Archive of Human Genius

The world’s largest database of good news and social change milestones from throughout human history

A Timeline of Human History
A Database of Good News
An Imagining of our Collective Future

We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.

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Era

Tomorrow (2025 C.E. - ???)
Today (2017 C.E. - 2024 C.E.)
Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)

Years

Topic

Country

Actor

2090 C.E. ???

Human-caused extinction rate drops below 0.001%

Through aggressive conservation and sustainable development efforts, humans succeed in significantly slowly biodiversity loss and perhaps even ending Earth's "sixth mass extinction" event.

Man holding on to prison bars|hedi benyounes G gOhJeCpMg unsplash

2069 C.E.

The global prison population drops below 1 million

As of 2024, over 11 million people globally lived in prisons, often in miserable conditions, frequently exposed to violence and sexual abuse, and without meaningful attempts to rehabilitate them and reintegrate them into society. However, after decades of concerted effort to address the circumstances that push people into crime and to radically transform the prison toward a truly rehabilitative model, the global prison population begins dropping precipitously, finally reaching the milestone of less than one million prisoners globally.

2065 C.E. ???

All of the world’s countries formally legalize same-sex marriage

The world's last countries affirm the right of all adults to love who they love and marry the partner of their choice. The achievement not only offers justice and liberty for hundreds of millions of people, but further reduces the stigma against LGBTQ citizens around the world, fostering improved mental health and reducing bullying and violence.

2057 C.E. ???

Plastic waste in landfills and waterways in the U.S. down 90% from 2000 levels

After decades of improving recycling systems, public behavior change campaigns, policy change, and more, the U.S. achieves a dramatic reduction in plastic waste, boosting both ecosystem and public health outcomes.

2056 C.E. ???

After decades of collapse, the world’s coral reefs begin a new era of net positive growth

After concerted efforts to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and restore collapsed reefs, the world's corals begin adding more volume than they lose every year for the first time in decades.

2054 C.E. ???

Humanity eradicates malaria

Malaria has been one of the biggest scourges on humanity for millennia and mostly kills babies and infants. However, through the widespread dissemination of a vaccine developed in the 2020s, global efforts to eradicate perhaps the deadliest disease known to humanity finally find resounding success. In the 20th century alone, malaria claimed between 150 million and 300 million lives, accounting for 2-5% of all deaths globally. By the halfway point of the 21st century, these deaths had been effectively eliminated.

2054 C.E. ???

Arctic fox, European mink, North Atlantic right whale, and polar bear populations in Europe rebound to 1900 levels

As of 2023, the four species were among the most endangered mammals in Europe, but made a striking comeback due to fierce conservation and rewilding efforts.

2052 C.E. ???

Humanity reaches peak food waste

Though food waste rose for decades as more people around the world grew more affluent (and thus more willing and able to waste), total global food waste finally begins to decline due to new policies and increased consumer awareness.

Thousands of small chickens packed into a small building

2052 C.E. ???

Global meat consumption begins to decline for the first time in modern history

Between the 1970s and 2020s, global meat production more than tripled, making it one of the most significant contributors to the climate crisis. However, in this imagined milestone, conscious consumers worldwide mindful of the environmental, health, and animal rights implications of their eating habits finally succeed in reversing this centuries-long trend.

2050 C.E. ???

Humanity achieves 100% renewable energy

In a historic milestone for climate action, the global community completes a stunning transformation in how we power our lives and economies, in just a matter of decades. By sourcing all the world's energy for heating, cooling, transport, and electricity from green sources, we save billions of human and non-human lives and help ensure a livable, sustainable planet for generations to come.

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