📈 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.
👵 Older optimists have a better memory
People with a positive attitude towards life are less likely to suffer from memory impairment as they get older.
📈 Now we live longer than ever
In 1950, the global average life expectancy was 45.7 years. 2019 is 72.6 years. This means that we are now living longer than ever before in the history of mankind.
🇨🇴 Apps support “peace crop”
Cacao landscapes and trade are getting back up from technology innovations. This will help Colombia with the goal to ensure zero deforestation in the cacao supply chain. Cacao is also considered a “peace crop” in the war against cocaine.
💡 10 most interesting new technologies - according to the World Economic Forum
Everything from microneedles that can replace syringes to electric aircraft fits into the list of the most important technologies that emerged during the year.
🏫 Now more children than ever go to school
90 percent of all school-age children are now enrolled in a school somewhere on earth. In 1970, it was 72 percent.
👕 Looop - an in-store recycling machine
H&M fights climate change with their new in-store recycling machine called Looop.
🐠 Scientists discover new coral reef
Australian scientists discover a coral reef close to the Great Barrier Reef, a World Heritage Area. It’s the first new coral reef discovered in 120 years.
🧒🏾 Never before have so few children died on earth
Child mortality has dropped dramatically in the world in 30 years. In 1990, 9.3 percent of all children died before the age of five. In 2019, it was 3.8 percent.
🙄 Are optimists naive? No, but the pessimists are
Contrary to popular belief, it is the pessimists that are naive, not the optimists. Despite tremendous progress for humanity, they think that this progress will suddenly end, without any reason. That is irrational and foolish.