Policy & Governance Ireland Becomes First Country to Make Basic Income for Artists Permanent Ireland becomes the first country to make a basic income for artists permanent, after a pilot generated €100m in benefits from €25m invested.
Policy & Governance San Francisco Makes Childcare Free — And Other US Cities Are Following San Francisco offers free childcare for families earning under $230,000, joining NYC and New Mexico in a growing US movement toward universal provision.
Environment & Climate The Evidence Is in Our Hair — A Century of Proof That Environmental Regulation Works Archived hair samples spanning 100+ years show lead exposure collapsed after EPA regulations — tangible proof that environmental rules save lives.
Community & Society America's Murder Rate Just Hit a 125-Year Low U.S. homicide rates fell 21% in 2025, reaching potentially the lowest level since 1900 — a dramatic reversal from the 2020 spike.
Health & Medicine Lab-Grown Immune Commanders Could Democratise Cancer Therapy UBC scientists have grown helper T cells from stem cells for the first time, potentially unlocking affordable, off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy.
Science & Technology Hot Sand, Cool Planet — Finland's Sand Battery Goes Industrial Finland's first industrial sand battery produces fossil-free steam for a brewery, cutting energy bills by 70% and tackling the hardest sector to decarbonise.
Environment & Climate Portugal Powers Past 80% Renewable Electricity — Topping the EU Portugal generated 80.7% of its electricity from renewables in January 2026, topping the EU and recovering from last year's blackout.
Environment & Climate Colombia's Forests Are Breathing Easier — Deforestation Falls 25% in a Year Colombia reports 25% less deforestation year-on-year as its Conservar Paga programme pays thousands of families to protect forests.
Policy & Governance Ireland Becomes First Country to Make Basic Income for Artists Permanent Ireland becomes the first country to make a basic income for artists permanent, after a pilot generated €100m in benefits from €25m invested.
Policy & Governance Olympics Enforce First-Ever Ban on 'Forever Chemical' Ski Waxes — And It's Working Three athletes disqualified at Milan-Cortina 2026 for using PFAS ski wax. The first enforced Olympic ban on forever chemicals is proving these alternatives work.
Health & Medicine Time-Restricted Eating Cuts Crohn's Disease Activity by 40% in Clinical Trial A randomised trial found that eating within an 8-hour window reduced Crohn's disease activity by 40% — a free, accessible complement to existing treatments.
Environment & Climate European Bison Roam the Carpathians Again After a Century Wild European bison roam Romania's Carpathians for the first time in 100 years. A Science study shows they're restoring the ecosystems they walk through.
Science & Technology Calcium-Ion Batteries Hit 1,000 Cycles in Breakthrough That Could End Lithium Dependence HKUST researchers achieve 1,000 cycles with calcium-ion batteries using a novel electrolyte — a step toward ending dependence on scarce lithium.
Science & Technology Life's Building Blocks May Have Formed in Frozen Ice, Not Warm Water — Asteroid Bennu Reveals Asteroid Bennu samples suggest life's building blocks formed in frozen ice, not warm water — vastly expanding where in the universe life could begin.
Health & Medicine AI Prosthetic Arms Feel Most Natural at One Second Per Reach, VR Study Finds A VR study found AI prosthetic arms feel most natural at human speed — one second per reach. Faster feels creepy, slower feels frustrating.
Environment & Climate From Coal Slag to Green Flag: How a French Mining Town Became a Blueprint for Just Transition A French mining town spent 20 years transforming into a sustainability model. Loos-en-Gohelle shows what a just transition looks like in practice.
Daily Digest Featured The Olympics just banned 'forever chemicals' — and athletes are getting disqualified Three athletes DQ'd for PFAS ski wax at Milan-Cortina. Plus: a free tool for Crohn's disease, China's coal decline, first Zika drug candidate, and brain cell rejuvenation.
