Lebanon becomes first Arab country to legalize cannabis farming for medical use
Cannabis has long been illegally farmed in the fertile Bekaa Valley and government now hopes to turn it into a legal billion-dollar trade
Today (2017 C.E. - 2025 C.E.)
This archive spans one of the most eventful periods in recent history, from 2017 through 2025. Browse more than 4,100 articles documenting scientific breakthroughs, policy wins, social progress, and human ingenuity from the present era. Each story highlights what people and communities around the world are building, solving, and achieving right now.
Sweden shutters last coal-fired generating plant two years early
A milder than expected winter led to lower demand for electricity and so the decision was made to close the entire facility now instead of waiting until 2022.
White-tailed eagles have been spotted in England for the first time in 240 years
The incredible creatures, also known as Sea Eagles, went extinct in England in the early 20th century due to illegal killing. But thanks to a pioneering project by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, there is new hope for the majestic birds.
New fishing net technology biodegrades quickly under ultraviolet light
Scientists at Cornell University have engineered a new fishing net material that offers comparable strength to today’s solutions but can break down much more quickly when exposed to UV light.
Oxford University begins human trials of COVID-19 vaccine
The first patients have been enrolled in human trials for a coronavirus vaccine at the historic University of Oxford after the U.K.’s Health Secretary said the country would be “throwing everything” behind the project.
Seoul subsidizes 700 electric taxis
South Korea’s capital, Seoul, is purchasing 700 electric taxis. This subsidy is worth 18.2 million won (around $15,000) per EV, far more than the 12.7 million ($10,300) subsidy for buying an EV for personal use.
Ambitious ‘cloud brightening’ experiment launched to restore Great Barrier Reef
Results from the trial were “really, really encouraging”, the project’s lead scientist Daniel Harrison from Southern Cross University said.
Antibodies could offer gamechanging new treatment for OCD
Mental health conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) could be treated in a new way using drugs that target the immune system instead of the central nervous system, suggests exciting new research.
Wind blows by coal to become Iowa’s largest source of electricity
A new report from the American Wind Energy Association, Iowa is now generating more than 10,000 megawatts of wind energy, accounting for more than 40% of the state’s electricity.
New treatment allows blind mice to recover vision, will now be tested for humans
The new treatment is rapidly approaching human trials and hopes to have an FDA-approved treatment out the other end of the pipeline in 2-3 years.