75 articles
A billionaire art collector sold a rare Rembrandt drawing of a lion for $18 million, donating the proceeds to conservation efforts to save the very animal depicted in the artwork.
Positive News staff took on the challenge of buying nothing new for an entire month. The experience revealed surprising lessons about consumption and creativity.
Researchers have identified a common amino acid that appears to play a crucial role in whether patients survive serious illnesses, opening new treatment possibilities.
Knurr-and-spell, an ancient English ball game similar to golf that had nearly died out, is being revived in the villages where it was born centuries ago.
A quiet milestone passed recently: January 14th marked the longest stretch without any nation detonating a nuclear weapon since the atomic age began in 1945.
Therapy sheep are providing comfort and helping people manage stress and anxiety, proving that animal-assisted therapy can take many forms.
At the COP16 biodiversity conference in Rome, 196 nations agreed to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity. The deal was hailed as a win for multilateralism in uncertain times.
The Carter Center reported just 10 human cases of Guinea worm disease worldwide in 2025, the fewest ever recorded, bringing one of humanity’s oldest parasitic scourges to the brink of eradication.
For World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2026, the WHO reported that 58 countries have now eliminated at least one NTD, and the number of people needing treatment fell 36% from 2010 to about 1.4 billion in 2024.
China's National Energy Administration reported that renewable energy made up over 60% of the country's total installed power capacity in 2025. The world's largest energy consumer added more than 430 gigawatts of new wind and solar in a single year, pushing renewable capacity above 1,800 gigawatts.
Finnish startup TheStorage commissioned its first industrial-scale sand-based thermal battery at a brewery, storing renewable electricity as heat up to 800C and aiming to cut industrial energy costs and emissions sharply.
Surprising research shows that polar bears in some regions are in better physical condition than they were 25 years ago, demonstrating unexpected adaptability to changing conditions.
A family of four sisters and their parents developed an electric tractor that is now being sold in five countries, proving that sustainable farming equipment can be a family affair.
Despite widespread pessimism about the state of the world, research shows that many aspects of society are actually improving — we just tend not to notice.
After a Washington, DC, snowstorm dropped 10 inches that refroze overnight, volunteers with the city's Serve DC program fanned out to clear sidewalks and doorways for elderly, disabled and overwhelmed neighbors — a simple act of neighbors helping neighbors when city plows couldn't reach every street.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, the nonprofit Little Break blends a coworking space with on-site child care, letting parents work while paid staff watch their kids next door. Founded by Ariel Wan, it recreates "that village feeling" of communal child-rearing in a country where half of kids live in child care deserts.
A French sailor who competed in the grueling Vendée Globe around-the-world race while battling cancer has been named Sailor of the Year for his extraordinary achievement.
After a difficult ice storm, a group of teenagers built an igloo that became a gathering place, bringing neighbors together and lifting spirits during a challenging time.
Archaeologists in Mexico have uncovered an astonishing 1,400-year-old tomb featuring a giant owl sculpture, offering new insights into ancient Mesoamerican cultures.
Despite challenging drought conditions, farmers achieved record harvests by combining traditional farming wisdom with modern technology and techniques.
The FDA launched a pilot program in 2025 allowing select drug developers to use non-animal methods like organ-on-a-chip systems and computer modeling instead of traditional animal testing. The NIH followed with its own initiative to expand human-based science.
The James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning new details of the Helix Nebula, revealing the dying breaths of a star transforming into raw ingredients for new worlds.
A US judge has upheld the right to build offshore wind farms for the fifth time, ensuring the continued growth of renewable energy despite legal challenges.
Quick-thinking police officers used Google Translate to communicate with a woman in labor and successfully helped her deliver her baby in the backseat of a car.
A new anthology featuring writing by people with lived experience of homelessness is challenging stereotypes and giving voice to those often unheard.
A 2026 study analyzing river sediments near Salisbury Plain found no trace of glacial transport, providing strong evidence that Neolithic people deliberately hauled Stonehenge’s bluestones across great distances.
A Chinese woman's ear was torn off in an industrial accident and saved by doctors who grafted it onto her foot for 5 months before successfully reattaching it to her head.
A British war veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan has become the first above-the-knee double amputee to summit the highest peaks on all seven continents.
Rescued elephants at an Indian care center are receiving acupuncture treatments to help relieve chronic pain and nerve damage from years of mistreatment.
Delta Airlines will pay out $1.3 billion in profit sharing to employees, with workers receiving an average of 4 weeks' extra salary directly from company profits.
A 13-year-old boy ditched his lifejacket and swam against powerful currents to rescue his family members who had been swept out to sea, displaying extraordinary courage.
After winter storms battered Washington DC, volunteer 'Snow Heroes' hit the streets with shovels to help elderly and disabled neighbors clear their sidewalks.
A cardiothoracic surgeon saved the life of a teenage Ethiopian immigrant. Decades later, they reunited as colleagues operating together for charity in Ethiopia.
A groundbreaking new therapy is offering hope to patients with blood cancers previously considered untreatable, showing remarkable results in clinical trials.
Europe has reached a significant energy tipping point, with renewable sources now generating more power than ever and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.
At the American Meteorological Society meeting, NVIDIA released Earth-2, an open, free stack of AI weather and climate models, libraries and tools, letting weather services and researchers run 15-day and storm-scale forecasts without building from scratch.
A KAIST team published a machine-learning framework on January 26, 2026, that predicts battery cathode particle size with 86.6 percent accuracy even from incomplete data, and quantifies how reliable each prediction is, accelerating next-generation battery design.
Farmers in Michigan are using American kestrels — the smallest falcons in North America — to naturally protect cherry orchards from birds that spread disease.
A 100-year-old D-Day veteran finally fulfilled his lifelong wish to be awarded a campaign medal from France, the country he helped liberate 80 years ago.
In January 2025, the FDA approved suzetrigine (Journavx), the first entirely new class of non-opioid pain medication in over two decades. The drug blocks sodium channels to relieve acute pain without the addiction risks associated with opioids.
A life-changing cystic fibrosis medication that was prohibitively expensive is now within reach for many patients thanks to a dramatic price reduction in a new generic version.
The Hershey Bears' annual Teddy Bear Toss collected over 80,000 stuffed animals that will be donated to children in need throughout Pennsylvania.
Scientists recorded the highest number of North Atlantic right whale sightings ever for January, a hopeful sign for the critically endangered species with only 384 individuals remaining.
The world's most northern electric ferry is now operating in extreme Arctic conditions, proving that zero-emission maritime transport can work even in -13°F temperatures.
A father rushed to a burning bar after receiving a frantic call from his daughter inside, ultimately saving 10 people from the New Year's Eve fire in Switzerland.
A blind pitmaster in Dallas has become famous for his incredible BBQ, cooking perfect brisket using only his senses of touch and smell.
An artist shares their philosophy on creating positive change through simple actions, inspiring others to focus on doing good in their daily lives.
Animal rescuers saved 18 dogs left outside during a dangerous winter storm, and one pregnant dog gave birth to healthy puppies safe and warm inside the shelter.
In a landmark conservation victory, the green sea turtle was officially removed from the endangered species list in 2025. Decades of beach protection, anti-poaching measures, and international cooperation brought the species back from the brink.
The Bronx Zoo has announced the birth of an endangered pygmy slow loris, the first primate born in its new World of Darkness exhibit. The tiny, large-eyed primate is one of only about 50 of its kind in accredited North American zoos, making the birth a valuable contribution to the species’ breeding program.
Researchers at Monash University and IIT Bombay built SunSpring, a floating solar-desalination membrane studded with microscopic "carbon flowers" that distills seawater continuously, up to 18 liters of fresh water a day, without clogging with salt.
Public and school libraries lent more than 820 million digital titles in 2025 through apps like Libby and Sora, a 10.9% jump, as audiobooks, magazines, and comics surged in popularity.
Memphis unveiled the curatorial vision for its new downtown art museum, a Herzog & de Meuron-designed building on the Mississippi River set to open in December 2026 with 600% more free public space and a mass-timber structure.
Scientists at Melbourne's Doherty Institute used mRNA technology to force HIV out of hiding in white blood cells, a critical step toward a cure. The technique encases HIV in a "fat bubble" nanoparticle that reveals the virus to the immune system.
A pilot program across London boroughs is removing "No Ball Games" signs from housing estates and public areas, part of a culture shift prioritizing play, physical activity, and healthy childhoods in urban communities.
The ozone hole over Antarctica shrank to its fifth-smallest size in more than 30 years, according to NASA and NOAA. The reduction is a direct result of the Montreal Protocol, which regulated ozone-depleting substances worldwide.
A team in Japan has entered clinical trials for a drug that stimulates the growth of new teeth in adults who have lost them. If successful, it could eventually replace dentures and implants for millions of people worldwide.
The smartphone-free childhood movement spread rapidly across multiple countries in 2025, with parent groups coordinating to delay children's access to smartphones and social media. Schools and governments began adopting supportive policies.
The American Cancer Society’s 2026 report found the five-year survival rate for all cancers combined has reached 70% for the first time, while cancer mortality has fallen 34% since 1991, averting 4.8 million deaths.
The UK government and National Literacy Trust launched the National Year of Reading 2026 with a "Go All In" campaign, backed by the Premier League and beloved authors, to reverse a steep decline in reading for pleasure.
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history with 37 World and Olympic medals, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025. The honor recognizes not only her athletic achievements but also her advocacy for mental health in sports.
The 2026 list spotlights sodium-ion batteries, generative AI coding assistants, next-generation nuclear reactors and AI companions — each already reshaping how the world works, learns and cares for itself.
MIT Technology Review listed sodium-ion batteries among its 10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2026, pointing to a cheaper, more abundant alternative to lithium that is now reaching real products.
A Boston University-led study in JAMA Network Open, published January 2026, found that high physical activity in mid- or late life was linked to a 45% and 41% lower risk of dementia respectively — suggesting it is never too late to start moving.
A Cochrane review of 73 trials found that moderate-intensity exercise may be as effective at reducing depression symptoms as therapy and antidepressants.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earned the prestigious Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year award for his dominant 2025 NBA season and community impact.
University of Newcastle researchers developed a chemical-free method to extract silver from used solar panels by grinding them into powder and floating silver to the surface in water.
A University of Oxford study of 27 million flights found that eliminating business and first-class seats could halve aviation emissions immediately.
The Chilean government is creating the Cape Froward national park, spanning 150,000 hectares of subantarctic forests and coastline, completing a 2,800km wildlife corridor.
In a remarkable year for planetary science, astronomers confirmed the discovery of over 100 previously unknown moons orbiting planets in our solar system during 2025, reshaping our understanding of the outer planets.
In just its early observations, the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory found asteroid 2025 MN45, which spins once every 1.88 minutes, the fastest known for its size, alongside about 1,900 new asteroids.
Ming Yang Smart Energy unveiled the MySE23X, a more than 110-meter carbon-fiber wind blade it calls the world's first fully recyclable design, breaking down at end of life with a low-temperature chemical process.
Archaeologists in Norfolk, England, uncovered a near-complete Iron Age carnyx, a Celtic war trumpet, alongside a unique bronze boar’s head standard, in one of Britain’s most remarkable recent hoards.
New UK rules ban television ads for junk food before 9pm and prohibit them entirely online, targeting childhood obesity that affects one in eight children aged 2-10.
Photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado and his wife Lelia spent over two decades planting 2.5 million trees, transforming a degraded cattle ranch into a thriving nature preserve visible from space.
