The Best News of 2019

Best News of 2019

Every month good things happen. Hence in the tradition of the year in review we like to remind you of three randomly selected news articles of each month.

January

For january there are no articles in our database since BetterNews.eu only launched at the end of february 2019.

February

Hot, disabled and not afraid to show it

It's hard to find a new hashtag, but Andrew Gurza did just that, with #DisabledPeopleAreHot.

26/02/2019 BBC

Scientists turn CO2 'back into coal' in breakthrough carbon capture experiment

New technique could help future removal of harmful greenhouse gas from atmosphere

26/02/2019 The Independent

Costa Rica unveils plan to achieve zero emissions by 2050 in climate change fight

Costa Rica has launched an economy-wide plan to “decarbonize” the country by 2050, as the Central American nation aims to show other nations what is possible to address climate change.

25/02/2019 The Guardian

March

India Goes Electric With Battery-Swapping Rickshaws

Because even an electric autorickshaw can be out of reach for many, SUN Mobility is trying a different tack to clean up India's air.

29/03/2019 Wired

At 71, She’s Never Felt Pain or Anxiety. Now Scientists Know Why.

Scientists discovered a previously unidentified genetic mutation in a Scottish woman. They hope it could lead to the development of new pain treatment.

28/03/2019 New York Times

Humans can make new brain cells into their 90s, scientists discover

Study may help diagnose and identify people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s much earlier

25/03/2019 The Guardian

April

Pope donates $500,000 for migrants stranded in Mexico

The money will help provide housing, food and basic needs for thousands trying to reach the US.

27/04/2019 BBC

Psychedelic renaissance: could MDMA help with PTSD, depression and anxiety?

As Australia’s first trial for psychedelic therapy for terminally ill patients gets under way, a growing movement says it could also help other conditions

14/04/2019 The Guardian

Dutch engineers build world's biggest sun-seeking solar farm

The 15 floating solar islands will possess sunflower-like ability to turn to face the sun

21/04/2019 The Guardian

May

In Mexico, New Groups Offer Aid To A Young Generation Of Deported 'DREAMers'

As former DREAMers return to Mexico with valuable skills and a desire to advance, a number of Mexican organizations are springing up to help these young people contribute to society.

26/05/2019 NPR

Making waves: the radio DJs changing the way men talk about mental health

By blending banter with heartfelt discussion, rising radio stars John Robins and Elis James have created a forum that allows men to open up about masculinity and mental health – with jokes attached

05/05/2019 The Guardian

The Radical Plan to Change How Antibiotics Get Developed

The traditional structure of the pharma business doesn't work for antibiotics. The answer might lie in removing profit from the equation.

28/05/2019 Wired

June

HPV Vaccines Are Reducing Infections, Warts — and Probably Cancer

An analysis covering 66 million young people has found plummeting rates of precancerous lesions and genital warts after vaccination against the human papillomavirus.

27/06/2019 New York Times

Replacing Plastic: Can Bacteria Help Us Break The Habit?

Entrepreneurs are eager to find substitutes for plastic that naturally degrade. One option is a "natural" plastic made by microbes and then eaten by them. But the process is still in early days.

17/06/2019 NPR

Mental illness: is there really a global epidemic?

As the Guardian launches a series looking into the extent of the global mental health challenge, we examine the issue, how it is treated and the myths surrounding it

03/06/2019 The Guardian

July

Pioneering surgery brings movement back to paralysed hands

Melbourne-based Natasha van Zyl has treated 13 young adults with nerve transfer surgery

05/07/2019 The Guardian

Once Nearly Dead As The Dodo, California Condor Comeback Reaches 1,000 Chicks

In the 1980s, there were less than two dozen California Condors left. Today, more than 500 exist in the world, thanks to the efforts of conservationists.

21/07/2019 NPR

Putting pigs in the shade: the radical farming system banking on trees | John Vidal

A farm in Portugal is showing how the ancient art of silvopasture – combining livestock with productive trees – may offer some real answers to the climate crisis

13/07/2019 The Guardian

August

Actually, Gender-Neutral Pronouns Can Change a Culture

In 2012 a non-gendered pronoun dropped into Swedish discourse. Today it's widely used—and it's nudging people to see the world a little differently.

15/08/2019 Wired

A Tennessee Farm Grows A New Generation Of Social Justice Activists

The Children's Defense Fund is training young people at its Haley Farm in east Tennessee to run summer enrichment programs modeled after Civil Rights era Freedom Schools.

02/08/2019 NPR

Google pledges carbon-neutral shipping, recycled plastic for all devices

Alphabet Inc's Google on Monday announced that it would neutralize carbon emissions from delivering consumer hardware by next year and include recycled plastic in each of its products by 2022.

05/08/2019 Reuters

September

New York’s Original Teen-Age Climate Striker Welcomes a Global Movement

Carolyn Kormann writes about Alexandria Villaseñor, a teen-ager in New York who has played a key role in organizing the global climate strike that took place this week in cities around the world.

21/09/2019 The New Yorker

Let's All Just Chill About Processed Foods

Processed foods are bad for you, right? So super-processed, plant-based meat must be terrible, right? Not so fast on either count.

09/09/2019 Wired

How A Prenatal 'Bootcamp' For New Dads Helps The Whole Family

Prenatal classes often focus on Mom-to-be — on her shifting role and emotional needs, along with new skills. But if Dad gets sidelined early into a supporting role, research shows, everybody loses.

08/09/2019 NPR

October

How to make use of all of a tree

In Finland’S vast forest lives a monster with a voracious appetite. Once, it would have been called a pulp mill. But after a recent makeover costing €1.2bn ($1.3bn) it is now known as a bioproducts mill—and as such is one of the biggest in the world.

17/10/2019 Economist

Employers ease flying guilt by awarding extra holiday time for rail travel

It is surely the prospect of spending an entire day getting to a holiday destination rather than a few hours that has made flying the choice of travel for millions - to the clear detriment of the environment.

12/10/2019 Telegraph

Reusable boxes for a takeaway without the throwaway

A returnable lunchbox scheme is being trialled at a London food market in a bid to reduce packaging

08/10/2019 Positive News

November

How do you like your beef… old-style cow or 3D-printed?

After the success of the Greggs vegan sausage roll and the juicy-yet-meatless Impossible Burger, the next new food sensation is coming to a plate near you: 3D-printed steaks and chicken thighs.

10/11/2019 The Guardian

How I found my vocation: 'After prison, studying made me feel normal'

I thought I’d blown any hope of having a normal life, but going to uni gave me a second chance

06/11/2019 The Guardian

Why Didn’t She Get Alzheimer’s? The Answer Could Hold a Key to Fighting the Disease

Researchers have found a woman with a rare genetic mutation that has protected her from dementia even though her brain has developed major neurological features of the disease.

04/11/2019 New York Times