In this week’s final edition of Squirrel News, we’re highlighting a medical breakthrough in which a 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes began producing her own insulin just three months after receiving a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells, the extraordinary comeback of the one-horned rhinoceros, and how a guerrilla conservationist has planted around 40,000 trees throughout Brazil’s most populous city.
A 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes began to produce her own insulin within three months of receiving a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells. This treatment marks the first instance of a patient with the disease being successfully treated with stem cells harvested from their own body.
Assam’s one-horned rhino population surges from 600 to over 3,000
The population of one-horned rhinoceroses in Assam has seen a remarkable growth – increasing five-fold from the 1960s to 2024 – with the surge largely attributed to an 86% reduction in poaching since 2016.
Thailand set to legalise same-sex marriage in January
Activists are celebrating a “monumental step” as the Thai king endorses the marriage-equality bill – officially making Thailand the first nation in Southeast Asia to recognise same-sex marriages.
3D mammograms prove more accurate than 2D imaging, study suggests
A recent study shows that 3D mammograms might significantly reduce anxiety-inducing callbacks for additional breast cancer testing compared to traditional 2D imaging. The findings indicate that this tech may also detect more concerning cancers at earlier stages during routine screenings.
Germany equips 500,000 balconies with solar panels
With interest in sustainable, self-sufficient energy on the rise across Europe, Germany has comfortably adopted a simple piece of technology that puts solar power in the hands of renters: balkonkraftwerk.
First Nations restore abandoned oil wells to reclaim their homelands
In British Columbia, a company founded by First Nations is turning neglected oil wells into healthy ecosystems by integrating traditional knowledge and encouraging the growth of native plant species.
Spanish-language literature flourishes in Los Angeles
LA Librería – which offers bilingual children’s books to the general public – has relocated to a new venue, giving it a better chance to engage with local Hispanic communities.
The book challenging existing strategies against gun violence
In light of growing conversation surrounding gun control measures, Thomas Abt’s Bleeding Out is reshaping the approach cities take to combat firearm violence across the United States.
Using Indigenous knowledge for sustainable clothing solutions
Awajun women farmers are mixing traditional knowledge with modern tech to create a sustainable alternative to animal leather. By collaborating with a fashion company, they’re transforming sap from the local Shiringa tree into a rubber-like fabric for clothing and footwear.
Tree planter transforms São Paulo’s concrete jungle
Over the past 20 years, Brazilian Helio da Silva has made a big impact by planting approximately 40,000 trees throughout the urban landscape of São Paulo.
