US Vehicles Hit Record Gas Mileage in 2012
New cars and trucks sold in the US in 2012 hit a record for average of miles per gallon - 23.6 - in combined city and highway driving through improvements to engines and transmissions. Carbon dioxide emissions also hit a record low.
Canada’s Crime Rate Down to Lowest Levels Since 1969
Police-reported crime statistics for 2013 show overall declines for most types of crime, including the national homicide rate which fell to its lowest rate since 1966. (Report)
Antibiotic Use in Children has Dropped
The number of children taking antibiotics has decreased over the past decade with fewer unnecessary prescriptions being written in every age group, according to a study in the March 2014 Pediatrics that examined the years 2000-2010. - American Academy of Pediatrics
Olympic Stadium Lighting is Made in Iowa
The US Olympic uniforms may have been made in China, but the stadium lighting was made in America. A company called Musco, in Muscatine, Iowa has lit every Olympic game since 1984 -- as well as center court at Wimbledon, the World Trade Center site and probably your kid's sporting field. (Musco.com)
Number of Happy Russians Breaks Record
The number of happy Russians rose to a record 82 percent in April, eclipsing the previous high of 77 percent recorded in March 2008, All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center reported on Monday. - from Ria Novosti
Panda Numbers Doubled
A new method of counting Giant Pandas in the wild using DNA revealed there was more than double the estimated number living in one reserve and, based on the finding, as many as 3,000 of the elusive and endangered animals in the mountains of China, rather than the 1,590 previously thought.
(Read All Good Bites)
NBA Player Comes Out as First Openly Gay US Pro Athlete
NBA player Jason Collins, 34 came out as the first openly gay professional athlete in America, drawing surprise and praise from fans and teammates. (2013, US News)
Rainforest destruction cut by 25%
Destruction of the world's rain forests has declined by 25 percent in the three most important regions -- the Amazon, the Congo and the Borneo Mekong -- during the last decade, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
AIDS Deaths Down in 2007
The number of AIDS deaths worldwide dropped 10 percent in 2007, as did the number of new infections in children, because of increasing access to treatment, the United Nations reported. Prevention efforts like condom use and education tripled in some countries. (2008/07/29)
Stunning Millenium Goal Progress on Educating Children
Over the past 12 years, the world has made stunning progress toward the goal of increasing the number of children attending primary school -- adding 37 million kids to school rolls, an increase of 35 percent. - NY Times
HIV Drops in India
The prevalence of new H.I.V. infections has fallen significantly in southern India, the region most heavily infected. The decline by more than a third from 2000 through 2004 was attributed to increasing use of condoms. — Lancet, 06/3/31
Chicago Gun Violence is Down for 8th Month in a Row
Chicago Gun Violence is Down for 8th Month in a Row, according to city crime report. (ABC News)
Smoking Falls to Lowest Level in UK Since 1940s
The proportion of adults smoking in the UK has declined to its lowest level since recording started in the 1940s. (Guardian)
Tesla Gives Away All its Patents To Spur Electric Car Growth
To further advance electric vehicle technology and address the carbon crisis, Tesla Motors has opened all its patents to its competitors, saying it will not initiate lawsuits against any who use their technology in good faith.
NY Subway Crime Dips to Lowest Rate in 37 Years
New York subway crime has plummeted more than 37 percent in 2006. That's on top of the decrease in 2005 of about 5.5 percent. Robberies were down 21 percent in 2006. Grand larcenies declined 46 percent and assaults fell 55 percent, NYPD data showed.
Random House Ups Recycled Paper Usage
Leading U.S. publisher Random House will use more recycled paper in its books — up to 30 percent from its current 3 percent — and preserve more than 550,000 trees a year. By 2010 nearly a third of the uncoated paper used will be recycled and at least 10 percent for glossy paper within two years.
Polio Vaccines in Somalia
The World Health Organization has launched a five-day polio immunization campaign in Somalia to vaccinate nearly one and a half million children under age five against the crippling disease, which is on the decline there.
Suicide Rate Drops in Young Men
"The suicide rate among young men in England and Wales is at the lowest level for 30 years," reports the BBC. For males aged 15 to 24, the overall suicide rate dropped from 16.6 per 100,000 people in 1990 to 8.5 per 100,000 in 2005. Amongst men aged 25 to 34, overall suicide rates declined almost seven percent. (Read All Good Bites)
Violence Against US Children Drops
A comparison of 50 types of violence against American children revealed significant declines of up to 50-63% in 27 of the categories, including assault, bullying, and sexual victimization -- and no increases -- between 2003 and 2011. - Study by Crimes Against Children Research Center. (CNN)
World Manufacturing Ends 2013 on Strong Note
Global manufacturing ended 2013 on a strong note as major exporters like Japan, Germany, and Italy posted their fastest growth in years, and China saw no major slowdown in manufacturing output. (Reuters)