In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we’re exploring how low and middle income countries are spearheading the fight against air pollution, a project to create a “Yellowstone for Europe” in Romania, and rogue rewilders taking the reintroduction of lost and endangered UK species into their own hands.
Colombia and Mali leading efforts to improve air quality, new ranking finds
Low and middle income countries are actively addressing air pollution in climate plans, while UAE, host of Cop28, is among the richer nations lagging behind.
Source: The Guardian
“A Yellowstone for Europe”: Romania’s plan for a vast new wilderness reserve
A project to create Europe’s largest forested national park aims to protect 200,000 hectares of wilderness as well as boost ecotourism in support of local communities.
Source: The Guardian
Guerrilla rewilders are defying the government to revive UK’s biodiversity
A burgeoning movement of rogue rewilders has taken matters into their own hands, clandestinely breeding butterflies, birds, and beavers and releasing them across the country in defiance of the law.
Source: Positive News
Innovative 3D printing method holds promise for brain injury repair
Scientists at the University of Oxford have successfully employed 3D printing technology to recreate neural cells that closely resemble the cerebral cortex, the brain’s outermost layer. This breakthrough holds the potential to open new avenues for brain injury treatments.
Source: Euronews
Nigeria initiates mass HPV vaccination drive to combat cervical cancer
In a significant effort to significantly decrease cervical cancer prevalence, Nigeria has launched a massive vaccination campaign targeting the human papillomavirus (HPV). This initiative seeks to vaccinate 16.6 million girls between the ages of 9 and 14 by the end of 2025.
Source: Africa News
Japanese city tests EV wireless charging at traffic lights
The project is currently underway in the Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City, with the in-motion power supply system is now undergoing rigorous testing to evaluate its durability and consistency in providing charging for both EVs and plug-in hybrids moving over it.
Source: Electrek
Solar-powered floating health clinics bring vital care to isolated Assam islands
In Assam, India, solar-powered boats are transforming into mobile hospitals, delivering essential healthcare services to the remote island communities situated along the sprawling Brahmaputra River.
Source: Reasons To Be Cheerful
Pottery-based water purification solutions for Navajo nation in Texas
Many regions in the American Southwest continue to grapple with a concerning lack of access to clean, potable water. A new approach involves lining clay pots with locally sourced pine tree resin and integrating minute silver-based particles, turning impure water into a safe, drinkable resource.
Source: Tech Xplore
Preserving avian biodiversity in Arizona’s Native American communities
The Liberty Wildlife Non-Eagle Feather Repository has worked to provide Native Americans with a legal and no-cost source of non-eagle feathers and birds for ceremonial, religious and healing purposes – preventing environmentally damaging black market sales.
Source: Reasons To Be Cheerful
Rwandan entrepreneur creates card game to challenge mental health stigma
In a bid to combat the stigma surrounding mental health, a creative entrepreneur from Rwanda has unveiled Deeper Conversations, an inventive card game comprising 55 carefully designed cards.