The Best News of Last Year — 2024 Edition
Welcome to our special edition newsletter recapping the best news from the past year. I’ve picked one highlight from each month to give you a snapshot of 2024.
No frills, just straightforward news that mattered. Let’s relive the good stuff that made our year shine.
1. January — South Korea passes law banning dog meat trade
The slaughter and sale of dogs for their meat is to become illegal in South Korea after MPs backed a new law. The legislation, set to come into force by 2027, aims to end the centuries-old practice of humans eating dog meat.
2. February — Greece legalises same-sex marriage
Greece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples will now also be legally allowed to adopt children after Thursday’s 176–76 vote in parliament. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new law would “boldly abolish a serious inequality”.
3. March — Global child deaths reach historic low in 2022 — UN report
The number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low, dropping to 4.9 million in 2022. The report reveals that more children are surviving today than ever before, with the global under-5 mortality rate declining by 51 per cent since 2000.
4. April — Restoring sight is possible now with optogenetics
Max Hodak’s startup, Science, is developing gene therapy solutions to restore vision for individuals with macular degeneration and similar conditions. The Science Eye utilizes optogenetics, injecting opsins into the eye to enhance light sensitivity in retinal cells. Clinical trials and advancements in optogenetics are showing promising results, with the potential to significantly improve vision for those affected by retinal diseases.
Scientists at UC Riverside have demonstrated a new, RNA-based vaccine strategy that is effective against any strain of a virus and can be used safely even by babies or the immunocompromised.
6. June — Bill Gates-backed startup creates Lego-like brick that can store air pollution for centuries
The Washington Post detailed a “deceptively simple” procedure by Graphyte to store a ton of CO2 for around $100 a ton, a number long considered a milestone for affordably removing carbon dioxide from the air. Direct air capture technologies used in the United States and Iceland cost $600 to $1,200 per ton, per the Post.
A 59-year-old man had been suffering from diabetes for 25 years, needing more and more insulin every day to avoid slipping into a diabetic coma and was at risk of death. But then Chinese researchers cured his disease for the first time in the world. The patient received a cell transplant in 2021 and has not taken any medication since 2022.
8. August — Chinese drones will fly trash out of Everest slopes
Come autumn, Nepal will deploy heavy lifter drones to transport garbage from the 6,812-metre tall Ama Dablam, south of Everest. This will be the first commercial work an unmanned aerial vehicle does in Nepal’s high-altitude zone.
9. November — Tokyo to make day care free to boost birth rate
Tokyo plans to make day care free for all preschool children starting in September, the city governor has announced as part of efforts to boost Japan’s low birth rate.
10. October — FTC Rule Banning Fake Product Reviews Takes Effect With Stiff Penalties
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan announced on Oct. 21 that the agency’s prohibition on fake online reviews was taking effect, imposing fines as high as $50,000 for violations. Khan encouraged followers to report the proscribed practices at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
11. November — Bumblebee population increases 116 times over in ‘remarkable’ Scotland rewilding project
The bumblebee population has made an impressive comeback in a developed area by increasing to 116 times what it was two years ago thanks to a nature restoration group.
12. December — Spain to enshrine gay marriage and abortion rights into its constitution so ‘they cannot be undone in the future’
The left-wing PSOE leader made the announcement at an event marking the 46th anniversary of the Spanish Magna Carta.
“We believe that these are rights that we must protect in the Constitution so that no one can touch them in the future,” Sanchez said in a statement in parliament on Friday.
And there you have it — a year’s worth of uplifting news! I hope these positive stories brought a bit of joy to your inbox. As I wrap up this special edition, I want to thank all my supporters!
