Zipf's law where certain sound sequences are used more frequently than others. Just as humans frequently use short words like "the" and "of," whales repeat specific sound combinations in their elaborate songs. NYT 🎁
Scientists pinpoint brain region that helps overcome unnecessary fears
Researchers have discovered how the mammalian brain learns to suppress unwarranted fears by identifying a previously overlooked area called the ventrolateral geniculate nucleus. Using mice that learned to ignore harmless shadows mimicking predator attacks, scientists found this region stores memories that help distinguish real threats from false alarms. WaPo 🎁
Spinal implant helps patients with muscle-wasting disease
Scientists have successfully tested a spinal cord stimulator that helped three people with spinal muscular atrophy regain movement. The implanted device, which delivers small electrical pulses to the spine, improved muscle strength and reduced fatigue in patients with this progressive genetic disease. Though temporary, the improvements persisted even when the device was turned off. AP
Human crowds behave like liquid when densely packed
Spanish scientists studying festival crowds have discovered that when people are tightly packed—about six to nine people per square meter—they naturally move in wave-like patterns similar to liquid flow. Using video analysis of the San Fermín festival over four years, researchers found these crowd ripples occur every 18 seconds without external forces. Nature
The information superhighway (by Gus)
One of the best of his generation. Rest In Peace.
The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion, and the tyranny of the dull mind forever threatens – but our lives are not as limited as we think they are, all things are possible, laughter is holier than piety, freedom is sweeter than fame, and in the end it's love and love alone that really matters.
Tom Robbins
Your brain is lying to you about the “good old days”
Have you ever wondered why everyone thinks things were better back in the day? It's a cognitive error that has a simple explanation - our brains are wired to forget bad memories and polish good ones, while constantly resetting our expectations as things improve. Put simply, what we're really missing isn't some mythical golden age, but our younger selves within it. Vox
One of the most valuable substances in the world
Fascinating deep dive into why creating artificial blood remains one of medicine's holy grails: the medical establishment in every country in the world is chronically short of this life-saving fluid that expires within weeks. Scientists have two promising approaches - synthetic nanoparticles that mimic blood cells' oxygen-carrying abilities, and lab-grown blood cells that could cost $75,000 per teaspoon, and are currently being trialled by the NHS. Both approaches reveal just how remarkable real blood is: a living tissue that performs thousands of precisely choreographed functions, from delivering oxygen to fighting infection, making it perhaps the most valuable liquid on Earth (worth 1000x more than crude oil per barrel).
Welcome to Philip K. Dick's future
I've been saying this to anyone who will listen for years now. Forget Orwell's totalitarian nightmare or Huxley's pleasure-dulled dystopia - Philip K. Dick did a better job of predicting the future than either of them. As the dividing line between the real and the artificial dissolves, his vision of "fake humans inventing fake realities and then peddling them to other fake humans" feels increasingly plausible. Programmable Mutter
Global trust in science has never been stronger
Fascinating paradox: Despite widespread narratives of a "crisis of trust" in science, a massive 68-country study of 71,922 people finds remarkably robust trust in scientists across the globe. The real story isn't wholesale rejection of science, but rather surprising variations – women, older people, and urban residents show higher trust levels, while the oft-cited political divides only really show up in North America and Europe. In fact, in some Eastern European and African nations, right-leaning citizens actually trust scientists more than their left-leaning counterparts. The Conversation
A writer's final days
In this incredibly poignant, posthumously published piece, writer Joseph Monninger recounts his final days at a rustic cabin in Maine, in the wake of stage IV lung cancer. The language is so simple, and the stories are so small, yet by the end I couldn't help feel like I'd learned something new about the human condition. Down East
In the evenings, I like a cocktail. I drink it on the porch overlooking the water, and if there is a wind from the northeast, I find it hard to warm myself. On damp days, I build a fire in a Jøtul 118 woodstove, a boxy cast-iron stove with an inscription in Norwegian that might serve as some sort of motto for men my age: I bank my fire/ set for the evening/ when the day is done/ God grant my fire never die out. Then, more reading, or maybe a movie, and dreamless sleep. I leave the door open but the screen latched, to catch the air, and some hours later, I wake to the sounds of gulls again, their shadows passing across the floor of my small cottage like ash following wind. This far east, the sun rolls quickly from the water, and the day begins again, filled with waiting, filled with the small occupations of someone using time not as a measure, but as a companion.
We'll see you next week :)
With love,
FTN HQ