Author: Gavin Haines

Last year saw improvements in the ‘livability’ of cities across the world. According to the Global Liveability Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Vienna was ranked the world’s most liveable city for the third consecutive year. The index assesses 173 cities based on categories such as stability, education, healthcare, culture and environment, and infrastructure.… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news that matters

This week has brought with it a fair amount of good news, from important legal decisions to scientific breakthroughs. Researchers have discovered that conserving only 1.2% of the Earth’s land could save thousands of threatened animal and plant species from extinction. Their findings indicate that protecting 16,825 at-risk areas over the next five years could… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news that matters

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… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news you should know about

A new botany project is allowing gamers to step away from their screens and connect with nature in a tangible way. Dubbed Seed Saga, the pilot programme key element lies in the ability of gamers to cultivate plants that they may have encountered in their favourite video games. Guild Wars, a popular roleplaying game widely… Continue reading How the virtual world is inspiring gamers to become botanists

In this week’s lineup of good news, a new home saliva test could be a game-changer for prostate cancer detection. The test screens for small genetic changes linked to prostate cancer, outperforming the current PSA blood test, which is known to be inaccurate. Unfortunately, there’s no national screening program for prostate cancer in the UK,… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news you should know about

This week there were a lot of reasons to feel positive. From new green initiatives to help combat climate change to the announcement of projects to create more green spaces in urban areas, there was plenty of news to bring a smile to people’s faces. One study from the London School of Economics suggested that… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news that matters

If you feel like time is slipping through your fingers, you may benefit from experiencing more awe. A growing body of research suggests that awe can slow our perception of time, also known as time dilation. In a recent study by George Mason University, 100 participants were shown pictures of large, awe-inspiring scenes and small,… Continue reading Five ways to bring more awe into your life

Asking someone what they’ve changed their mind about can reveal a lot about a person. Politicians in particular are known for doubling down on their positions, but changing your mind can be a sign of strength. In fact, the question of what people have shifted their stance on is a regular topic in the “Life… Continue reading Tell us: what’s the big thing that you changed your mind about?

From Romania to India, this week offered up plenty of good news. Firstly, preventative cancer treatment moved another step closer through research at the University of Oxford. The study showed that proteins which can indicate cancer can appear in people’s blood more than seven years before they are diagnosed with the disease. Identifying these proteins… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news that matters

Last year marked a “turning point in the history of energy” as the world received more than 30% of its electricity from renewable sources, according to climate thinktank Ember. The share of renewables was sufficient to allow “a new era of falling power sector emissions”. Global demand for electricity rose last year, however, this was… Continue reading What went right this week: the good news that matters