📉 Lowest poverty level of the 21st century in Latin America
Poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean has decreased by 4.7 percentage points between 2021 and 2023. The middle class has grown to 41.1 percent of the population in 2023, the highest level this century.
🛫 New aircraft engine makes supersonic flight cheaper and more climate-friendly
The engine is designed to run on liquid natural gas which costs one-tenth of traditional jet fuel and emits 30 percent less carbon dioxide.
🧫 One single test can now detect almost all known infections
The technology replaces multiple different tests with a single test, eliminating time-consuming guesswork in diagnosis and treatment of infections.
🦾 Robot learns surgery as well as surgeons by watching videos
A surgical robot trained by watching videos of experienced surgeons performed the same surgical procedures with the same precision as human doctors.
💊 Weight loss drugs could transform society and save billions
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20 percent in overweight people with cardiovascular disease. The drugs could save countries $429 billion annually between 2020-2060 if obesity increase slows by 5 percent.
🌐 The ozone hole over Antarctica continues to shrink
The ozone hole over Antarctica was the seventh smallest since 1992. Scientists estimate that the ozone layer could be fully restored by 2066.
🧬 CRISPR adapts crops and livestock to withstand warmer climate
Scientists have already created cattle with shorter coats for warmer climates and rice that can handle drier conditions. Several companies are now working to develop corn with shorter and stronger stalks that reduce the risk of damage during severe storms.
📉 Deaths from air pollution decrease globally
Deaths caused by air pollution from fossil fuels decreased by 7 percent between 2016 and 2021.
🌡️ New material captures CO2 more efficiently than large trees
A new yellow powder material captures carbon dioxide from the air 10 times faster than other materials. The material can be reused hundreds of times without decreased effectiveness.