50 New Species Discovered Each Day in 2006
16,969 species new to science were discovered and described in 2006 -- an average of nearly 50 species per day -- reports the International Institute for Species Exploration in partnership with the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. (Read All Good Bites)
Whale Numbers Booming for Great Barrier Reef
The number of whales migrating off Australia's Queensland coast is predicted to hit a 50-year high this season, said the species conservation manager for the reef.
UN Finds Global Hunger Easing in 2010
The number of people in the world suffering chronic malnutrition fell for the first time in 15 years -- down 9.3 percent in 2010, according to the United Nations' food agency. - FAO
Turkmenistan Teens Can Now Attend College
Turkmenistan’s new president has scrapped a rule that required high school graduates to work for two years before they enter university. President Gubanguli Berdymukhamedov signed an order dropping work requirements and reinstating university entrance exams.
Leprosy Has Been Almost Entirely Defeated
Leprosy has been almost entirely defeated: Worldwide cases have dropped 97% since 1985, and it is now easily treatable, with a global target of 2020 as the year when no more children will suffer from the deformity.
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)
Fewest Americans Killed in 2013 Lightning Strikes Than Any Year Before
Thanks to public safety awareness, lightning strikes killed fewer people in the U.S. last year than in any other year on record, according to federal officials at NOAA. Compared to 70 years ago when 432 people were struck and killed, the 2013 total reached just 23. (NBC)
Eastern Congo Rebel Group Lays Down Arms in Defeat
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the defeated M23 rebel group, whose bloody insurgency displaced 800,000 people, announced it is ending its attacks, laying down its arms and signing a peace deal with the government on Monday. - Reuters
EU’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sink to Lowest Since 1990
Greenhouse gases fell by 3.3 % in the European Union in 2011 to the lowest reported level of emissions since 1990 -- even while the economy gained 1.6 % in GDP. The total EU emissions that year were 18.4 % below 1990 levels, according to data compiled by the European Environment Agency.
Percentage of Californians Walking, Biking, or Using Transit Doubles Since 2000
The percentage of California residents walking, biking, or using public transportation has more than doubled since 2000 -- from 11 percent to 23 percent for the typical daily household trips. (CA DOT survey)
Worldwide Renewable Energy Jobs Hit Almost 6.5 Million In 2013
Global renewable jobs hit almost 6.5 million in 2013, a 14 percent increase over the previous year, driven by the rising solar market and employment in China, says a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency.
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
First Asian-American Judge Ever in Virginia
Prosecutor John M. Tran, elected to the Fairfax County Circuit Court on April 4 by the state's General Assembly, became the first Asian-American to serve as a judge in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
US Finally Regains the Jobs Lost in the Recession
The U.S. economy has reached a milestone: It has finally regained all 8.8 million private-sector jobs it lost during the Great Recession. March 2014 job growth figures also signaled that stronger gains could lie ahead. -AP
Germany Shatters Another Renewable Energy Record
Germany has shattered another record: In the first half of 2014, 31% of the entire country was powered by renewable energy. (Inhabitat)
Mild Season for Tornado Alley
"During a remarkable 17-day lull from mid-May through early June, there were no tornado watches issued anywhere in the United States, a period that is typically the height of the season in Tornado Alley," reported the AP this week. (July 31, 2009)
Salmon Rebound on Columbia River Results in Record Fall Run
The 2013 chinook salmon run on the Columbia River is the largest ever, and could hit 1 million fish, following years of court-ordered actions to make the 14 dams in the Columbia Basin less lethal to fish. -AP
Mexican drug homicides fall 14 percent in four months
Mexico said on April 11 that killings linked to organized crime fell 14 percent in the first four months of the presidency of Enrique Pena Nieto, who has vowed to reduce murder, kidnapping, and extortion. (Reuters)
Fewer Pirate Attacks on World Seas in 2011
With more international boats patrolling the high seas, piracy in 2011 dropped for the first time in five years. Pirate attacks in the South China Sea were cut by almost two thirds and Bangladesh incidents plunged by more than half. -Associated Press
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)