Today on Squirrel News, we learn that millions more children go to school today than in 2000, an innovative type of insulin which could reduce the number of shots diabetics will need to once a week, and a new network of Pink Buses supporting girls’ and womens’ education and careers in Pakistan.
Global school attendance rate up by 40% since 2000
The number of children not attending school worldwide has dropped from 390 million in 2000 to 244 million in 2023, marking significant progress despite global population growth.
New Pink Bus routes get girls and female teachers to school safely in Islamabad
The Pakistani government has launched a network of bus routes exclusively for female students and teachers. The Pink Buses address both safety and transport issues, making girls’ and womens’ commutes safer and easier, ensuring that they continue pursuing their educations or careers.
New Indonesian laws disencourage young people from smoking
The Indonesian government has raised the legal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21 and banned the sale of single cigarettes, which made it easier for young people to buy them. Online advertising will also be restricted unless age verification is in place.
The Italian government has passed legislation to streamline the approval process for renewable energy projects by reducing the number of required procedures and exempting small plants from approval unless they are in protected areas. Fines will be imposed on plants built illegally.
Cosy, quiet and efficient: how New York is pioneering eco-friendly apartments
Sendero Verde is an electric-powered complex of affordable, energy-efficient housing. The hundreds of ‘passive’ homes, which house low income and formerly homeless people, spend about half the energy of equivalent non-passive ones thanks to insulation, sealing, thick windows and ventilation.
CDC recommends better pain management for IUD insertion
IUDs are a commonly used and effective birth control method but the insertion procedure can be very painful. After public outcry over how doctors often dismiss and significantly underrate patients’ pain, the CDC has now announced new pain management recommendations.
The street medicine team taking care of homeless people in LA
Healthcare in Action provides essential care for people living on the streets in Southern California, having provided 77,000 diagnoses since its founding in 2021. The social business is financed through multiple partnerships with local government in California.
Sea lions equipped with cameras help map unexplored ocean floors
With the help of camera-equipped sea lions, researchers have mapped previously uncharted ocean floors off Australia’s coast, gathering crucial data for marine conservation and navigation.
Scientists develop honey-based technology for eco-friendly computers
Researchers at Washington State University Vancouver have created computer parts using honey. This could pave the way for a new generation of sustainable computing solutions.
