In 2023, EVs made up just 7.6% of new car sales in the U.S., according to Kelley Blue Book. The new rule is targeting 35% to 56% for EVs in 2032, and 13% to 36% for plug-in hybrids. By 2032, the new rule is expected to slash passenger car pollution nearly in half from 2026 levels.
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that the U.S. will join 50 others nations worldwide enacting a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year but is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads, and other products. The final rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.
Researchers—representing institutions such as the universities of Oxford, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Grenada—surveyed 795 people on the issue, asking about supervised use specifically for treatment and for well-being enhancement. Participants, the report says, “rated the individual’s decision as morally positive in both contexts.” The study is of note because although psilocybin “has shown promise both as a treatment for psychiatric conditions and as a means of improving well-being in healthy individuals,” authors wrote.
The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary has become the largest dark sky sanctuary on Earth, covering 2.5 million acres of southeastern Oregon’s Lake County after receiving official certification from DarkSky International. The designation protects skies already considered among the darkest in the world, with nearly 1.7 million acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management under commitments for ongoing monitoring and lighting improvements. Beyond stargazing, the protection matters for wildlife along the Pacific Flyway and species like bighorn sheep and sage grouse that depend on undisturbed terrain. Organizers hope the sanctuary could eventually expand to over 11 million acres.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of South Fork Wind, a 132-megawatt project by Danish energy giant Ørsted and Boston-based utility Eversource. All 12 of the wind farm’s towering turbines are now in place and producing enough clean electricity to power roughly 70,000 homes in Long Island, New York.
While the pilot focuses on “simple tax situations,” the U.S. Treasury estimates the pilot could cover about one-third of tax situations for 19 million taxpayers. Within five years, the program could save the average filer $160 per year, or a collective $11 billion annually including tax prep fees and time, according to a report from the Economic Security Project.
Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have successfully 3D-printed living human skin tissue directly into the open wounds of rats for the first time in history. This bioengineering milestone could pave the way for major developments in reconstructive surgery — or even human hair treatments. Current methods of skin and hair reconstruction — like skin grafts — often result in scars, meaning this discovery could lead to a more seamless treatment for humans.
Strychnine has been used for decades to control animal pests, especially predators such as coyotes and wolves. Although it is highly effective, many consider it cruel. Strychnine kills by causing muscle cramps that eventually strangle the animal. A veterinary professor has called it “one of the worst ways to die.” The agency has declared a six-month phaseout period. That means all uses of strychnine will be illegal on September 7, 2024.
MethaneSAT, developed by the Environmental Defense Fund in partnership with the New Zealand Space Agency, is the size of a washing machine and cost $88 million to build and launch. While part of its mission is to spot polluters, the other side of the coin is that it can verify that others are indeed managing those emissions in a responsible fashion. Stemming methane leaks is the fastest single way to curb the escalation of average global temperatures, according to The Guardian.
Scientists at Yale University adapted existing human cancer treatments to find a new version that could benefit both humans and dogs. After conducting multiple clinical trials involving over 300 dogs over the past eight years, the researchers say that their canine cancer vaccine has almost doubled the 12-month survival rate for dogs with some types of cancer.
