📈 Human Progress
In the last decades humanity has made great progress with less extreme poverty, increased health, wealth and democracy. We follow in the tradition of professor Hans Rosling.
🌲 Deforestation is slowing down – forests are expanding in more and more regions
In the past, forests around the world were cut down on a massive scale. But that has changed in recent decades. Deforestation still continues in some regions, but in others the trend has reversed. Forest area is now increasing in more parts of the world than it is decreasing in.
🌳 Amazon deforestation continues to decline – lowest level since 2014
Satellite data shows that deforestation in the Amazon between August 2025 and January 2026 dropped to 1,325 square kilometers, the lowest level for the period since 2014. Total deforestation over the past twelve months decreased to 3,770 square kilometers, also the lowest figure since 2014.
🦟 Bacteria in mosquitoes reduced dengue cases by 70 percent in Singapore
In a two-year experiment in Singapore, the number of wild mosquitoes decreased by 77 percent in areas where Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes were released. Residents in treated neighborhoods had approximately 70 percent lower risk of developing symptomatic dengue.
📈 The gap between the world's richest and poorest has more than halved since 2000
The ratio between the richest 10 percent's consumption and the poorest 50 percent's has decreased from 40 to 18 times since the turn of the millennium. Low- and middle-income countries have driven the development through faster economic growth than rich countries.
🐻 Polar bears in Svalbard are thriving despite rapid sea ice loss
Researchers studied 770 adult polar bears in Svalbard between 1995 and 2019 and found that their body condition improved after 2000. The Barents Sea has lost sea ice faster than any other area where polar bears live, but the bears showed no signs of deteriorating health.
🧒 Polio outbreaks stopped and millions of children vaccinated against measles and malaria
Polio outbreaks in Indonesia and Madagascar have been officially declared over after intensive vaccination campaigns. Nigeria has carried out one of its largest vaccination campaigns ever, reaching approximately 106 million children.
🔬 Microplastic levels in the atmosphere much lower than previously thought
New estimates show that the amount of atmospheric microplastics is 100 to 10,000 times lower than researchers previously calculated. The study compiled 2,782 measurements from 283 locations worldwide to create a reliable global baseline.
🤳 Study: Social media and gaming do not affect adolescents' mental health
A British study of 25,000 adolescents over three years finds no evidence that screen time leads to increased anxiety or depression. Neither active nor passive use of social media shows correlation with worsened mental health.
⚰️ US murders fell 21 percent – the largest drop ever recorded
Murder rates in 35 large US cities dropped by 21 percent in 2025, the largest single-year decrease ever recorded. The murder rate was 4 per 100,000 residents, likely the lowest level since 1900. 11 of 13 tracked crime categories decreased compared to the previous year.