Archive of Human Genius

The world’s largest database of good news and social change milestones from throughout human history

We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history. Filter by era, country, topic, actor, source, and more.

4411

change milestones archived


Filters


Era

Years

Topic

Country

Actor

Filters

Era

Year

Topics

Region

Countries

State/Province

Institution

Sources

  • Coal pollution
    2023 C.E. December 2

    The U.S. and six other nations commit to unabated coal phase-out

    At the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the U.S., Czech Republic, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Kosovo and Norway in formally joining the alliance, which was launched in 2017 by the U.K. and Canada. The new members have committed to not developing new unabated coal power plants and phasing out existing unabated coal plants in a bid to keep the goal of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5C within reach.


  • Ford E-Transit
    2023 C.E. November 30

    Detroit becomes first city in the U.S. to install wireless-charging roadway

    Initially, a Ford E-Transit fitted with a receiver will be used to gather data as part of a five-year pilot to perfect the technology in real-world settings and study potential public transport applications – though there are plans to open the electric road system to the public within the next few years.


  • Stupa Bodhnath Kathmandu, Nepal
    2023 C.E. November 29

    Nepal registers its historic first same-sex marriage

    After years of legal wrangling, Nepal has just become the first South Asian country to recognize a same-sex marriage.


  • Photo by Ana Lanza on Unsplash
    2023 C.E. November 22

    U.S. Inflation Reduction Act has driven $92 billion investment in EV production and 84,000 jobs

    Investment in new manufacturing capacity for zero-emissions vehicles, batteries, and critical minerals have jumped more than 250%, climbing from $14 billion in the year before Inflation Reduction Act’s passage to $51 billion in the year since its passage, according to the Clean Investment Monitor.


  • Small airplane
    2023 C.E. November 22

    Gulfstream completes first-ever transatlantic flight with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel

    SAF is designed to cut aviation carbon emissions by using sources that rely much less on fossil fuels: include maize, seed oils, algae, animal fats, oils, greases, farm residues, and more. According to Gulfstream, SAF has the potential to reduce net carbon emissions by 70%.


  • Car engine
    2023 C.E. November 21

    New Jersey to ban sales of gas-powered cars by 2035

    Under the state Department of Environmental Protection’s “Advanced Clean Cars II” rule, manufacturers must ensure that 43% of new light-duty vehicles they make in 2027 are electric, with the percentage rising annually to 100% by 2035. Most consumer cars and pickup trucks are considered light-duty.


  • Old phone
    2023 C.E. November 20

    Massachusetts becomes fifth state in nation to make prison calls free

    In July, the Legislature passed a state budget that included a requirement for corrections officials to make phone calls free for incarcerated people, but Healey pushed back to give more time to implement the program. This week’s legislation also makes video and emails free.


  • Solar farm in the desert
    2023 C.E. November 17

    The United Arab Emirates opens the world’s largest single-site solar farm

    The 2-gigawatt (GW) Al Dhafra solar farm is 22 miles (35 km) from Abu Dhabi and features almost 4 million bifacial solar panels. It will power nearly 200,000 homes and eliminate over 2.4 million tons of carbon emissions annually.


  • Aerial view of Northwestern University campus
    2023 C.E. November 16

    For the first time, U.S. prisoners graduate from top university

    Northwestern University's Prison Education Program has now welcomed its inaugural graduating class of incarcerated students. Around 100 students are enrolled in the Northwestern program across Stateville Correctional Center for men and the Logan Correctional Center for women.


  • Aerial view of facility
    2023 C.E. November 15

    Heirloom Carbon Technologies opens first carbon capture facility in the U.S.

    The team behind the project said their newly opened direct air capture (DAC) facility near San Francisco will be able to siphon CO2 out of the atmosphere and store it securely underground in concrete.


  • Coal pollution
    2023 C.E. December 2

    The U.S. and six other nations commit to unabated coal phase-out

    At the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the U.S., Czech Republic, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Kosovo and Norway in formally joining the alliance, which was launched in 2017 by the U.K. and Canada. The new members have committed to not developing new unabated coal power plants and phasing out existing unabated coal plants in a bid to keep the goal of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5C within reach.


  • Ford E-Transit
    2023 C.E. November 30

    Detroit becomes first city in the U.S. to install wireless-charging roadway

    Initially, a Ford E-Transit fitted with a receiver will be used to gather data as part of a five-year pilot to perfect the technology in real-world settings and study potential public transport applications – though there are plans to open the electric road system to the public within the next few years.


  • Stupa Bodhnath Kathmandu, Nepal
    2023 C.E. November 29

    Nepal registers its historic first same-sex marriage

    After years of legal wrangling, Nepal has just become the first South Asian country to recognize a same-sex marriage.


  • Photo by Ana Lanza on Unsplash
    2023 C.E. November 22

    U.S. Inflation Reduction Act has driven $92 billion investment in EV production and 84,000 jobs

    Investment in new manufacturing capacity for zero-emissions vehicles, batteries, and critical minerals have jumped more than 250%, climbing from $14 billion in the year before Inflation Reduction Act’s passage to $51 billion in the year since its passage, according to the Clean Investment Monitor.


  • Small airplane
    2023 C.E. November 22

    Gulfstream completes first-ever transatlantic flight with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel

    SAF is designed to cut aviation carbon emissions by using sources that rely much less on fossil fuels: include maize, seed oils, algae, animal fats, oils, greases, farm residues, and more. According to Gulfstream, SAF has the potential to reduce net carbon emissions by 70%.


  • Car engine
    2023 C.E. November 21

    New Jersey to ban sales of gas-powered cars by 2035

    Under the state Department of Environmental Protection’s “Advanced Clean Cars II” rule, manufacturers must ensure that 43% of new light-duty vehicles they make in 2027 are electric, with the percentage rising annually to 100% by 2035. Most consumer cars and pickup trucks are considered light-duty.


  • Old phone
    2023 C.E. November 20

    Massachusetts becomes fifth state in nation to make prison calls free

    In July, the Legislature passed a state budget that included a requirement for corrections officials to make phone calls free for incarcerated people, but Healey pushed back to give more time to implement the program. This week’s legislation also makes video and emails free.


  • Solar farm in the desert
    2023 C.E. November 17

    The United Arab Emirates opens the world’s largest single-site solar farm

    The 2-gigawatt (GW) Al Dhafra solar farm is 22 miles (35 km) from Abu Dhabi and features almost 4 million bifacial solar panels. It will power nearly 200,000 homes and eliminate over 2.4 million tons of carbon emissions annually.


  • Aerial view of Northwestern University campus
    2023 C.E. November 16

    For the first time, U.S. prisoners graduate from top university

    Northwestern University's Prison Education Program has now welcomed its inaugural graduating class of incarcerated students. Around 100 students are enrolled in the Northwestern program across Stateville Correctional Center for men and the Logan Correctional Center for women.


  • Aerial view of facility
    2023 C.E. November 15

    Heirloom Carbon Technologies opens first carbon capture facility in the U.S.

    The team behind the project said their newly opened direct air capture (DAC) facility near San Francisco will be able to siphon CO2 out of the atmosphere and store it securely underground in concrete.



Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the purpose of this archive?

Didn’t we humans do a bunch of terrible things too?

Is this archive biased and skewed toward a Western perspective?

Is the archive complete and comprehensive?