Global climate reform: Australia and Norway to stop overseas fossil fuel financing
Australia and Norway have formally joined the Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP), a historic alliance aiming at ending international public subsidies for fossil fuels. The CETP, also known as the Glasgow Statement, was launched during COP26 in Glasgow and has grown to include 41 countries Read More...
Australia makes history as the first country to permit psychedelic-assisted therapy
Earlier this year, The Optimist Daily published an article praising Australia for becoming the first nation to acknowledge the benefits of psychedelics as medicine. Now, this recognition has been taken a step further. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia granted authorization Read More...
Australia draws up plans for marine reserve the size of Germany
The Australian government intends to designate a marine reserve in the Southern Ocean the size of Germany, bolstering protections for millions of penguins and seals near Macquarie Island. Tanya Plibersek, the environment minister, stated that the government intends to increase the extent of the Read More...
Australia is the first nation to acknowledge psychedelics as medicine
Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration surprised researchers by approving the psychedelic chemicals found in magic mushrooms and MDMA for use by patients with specific mental health issues, making Australia the first country to recognize psychedelics as medicines. MDMA and psilocybin MDMA Read More...
Australia adds 127 reptiles to global treaty against wildlife trade
Australia added a total of 127 reptiles to a global treaty put in place to shield animals from the illegal wildlife trade. The inclusion of these 127 animals (one of the biggest listings in the treaty’s history) will grant these scaly creatures, who have long been targeted by bad actors in the Read More...
New electrolyzer improves green hydrogen production
Green hydrogen continues to gain momentum in funding and research. The hydrogen market is projected to grow to $2.5 trillion by 2050. "Green" hydrogen is hydrogen fuel made using energy from zero-carbon renewable sources through a method called electrolysis. As the world seeks to limit its carbon Read More...
This is how Australia reduced plastic litter on its beaches by 30 percent
When it comes to reporting about plastic waste on beaches, the news is rarely good. But one report paints a more positive picture of the state of the issue in Australia. According to the study, plastic litter on Australian beaches has actually decreased by 30 percent in recent years. The research Read More...
Study lays out ways to enhance Indigenous health
In Australia, Indigenous communities experience poorer health than other Australians and often die at much younger ages. This is due to Indigenous Australians being more likely to have mental health problems, chronic diseases - such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney disease - Read More...
Humpback whales share songs from different regions
Humans aren’t the only species that trade music and songs. Other intelligent animals can communicate complicated messages, like ravens and ants relaying to each other that there’s food or danger and where to find it. As it turns out, though, some species can also communicate, and share like Read More...
Bone loss pills may lower risk of ovarian cancer
A new study found that medication for the prevention of bone loss may help lower women’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. Researchers from the University of Queensland looked at the medical records of 50,000 anonymous Australian women and the medications they were taking. Drawing Read More...