It’s been a good week for positive news, from the revival of Scotland’s rainforests to advancements in AI technology improving heart health. Here’s what you need to know:
Scotland’s rainforests have received a boost thanks to a project collecting 2.2 million rare native seeds. The three-year project aims to grow 1.5 million native trees from seed, including unique genetics dating back to the end of the last Ice Age. The collected seeds are crucial in restoring native ancient woodland and rainforest, and providing homes for wildlife.
Researchers have developed an AI tool that can predict who is at risk of developing heart failure by identifying tell-tale patterns in an individual’s GP records. The algorithm could be available to GPs in as few as three to five years. Its development takes us closer to improving lives for many more people affected by heart failure, according to Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation.
Another AI tool, Rapid-RO, could help tens of thousands of people avoid unnecessary hospital stays each year in the UK, by rapidly ruling out heart attacks in people attending A&E. Of the 33,727 patients it was tested on, the tool successfully ruled out heart attacks in 36%, compared to 27% for the current standard test.
In a landmark ruling for human rights, Chiquita Brands International has been found guilty of funding a Colombian paramilitary group that murdered civilians. A Florida court has ordered the banana giant to pay $38m (£29.8m) to the families of eight murdered Colombian men, marking the first time an American jury has held a major US corporation liable for complicity in serious human rights abuses in another country.
A study by the University of Bristol found that harmful gases that destroy the ozone layer have fallen faster than previously thought. The Montreal Protocol of 1987 committed nations to phasing out chemicals that deplete the ozone layer. Thanks to regulation limiting their production, levels of such chemicals have peaked in 2021, meaning that the ozone layer is breathing easier.
It’s been a heartening week for positive news, showing how technological advancements and conservation projects are making a positive impact on the world
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