Global Development
In an increasingly globalized world, international development efforts aim to improve living conditions, equity, and human rights around the world. Our global development section tracks this globalization and reports on specific equitable and sustainable development initiatives.
Despite pandemic, Americans donated a record sum to charity in 2020
Despite the immense health and economic challenges the world faced in 2020, the latest annual report from the Giving USA Foundation finds that Americans did not cease supporting their communities and fellow citizens. According to the report, Americans donated a record $471 billion to charity in Read More...
Study: Nonparent adults are as happy as their child rearing counterparts
Birth rates are falling in many parts of the world, especially in the US, and although the reasons for this are wide-ranging, many who choose to not have children or are biologically unable to still face questioning and confusion from friends and relatives who see childbearing as a necessary Read More...
Scientists discover 5 million years of climate change records in Kazakhstan
After making the precarious descent into the Charyn Canyon in Kazakhstan, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany discovered a practically unbroken record of climate change in an 80-meter-thick layer of sediment. This ancient slab of earth and rock provides Read More...
Magawa the explosive-sniffing rat is retiring
It’s not often that we hold rats in high regard, but we can certainly make an exception for Magawa, the humble, explosive-sniffing rodent that’s responsible for saving countless lives. Magawa is a Gambian pouched rat, which is quite large compared to North American rats. Gambian rats are Read More...
New UN climate program aims to restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2030
According to a recent UN-backed study, the world must triple its investments in nature-based solutions by 2030 in order to successfully tackle the triple threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. In an effort to support action geared towards achieving that ambitious Read More...
With limited cemetery space, tree burials are gaining popularity
Many people expect to be buried after their passing, but what happens when cities begin to run out of burial space? Cemetery space is an increasingly hot commodity in many places around the world, but rather than limiting plot leases to 15 years like Singapore and other regions (after which the Read More...
The four-day work week could help us fight climate change
Over the course of the last year, we’ve seen growing interest in the idea of a four-day workweek, with the governments of New Zealand and Singapore openly considering shifting their countries away from the traditional five-day workweek. Advocates of the idea often argue that limiting employees' Read More...
Developing countries can address food insecurity with tiny fish
We've previously written about the health benefits of eating sardines, but thanks to the work of nutrition specialist Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted, the potential of these tiny fish (along with anchovies) will be unlocked to improve the overall health and food security of impoverished communities in Read More...
Why our libraries should double as food banks
When the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity, many community centers like libraries, museums, and sports fields began doubling as food pantry distribution sites. University of North Carolina researcher Noah Lenstra studies the relationship between libraries and food security and pinpoints Read More...
Redesigning houses in sub-Saharan Africa can reduce malaria infections
While some scientists are working to develop malaria vaccines with higher efficacy, others are keeping busy with more low-tech solutions to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. One of the latest of such solutions comes from scientists at Durham University who discovered that building Read More...