Today at Squirrel News, we’re kicking off the week by talking about China launching the world’s largest offshore solar farm, how poverty in Latin America has fallen to its lowest level in over three decades, and how a new AI model is helping brain surgeons by quickly identifying tumour fragments missed during operations.
China launches world’s largest open-sea offshore solar farm
Situated 8 kilometres off the coast of Dongying City in Shandong Province, eastern China, this solar farm spans 1,223 hectares and features 2,934 solar platforms supported by robust offshore steel truss foundations. The farm is set to power roughly 2.67 million urban homes in the region.
The poverty rate across Latin America fell in 2023 to 27.3% of the population – marking a 1.5 percentage point decline from the previous year and a reduction of over 5 points compared to 2020, when the region’s economies faced severe disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The app giving displaced young Nigerians an educational lifeline
Developed during Muhammad Auwal Ahmad’s time at Federal University Gashua in Yobe state, the app Flowdiary now connects over 8,000 students from underserved communities across northern Nigeria with educational opportunities.
Vending machines provide lifesaving tools to fight overdoses
Stocked with clean syringes, pipes, Narcan, condoms, and more, the brightly decorated machines are located in a variety of locations around North Adams. While clinics can distribute these items during weekday hours, these resources are now accessible around the clock – all available for free to anyone in need.
The Onion buys conspiracy theory site Infowars; plans to make it ‘very stupid’
A satirical news outlet has purchased the rightwing media platform run by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones at a court-ordered auction. The sale follows a judge’s order to liquidate his personal assets to pay off the $1.4bn he was ordered to give the families of Sandy Hook victims after he falsely claimed the shooting was a hoax.
How farmers are merging crops, livestock, and solar energy
Farmers are turning to “agrivoltaics”: an approach where solar panels are installed above or between rows of crops. The dual-purpose system lets them harvest both sunlight and agricultural produce – a sustainable solution that increases energy production while keeping farmland healthy and supporting farmers’ livelihoods.
Sustainable farming is protecting Nairobi’s water supply
A Kenyan water fund is supporting upstream farmers and helping them to adopt better practices – increasing rural incomes whilst making sure clean, reliable water is available for Nairobi’s urban population.
The techniques helping to slow down Earth’s temperature rise
At the time of the Paris Agreement, the world was on course for a 4°C temperature rise. Today, that projection has dropped to 3.1°C – but there’s still more work to do. Strategies like renewable energy expansion, cuts in carbon emissions and green urban planning can be scaled up to further reduce the threat of global warming.
A Myanmar nonprofit is protecting sea life from abandoned “ghost gear”
The Myanmar Ocean Project was launched in 2018 – the country’s first registered marine conservation organisation. Over the past six years, founder Thanda Ko Gyi and a team of international diving volunteers have removed nearly two tons of deadly “ghost gear” from around 100 sites in the Myeik Archipelago.
