📈 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.
💡 Optimist's Edge: Forbidden substances - tomorrow's medicine?
Research on psychedelics is growing exponentially. The results when it comes to tackling depression and other mental health issues are striking. In this week's Optimist's Edge, Marco Borsari takes a look at the "psychedelic revolution" in medicine.
🦘 Australia returns large area of land to indigenous peoples
Two huge cattle ranches will now become nature reserves and attract ecotourists to an area with 25 different ecosystems.
🌊 $1 billion to be invested in cleaning up lakes
One billion dollars are to be invested in cleaning up the Great Lakes in the US. Besides being one of North America’s treasured and iconic wonders it’s also home to thousands of species of animals, fish, insects, and birds.
😁 Costa Rica - the happiest and most ecofriendly place on earth?
Amazing things happen in Costa Rica. The country tops global rankings on happiness, has a very high number of centenarians and 99 percent of the country's energy is produced from renewables.
💡 Optimist's Edge: This is how we'll get peace on Earth
A majority thinks world peace is not possible, but it is. A world with only democracies will be a world at peace, with wars only in the history books.
💧 Groundwater can save Africa from drought
There is enough unused groundwater in Africa to cover the whole populations' need for water for many years.
☀ Wind and solar power break records
We now get more of our electricity in the world from sun and wind than ever before and we have a good chance of expanding enough renewable electricity to meet the 1.5-degree target.
❄ Trapped methane – less of a problem than previously perceived
How large the methane emissions become when the permafrost melts varies greatly depending on how deep the permafrost is.
💡 Optimist's Edge: Plant a tree – and grow yourself a greener life
Plant a tree and save the planet? There is no quick fix when it comes to handling climate change and the effects that follow. Still, there is a lot more that can be done if you know what you are doing when planting trees.