Good News for Humankind
The world’s latest milestones for climate, justice, peace, health, and more
August 19 – 25 2024 C.E.
Hi beautiful people,
Man, what a summer! It’s been fun and honestly, exhausting and trying. It’s hard to escape just how demanding parenting can be, especially in these summer months. A part of me just wants to be free from it. Another part of me feels a strong sense of responsibility to show up in ways I haven’t been willing or able to yet. Another part of me fears how quickly these days with young kids are slipping through my hands.
Yet another part of me feels guilty that I haven’t been able to tend to this newsletter as fully as I’ve wanted and intended for the last month or two. It’s worried about being seen as lazy, unreliable, and undedicated. It’s even worried my whole life and career will crumble unless I’m continuously grinding away at it.
But I spent years, decades even, prioritizing this grinding part of me over almost all others. I just won’t do it anymore. So thank you for accepting this abbreviated version of the newsletter once again!
Love, Peter
World-first lung cancer vaccine trials launched across seven countries
Lung cancer is the world’s leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about 1.8 million deaths every year. Now experts are testing a new jab that instructs the body to hunt down and kill cancer cells – then prevents them from ever coming back. Known as BNT116 and made by BioNTech, the vaccine is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of the disease. The phase 1 clinical trial, the first human study of BNT116, has launched across 34 research sites in seven countries: the U.K., U.S., Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Turkey.
China awards visitation rights to gay mom in historic first
Since China abandoned its one-child policy in 2016 in the face of quickly declining birth rates, the courts are now inclined to protect the rights of children born outside the traditional heterosexual paradigm. Children born to unmarried couples and single and LGBTQ+ parents are experiencing a level of acceptance unknown in China in the past.
World’s biggest battery storage project gets underway in Chile
Financial close has been reached for the first two phases of the world’s largest battery storage project, the Oasis de Atacama in Chile, with 1.24GWh now financed and an eventual 4.1GWh once all five phases are completed. Grenergy expects the completed project will generate electricity equivalent for the needs of 145,000 homes and reduce CO2 emissions by over 146,000 tons.
Manuka honey reduces breast cancer cell growth by 84% in preliminary studies
Manuka honey is produced from the nectar collected by honey bees when they pollinate the mānuka, a species of tea tree indigenous to New Zealand and southeast Australia. Now, preliminary studies by researchers at UCLA have found that this nutraceutical might aid in breast cancer prevention and treatment. The honey-treated mice showed significantly suppressed tumor growth compared to controls. Overall, it inhibited the growth and progression of an established human breast cancer tumor by 84% without affecting healthy cells.
Kenya to acquire 1,000 EVs per year for federal staff
The Kenyan government’s move to start buying electric vehicles could be good news for companies that are looking to assemble or retail electric cars in the country. The announcement just said “vehicles,” and therefore could include electric buses, trucks, and motorcycles as well, which would be a major boost for Kenya’s nascent electric vehicle ecosystem.
U.S. Federal Communications Commission adopts an alert system for missing Indigenous people
This new alert code, according to the federal agency, would be similar to the nationwide Amber Alert system and will help law enforcement agencies across the country to issue timely alerts to the public through cellphones, televisions and radios. The new “MEP” alert code is part of the efforts to address disparities in searching for and locating thousands of missing Indigenous persons in the U.S., who are at higher risk of being victims of violence, homicide, and of going missing, the FCC said in a news release.
Tofino, B.C., to stop discharging untreated sewage into the ocean
The District of Tofino has opened its first wastewater treatment plant, with officials calling it a “major milestone” for the community of around 2,500 people. The facility, which took around two years to build, will enable the district to end its decades-long practice of sending raw sewage into the ocean.
These milestones have been added to the Archive of Human Genius – our database of social change milestones – past, present & future.
