Brian Michael Smith becomes the first trans man to be named one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive
In 2019, he became the first out Black transgender man cast in a regular role on a network series with 911: Lone Star.
Business
This archive collects stories about businesses — from startups and local enterprises to multinational corporations — taking meaningful action on social, environmental, and economic challenges. These reports highlight moments when commerce and accountability intersect in constructive ways.
Largest-ever psilocybin trial finds the psychedelic is effective in treating serious depression
Overall, 29.1% of patients in the highest-dose group were in remission three weeks after treatment, compared to 7.6% of those in the control group.
Facebook to stop targeting ads based on race, sexual orientation, and politics
Facebook said it decided to make these changes to “address feedback from civil rights experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders on the importance of preventing advertisers from abusing the targeting options we make available.”
World’s first wind turbine designed to harness typhoon energy erected in The Philippines
The Japan-based Challenergy’s “Magnus Wind Turbine” features vertical blades spinning around a horizontal axis rather than the long blades spinning from a vertical axis in normal wind turbines.
33 countries and 11 automakers pledge no new fossil fuel powered cars by 2040
In the latest announcement from COP26, nations, automakers, and local governments have pledged to ensure that all new cars are zero emission by 2040, and no later than 2035 in “leading markets.”
New facility in California to create 400,000 pounds of lab-grown meat a year
UPSIDE Foods just opened a major facility in Emeryville, California to scale production of the more environmentally-friendly and humane alternative to traditional meats.
A “functional cure” for HIV to begin human trials
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave approval to Excision Biotherapeutics to use its innovative HIV treatment in Phase I/II human trials.
Wright Electric plans to put 100-passenger electric airplanes in service by 2026
Wright Electric plans to build a fleet of the converted electric planes, which will have a range of about one hour or 460 miles. It’s enough range to go from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Private prison operator must pay inmates minimum wage for work, U.S. federal jury rules
The court found that GEO Group, a private prison operator that runs the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, WA, is violating the state’s minimum wage laws by paying its workers $1 per day.
Costco raised its minimum wage to $17 an hour
Costco has around 180,000 US employees, and 90% of them work hourly. Costco’s new starting wage puts the chain $2/hr above Amazon, Target, and other top retailers’ minimum wage, and $5/hr above Walmart.