📈 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.
🐢 India's olive ridley turtles have recovered – 10 times as many nests now
20 years ago, researchers counted around 100,000 turtle nests in India, but during last winter's nesting season, approximately one million nests were recorded. Protection measures such as seasonal fishing bans, protected coastal zones, and ecotourism have contributed to the recovery.
💉 DR Congo launches vaccination campaign for 62 million children
DR Congo is launching a nationwide vaccination campaign against measles and rubella that will reach 62 million children aged 6 months to 14 years. The combined vaccine replaces the previous measles vaccine in the national immunization program.
🐟 São Paulo's river was an open sewer – after major cleanup life returns to the water
The Novo Rio Pinheiros program has installed 280 kilometers of sewage networks and given more than 7,000 households access to basic sanitation. Two million residents have stopped dumping sewage into the Pinheiros River, and 173,000 residents along the Zavuvus stream now have clean water.
🤦 The Nobel laureate’s banal critique of humanity
The Nobel laureate László Krasznahorkai claims humanity peaked at the Moon landing and that technology since has made us worse. But his bleak view is neither new nor convincing — it mostly reveals how we humans always complain about the time we live in.
📈 Long-term study: Swedish young people spend more time in nature, trust researchers and have strong confidence in institutions
Three out of four young people exercise at least once a week and many spend time in nature regularly. A large majority of young people have high confidence in researchers and Swedish public authorities. Book reading is stable over time and audiobook listening has increased.
👩🏫 Nine out of ten children in the world now attend primary school
In 1900, only 31% of boys and 23% of girls of primary school age attended school globally. In 2023, 91% of boys and 89% of girls are enrolled in primary school. The gender gap in school enrollment has decreased from 8 percentage points to 2 percentage points in just over a hundred years.
⚰️ Lithuania has more than halved its suicide rate
Lithuania's suicide rate has dropped from 44 to 19.5 per 100,000 residents since 2004. Free psychological help is now available in all 60 municipalities and reaches over 30,000 people annually. Approximately 10,000 people have been trained to identify and help people with suicidal thoughts.
👮 London has fewer murders than in over 20 years
London recorded 70 murders during the first nine months of 2025, the lowest number since monthly measurements began in 2003. Knife crime decreased by seven percent. Hospital admissions for knife injuries among people under 25 fell by 10 percent over 12 months to June 2025.
💉 New vaccine can stop meningitis in Africa
A five-in-one vaccine has begun to be used in several African countries to protect against bacterial meningitis. The vaccine costs only three dollars per dose and protects against four types of bacteria that cause almost all meningitis epidemics in the region.