Photo: Timur Valiev/Unsplash (CC0)
In today’s edition: London’s ULEZ scheme has reduced toxic air pollution and the fatalities that come with it by approximately 40%, the United States Senate approves the country’s largest housing affordability bill in decades, and Chilangas FC is giving visually impaired women the chance to play football in Mexico City.
The figures come from a study by Imperial College London which also found that toxic air pollution in London had reduced sharply, with nitrogen dioxide levels down 41% and fine particulate pollution down 28%. The city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, welcomed what he called “overwhelming evidence” that his ultra-low emission zone was saving lives.
Source: The Guardian
The bill, called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, passed with a majority of 358-32 in the US House of Representatives. On Monday, the Senate approved it with similarly overwhelming bipartisan support. Although the bill doesn’t provide new federal dollars for homebuilding, it simplifies some of the regulations homebuilders must follow to get federal financing.
Source: NPR
Burn experts in Canada are celebrating after the first use of exosome therapy on a human proved successful in treating a patient’s severe burns. The therapy is an advanced regenerative treatment that uses tiny, fluid-filled sacs called exosomes to encourage cellular repair and tissue healing.
Source: CTV News
Since 2015, roughly 65,000 people in Canada have died from opioid toxicity, and the number of fatalities in the US for the same time period is fast approaching 750,000. However, according to new data, access to free naloxone prevented approximately 76-80% of potential deaths in the province of British Columbia.
Source: CBC
Researchers at Monash University have discovered a compound that reduces amyloid buildup in the brain, a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease. This compound has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties that, when applied, improve long-term spatial memory and could also be used for conditions such as Parkinson’s and ALS.
Source: Monash
A growing body of evidences suggests that introducing generative AI into education can erode kids’ ability to develop cognitive and social skills. Norway, one of the first countries to ban smartphones in schools, is now imposing a near-ban on AI in elementary schools starting in late August.
Source: PC Mag
A project in the Eastern African nation is using algae to revive land that was previously considered barren. Now, despite extreme heat, salinity, limited water and a lack of good soil, crops are sprouting – providing food and jobs for local residents.
Source: Deutsche Welle
For many villages at high altitudes, rainfall is rarer than at lower heights and reliable sources of water in early spring are crucial. One solution offering potential relief for residents of these residents comes in the form of ice stupas or artificial glaciers, in which water is piped from higher up in the mountains, sprayed into freezing air, and over time forms large towers of ice.
Source: BBC News
Well Grounded equips unemployed people for jobs within the coffee industry thanks to their free-of-charge barista training courses. The course teaches people not just to make coffee, but shines a light on other career opportunities across the industry, such as sourcing and selling coffee beans, or even becoming a coffee grader.
Source: Reasons To Be Cheerful
Chilangas FC offers visually impaired women the chance to build confidence and meet people in similar situations in Mexico City. Founded in 2022 by coach Wendy del Río, the team was created to expand opportunities for women in a sport that has long been dominated by men. Now, they’re practicing for their next milestone: competing in the Copa América this September.
Source: Positive News
