If you look for it, you’ll find it. Depends on what you’re looking for. It’s so easy to get lost in the negative things, especially when they are important and affecting our lives right at this moment. But it’s also important to remember that positive things are also happening at the same time.
One Reddit user wanted to learn what are some good things happening right now that many people aren’t aware of. And readers were eager to share their good news; from personal achievements to global wins for us all, people shared things that made them feel better about our world.
Bored Panda collected the best answers in this thread that reminded us there’s so much good out there. Scroll down and upvote your favorites. And if there’s anything positive that you’d like to share, don’t be shy and tell us in the comments below!
#1
Pandas are no longer an endangered species!
Image source: jamesjohnohull, jaywennington
#2
My foster daughter told me she loved me.
#3
for the first time in decades there have been Iberian Lynx sightings in the region of Madrid. Two sightings in the last week, huge news as this species is amongg the most endangered animals in the world.
Image source: johndbaer, CreativeNature_nl
#4
A groundbreaking new Alzheimer’s drug was just approved that significantly slows the disease’s progression.
Image source: Tallguy723, perfectlab
#5
I don’t have the genetic cancer gene that killed half my family, including my dad. It’s life changing for me:)
Image source: CautiousPea6, bermixstudio
#6
i’ve escaped generational poverty :)
Image source: stressinglucy, kellysikkema
#7
Canada just passed a bill guaranteeing a Universal Basic Income for those with Disabilities which is going to pull so many people out of poverty. The bill just needs royal ascent(which is just a formality) for it to be come law. And then in 12 months it will be enacted
Image source: Valgal86
#8
More people than ever before have access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation which is saving thousands of lives
Image source: Freak_Out_Bazaar, ujitomo
#9
Grey whale population has grown 20% in California in the last year.
Image source: norcoatomic, wirestock
#10
A malaria vaccine has been developed and is currently undergoing human trials. This could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year, many of them children.
Image source: AmySmooster, manjurulhaque
#11
More young women and girls in less developed countries are in primary and secondary education than ever before
More people worldwide are vaccinated than ever before, and a number of malaria vaccines are currently showing pretty positive results
Since 1990, the number of people living in extreme poverty has more than halved – from 2 billion to around 700 million.
The rate of infant mortality is consistently declining year on year
Lots still wrong with the world, lots of things that have gotten worse. But these are significant improvements that shouldn’t be understated. Constant and unrelenting negativity breeds passiveness, knowing what we’ve done well helps us to understand what we’re capable of – and allows us to tackle the problems in a more pragmatic and effective manner.
Image source: Flabby-Nonsense, kryptonitenicky
#12
California’s Lake Oroville is now back at being 100% full after being dangerously low from years of drought.
#13
People are becoming more trauma informed, facing their wounds, and making sure the next generation’s burden will be at least a little lighter.
Image source: CandenzaMoon, yavdat
#14
Appendectomies.
In 1931, my great grandfather died a horrible death due to septic shock from a ruptured appendix, leaving a widow and four kids under the age of 11.
I’m a nurse. Last week we did a laparoscopic appendectomy on a teenager that took all of 90 minutes. He will have a tiny scar and it will be a blip in his medical history.
Image source: ernurse748, enginakyurt
#15
Crocodiles like pink flowers and I think we should talk abt that more
Image source: Resident-Clue1290, uppu1988
#16
Mental Health is actually being addressed and very much more openly talked about
Image source: youngthugsmom
#17
Honey bees are at a all time high, and are now considered overpopulated! The whole “save the bees” was never made for honey bees, but instead other species such as the mining bees !
Image source: Mundane-Antelope5336, hiveboxx
#18
For the first time ever the Ambulance Company I work for has a good amount of employees so everyone isn’t severely overworked.
Image source: Odd-Panda-472, superstraho
#19
there is a company that has redesigned the prosses of nuclear fission to make a more stable, clean renewable energy source whos biproduct produces helium and no radioactive isotopes. basically made a nuclear reactor thatdoesnt produce radioactive waste and simultaneously has the ability to replenish the global helium supply that was otherwise impossible
Image source: cabesablanca, fredography
#20
A few global public health things:
We have made tremendous progress on ending the AIDS epidemic in the last 40 years.
The percentage of adults that smoke cigarettes is lower than it has been historically.
We went from like 800k cases of Guinea worm in the world in the late 80s to 12 in 2022.
Image source: METAL_AS_F*CK, cdc
#21
Teen pregnancy is way down
Image source: Forward_Base_615, freestocks
#22
Some „garage-scientists“ in Germany have invented energy production plants that create green hydrogen from literally every kind of waste you can imagine. It will revolutionize local and state energy production to a never seen before level. The company is called Uniwastec and is based in Switzerland
Image source: renggram, filmbetrachterin
#23
The orcas are doing great work.
Image source: Dibcharge_, mikedoherty
#24
Specifically in the USA, it seems like more ppl are learning that food corporations are slowly killing us with s****y seed oils, refined sugars, preservatives and dyes. I’ve noticed a lot more ppl interested in local bakeries, fresh food, healthy sourced, organic farm fresh foods since Covid
Image source: lwreid125
#25
It’s so easy to repopulate the earth of rare plants now through tissue culture. Two years ago Brazil was freaking out trying to keep their last remaining spiritus sancti plants to themselves and today, anyone can have them in their house and there is no market for poachers.
Image source: MomsSpecialFriend, markusspiske
#26
I think ozone layer is slowly healing itself (as well as my depression)
Image source: vlncxntf9, cookelma
#27
Cancer is getting easier and easier to treat and less lethal.
Age reversing technology might be around the corner (likely only available for the ultra rich unless society does something)
Image source: Lonely_Cosmonaut, choreograph
#28
Child mortality is way down. People are voluntarily limiting their fertility by using birth control, so there is no “population bomb” to speak of. Extreme poverty is much lower than it has been in previous decades.
Image source: Downtown_Cat_1172, towfiqu98
#29
We have more knowledge and connectivity at our fingertips than ever before. Our ancestors may have only had a 5th grade education but we can Google lecture videos of nuclear physics.
Image source: DanishWonder, firmbee
#30
I’m an environmental consultant. Human health based requirements for concentrations of chemicals in the environment have been decreasing over the years. This means that polluters are being held to higher standards and sites that are getting cleaned up are required to be cleaner. I was concerned under the Trump administration we’d see a serious backslide in these requirements, but we are making progress at the state and local levels.
This is happening on an international level too. China is eliminating residential coal-burning, which is greatly improving air quality in their cities, and India is replacing dung-burning with induction cook stoves and LPG stoves. This does wonders for air quality in Delhi as well as household air quality for the poorest Indians.
Image source: Butthole_Alamo, hitting_up
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