The Greater Good Science Center compiled a list of 10 great things that happened in 2024. The near eradication of the guinea worm, which is contracted by drinking water contaminated by guinea worm larvae and results in an adult worm breaking through the victim’s skin. Significant progress was made on marriage equality, with Thailand and Greece legalizing same-sex marriage. The UK shut down its last coal-powered plant, joining a handful of countries that phased out coal entirely. Renewable energy expansion continued to break records this year; several countries are on track to reach 100% renewable electricity by the end of the decade. AI has been used effectively to identify ancient etchings in Peru, generate more accurate weather forecasts, and more. mRNA technology generated the world’s first lung cancer vaccine and a trial is testing the efficacy of an mRNA vaccine against norovirus. A new medication for schizophrenia that eliminates the normal side effects was approved by the FDA, and a new antiretroviral treatment, lenacapavir, is proving highly effective at preventing HIV infection. Several countries took steps this year to protect women and girls, including Colombia, Zambia, and Sierra Leone outlawing child marriage. Several countries eliminated diseases in 2024, which means that transmission has stopped within their borders. The minimum wage landscape in the United States transformed this year. Only 13% of American workers now earn under $15 per hour, down from nearly 32% in 2022.

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