This week’s positive news

Good morning!

Here is this week’s reminder that some things are going in the right direction. Have a great week!

Fewer young people suffer from skin cancer

Fewer and fewer young people are getting melanoma, according to a study published last week. Since the 60s, when sun holidays were popularized, skin cancer has been on the rise, but around 2015 the numbers for those under 50 start to decrease instead. At the same time, the mortality rate for those in the group who got melanoma also started to drop. Because melanoma takes a long time to develop, and that there was a risk that it was just a temporary dip, they chose to wait until now to publish the news. Other countries in Europe have seen a stagnation of cases, but Sweden is the first country to see a decrease. The exact reason has not been determined, but better sun habits and less tanning bed use are believed to have contributed. (Thanks u/LimJans for the tip!)

First test round of hyperloop trains completed in Europe

Last week, the first successful test of a hyperloop train was carried out in Europe. Hyperloop is a type of maglev train; using magnetic levitation, they float above the tracks. This means that there is hardly any drag, meaning they need very little fuel to move forward. The trains have – in theory – the ability to transport goods and people at approx. 700km/h with close to zero emissions. However, getting the hyperloop trains to work in reality has been trickier than many thought. The test was conducted at a modest 30 km/h, but plans are being made to do a 100 km/h test before the end of the year. Both the EU and the company themselves have as a goal that there should be hyperloop trains in Europe by 2030, and that they should become a real alternative to flying. Some airports, including Schipol, have started to look at building hyperloop stations to be able to replace short flights with hyperloop trains. A trip between Stockholm and Gothenburg, for example, would take 40 minutes, which is significantly faster than today’s alternative (according to Google Maps: flight: 55 minutes, train: 3-4 hours).

Floating Gardens in Chicago

In Chicago in the USA, they have chosen a different path when it comes to saving the wetlands. Floating gardens built on some kind of pontoon have been moored in the city’s canal. The gardens are designed to mimic the wetlands that existed there before the city was built, and contain over 50 different varieties of planted species. Gradually, even more species have found their way there from the wild, which was what was hoped for. In addition to making the city more pleasant, this also strengthens the local ecosystems and the animals’ access to food. (Thanks u/siraelwindrunner for the tip!)

The world’s first eye transplant

About a year ago, the world’s first transplant of an entire eye was carried out in connection with a face transplant. The recipient, who lost large parts of his face in a workplace accident, is still unable to see with the transplanted eye, but has otherwise been fully accepted by his body. There was great concern that it would shrink over time, but that has not happened. It has proper pressure and good blood supply, and the retina reacts to light, indicating that the nerves are intact. It opens the door for vision to eventually be restored in the eye. All in all, the operation and rehabilitation have gone much better than the doctors dared to hope for.

Endings and Sources:

These posts have got their own website! It is u/amteapotsometimes who made it. We’re having some trouble writing the link directly in the post, but I’ll put it in a comment below. If you yourself have come across any positive news, please write it in a comment or send a PM, and I can include it in next week’s post.

• Eye transplant: 1 2
• Floating Gardens: 1 2 3
• Skin cancer: 1 2
• Hyperloop train: 1 2 3