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🌟 Today's Lead

Lab-Grown Human Spinal Cord Heals After Injury in World First

Scientists at Northwestern University have built a functional human spinal cord in miniature, injured it, and then healed it — a world first. The lab-grown "organoids" accurately replicate the devastating cascade following spinal cord trauma: cell death, inflammation, and glial scarring. Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the breakthrough provides a new platform to test treatments on human tissue, potentially compressing drug development timelines from decades to years.

For the estimated 500,000 people who sustain spinal cord injuries globally each year — with no approved treatment to reverse paralysis — this is a genuine acceleration in the search for a cure. The team showed that an experimental nanomedicine treatment could reduce scarring and promote nerve cell survival in the organoids.

Read the full story → · Source: Northwestern University

In Brief

🌍 China's Clean Energy Capacity Surpasses Fossil Fuels — A Global First

As of February 2026, 52% of China's operating power capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources — the first time clean energy has surpassed fossil fuels in the world's largest energy consumer. China installed over 430 million kilowatts of new solar and wind in 2025 alone, a 22% increase. Solar capacity is projected to surpass coal within 12 months.

Read the full story → · Source: Global Energy Monitor / IndexBox

🏥 FDA Approves First Wearable Device for Pancreatic Cancer

The FDA has approved Optune Pax — a first-of-its-kind portable device that uses electric fields to disrupt cancer cell division in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. With a five-year survival rate of just 12%, pancreatic cancer has desperately needed new treatment modalities. This non-invasive device can be worn at home alongside chemotherapy.

Read the full story → · Source: FDA / GlobeNewsWire

⚡ EU Wind and Solar Outpace Fossil Fuels for First Time

Europe crossed a historic threshold in 2025: wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels for the first time across the entire EU. Combined with Portugal hitting 80.7% renewables in January and the UK's record 7.4 GW auction, Europe's energy transition is now empirical reality.

Read the full story → · Source: TWIB News

🦴 Scientists Crack How Exercise Strengthens Bones

University of Hong Kong researchers identified Piezo1, a protein "switch" that explains how physical force translates to stronger bones. The discovery could lead to drugs that replicate exercise's bone-building benefits for the 200+ million people with osteoporosis who can't exercise enough.

Read the full story → · Source: University of Hong Kong

🇬🇧 UK Secures Record 7.4 GW Renewables Auction

Britain's largest-ever renewables auction locks in 7.4 GW of new solar, onshore wind, and tidal power. New renewables are now 50% cheaper than new gas — the economic case for fossil fuel expansion is collapsing.

Read the full story → · Source: Carbon Brief

🦅 Sardinia's Vultures Stage Spectacular Comeback

Griffon vultures, on the brink of extinction in Sardinia a decade ago, have recovered to over 500 individuals — one of Italy's greatest conservation success stories.

Read the full story → · Source: Euronews Green

🚢 Stockholm's 'Flying' Ferry Declared a Success

An electric hydrofoil ferry that "flies" above the water — cutting energy use 80% — has been declared a resounding success after a year of operation in Stockholm.

Read the full story → · Source: Euronews Green

🐙 800 Species Discovered Beneath the Pacific

Five years at sea reveals nearly 800 species — many new to science — on the deep Pacific seabed, just as mining companies eye the area for critical metals.

Read the full story → · Source: ScienceDaily

🌱 Soil Secret Doubles Forest Recovery Speed

Decades of Central American data shows tropical forests recover twice as fast when soils have enough nitrogen — a simple test that could transform global reforestation strategy.

Read the full story → · Source: ScienceDaily

📊 Progress by Numbers

• 52% — Share of China's power capacity now from clean energy sources, surpassing fossil fuels for the first time
• 800 — Species documented on the deep Pacific seabed, many never seen before
• 80% — Energy reduction achieved by Stockholm's hydrofoil electric ferry vs. conventional ferries
• 7.4 GW — Record renewable capacity secured in UK's largest-ever clean energy auction

💡 One Thing You Can Do

Take a 15-minute walk. Today's research on how exercise strengthens bones shows that even moderate physical activity activates the Piezo1 protein that builds bone density. You don't need a gym — a brisk walk creates enough mechanical stress to trigger the effect. Your skeleton will thank you.

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