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.

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  • Aerial view of London and the Thames
    2024 C.E. January 2

    U.K. use of gas and coal for electricity at lowest since 1957

    The UK’s gas power plants last year generated 31% of the UK’s electricity, or 98 terawatt hours, according to a report by the industry journal Carbon Brief, while the UK’s last remaining coal plant produced enough electricity to meet just 1% of the UK’s power demand or 4TWh. Fossil fuels have been increasingly squeezed out of the electricity system by a surge in renewable energy generation combined with higher electricity imports from France and Norway and a long-term trend of falling demand.


  • Houseless person lying on the ground
    2024 C.E. January 1

    Denver meets goal of housing 1000 unhoused people before 2024

    With the opening of a new micro-community in northeast Denver, Mayor Mike Johnston estimated over 1,100 hundred people will have been housed before the end of 2023. "As of yesterday, this city succeeded, in under six months, in moving more than 1,000 people off of the streets and into housing," he said.


  • american public power association eIBTh DXW w unsplash
    2024 C.E. January 30

    In Scotland, renewable power has outstripped demand

    For the first time, in 2022, Scottish renewables generated more power than the country used, new government figures show. The growth of wind power, coupled with a small drop in electricity consumption, meant that the volume of electricity produced by renewables in Scotland was equal to 113 percent of demand.


  • Front of totaled car
    2023 C.E. December 31

    Road traffic deaths have fallen significantly across the globe since 2010

    The new 2023 World Health Organization report on road safety shows that, since 2010, road traffic deaths have fallen by 5%—and that would translate into a 16% drop if the rise in global population was accounted for. 108 countries reported a drop in road traffic-related deaths between 2010 and 2021. Ten countries succeeded in reducing road traffic deaths by over 50%.


  • "Do not cross police barricade" tape
    2023 C.E. December 29

    Homicides in the U.S. see historic decline in 2023

    Murders are down 12.8% over last year across more than 175 cities, according to criminal justice data analyzed by firm AH Datalytics. The findings come as a recent Gallup poll shows that more than 77% of Americans believe that there is more crime than there was a year ago.


  • Wild Saiga antelopes in steppe near watering pond
    2023 C.E. December 29

    Saiga no longer endangered with 1.9 million roaming Central Asian Steppe

    The IUCN Red List status of this timeless talisman of the Central Asian steppes has been changed from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. The dramatic downlisting reflects a remarkable rebound in saiga numbers, particularly its Kazakhstan stronghold, where populations have bounced back from a perilously low 48,000 individuals in 2005 to a new high of over 1.9 million.


  • A row of school buses
    2023 C.E. December 29

    Electric school buses more than doubled in U.S. in last year

    The number of electric school buses operating or delivered in the U.S. rose from 598 in March 2022 to 1,285 in June 2023. The number of electric school buses that have been ordered or awarded funding nearly tripled in the same period. Forty-nine states had electric school bus commitments as of June 2023.


  • Biogas plant in agricultural landscape.
    2023 C.E. December 28

    South Korea to require producers of organic waste resources to make biogas

    According to the East Asian nation's Environment Ministry’s new biogas law, public and private industries that generate organic waste such as livestock manure and food waste will now be required to produce them in the form of biogas. Biogas is a gaseous renewable energy source produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, plant material and manure and can be used in vehicles that operate on natural gas.


  • Person sitting on a bench overlooking sunset
    2023 C.E. December 28

    Mindfulness program proves a secret weapon against post-traumatic stress, according to new study

    A new study from Australia's Murdoch University evaluating the effectiveness of an eight-week program focusing on self-compassion and mindfulness found that it reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress and improved quality of life and connectivity in parts of the brain that regulate emotions.


  • JAC Motors sodium-ion battery EV
    2023 C.E. December 27

    China’s JAC Motors rolls out world’s first commercial lithium-free EV

    Although sodium-ion battery technology has a lower density (and is less mature) than lithium-ion, its lower costs, more abundant supplies and superior cold-weather performance could help accelerate mass EV adoption worldwide.


  • Aerial view of London and the Thames
    2024 C.E. January 2

    U.K. use of gas and coal for electricity at lowest since 1957

    The UK’s gas power plants last year generated 31% of the UK’s electricity, or 98 terawatt hours, according to a report by the industry journal Carbon Brief, while the UK’s last remaining coal plant produced enough electricity to meet just 1% of the UK’s power demand or 4TWh. Fossil fuels have been increasingly squeezed out of the electricity system by a surge in renewable energy generation combined with higher electricity imports from France and Norway and a long-term trend of falling demand.


  • Houseless person lying on the ground
    2024 C.E. January 1

    Denver meets goal of housing 1000 unhoused people before 2024

    With the opening of a new micro-community in northeast Denver, Mayor Mike Johnston estimated over 1,100 hundred people will have been housed before the end of 2023. "As of yesterday, this city succeeded, in under six months, in moving more than 1,000 people off of the streets and into housing," he said.


  • american public power association eIBTh DXW w unsplash
    2024 C.E. January 30

    In Scotland, renewable power has outstripped demand

    For the first time, in 2022, Scottish renewables generated more power than the country used, new government figures show. The growth of wind power, coupled with a small drop in electricity consumption, meant that the volume of electricity produced by renewables in Scotland was equal to 113 percent of demand.


  • Front of totaled car
    2023 C.E. December 31

    Road traffic deaths have fallen significantly across the globe since 2010

    The new 2023 World Health Organization report on road safety shows that, since 2010, road traffic deaths have fallen by 5%—and that would translate into a 16% drop if the rise in global population was accounted for. 108 countries reported a drop in road traffic-related deaths between 2010 and 2021. Ten countries succeeded in reducing road traffic deaths by over 50%.


  • "Do not cross police barricade" tape
    2023 C.E. December 29

    Homicides in the U.S. see historic decline in 2023

    Murders are down 12.8% over last year across more than 175 cities, according to criminal justice data analyzed by firm AH Datalytics. The findings come as a recent Gallup poll shows that more than 77% of Americans believe that there is more crime than there was a year ago.


  • Wild Saiga antelopes in steppe near watering pond
    2023 C.E. December 29

    Saiga no longer endangered with 1.9 million roaming Central Asian Steppe

    The IUCN Red List status of this timeless talisman of the Central Asian steppes has been changed from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. The dramatic downlisting reflects a remarkable rebound in saiga numbers, particularly its Kazakhstan stronghold, where populations have bounced back from a perilously low 48,000 individuals in 2005 to a new high of over 1.9 million.


  • A row of school buses
    2023 C.E. December 29

    Electric school buses more than doubled in U.S. in last year

    The number of electric school buses operating or delivered in the U.S. rose from 598 in March 2022 to 1,285 in June 2023. The number of electric school buses that have been ordered or awarded funding nearly tripled in the same period. Forty-nine states had electric school bus commitments as of June 2023.


  • Biogas plant in agricultural landscape.
    2023 C.E. December 28

    South Korea to require producers of organic waste resources to make biogas

    According to the East Asian nation's Environment Ministry’s new biogas law, public and private industries that generate organic waste such as livestock manure and food waste will now be required to produce them in the form of biogas. Biogas is a gaseous renewable energy source produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, plant material and manure and can be used in vehicles that operate on natural gas.


  • Person sitting on a bench overlooking sunset
    2023 C.E. December 28

    Mindfulness program proves a secret weapon against post-traumatic stress, according to new study

    A new study from Australia's Murdoch University evaluating the effectiveness of an eight-week program focusing on self-compassion and mindfulness found that it reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress and improved quality of life and connectivity in parts of the brain that regulate emotions.


  • JAC Motors sodium-ion battery EV
    2023 C.E. December 27

    China’s JAC Motors rolls out world’s first commercial lithium-free EV

    Although sodium-ion battery technology has a lower density (and is less mature) than lithium-ion, its lower costs, more abundant supplies and superior cold-weather performance could help accelerate mass EV adoption worldwide.



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