As 2025 comes to an end, we can all agree that this year was… rough. Unless you are a billionaire, this year was full of horrible news and hardship. Prices went up and freedom went down in the U.S., war keeps raging in Ukraine, Venezuela had boats bombed, Japan is entering a crisis, etc.
But nothing is fully black or white, specially during a whole year. There have been some good news to give you hope which you probably didn’t hear about.
So this post is for you, to help you keep going when everything seems bleak.
Long-acting HIV prevention
The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the FDA’s approval of lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable HIV prevention drug, following promising trial results in 2024. Lenacapavir offers a discreet, long-acting option that may help overcome barriers like daily pill burden and stigma. The organization is also collaborating with the European Medicines Agency to support regulatory processes in countries adopting the drug.
Renewables Overtook Coal
For the first time, renewable energy overtook coal as the world’s top electricity source in the first half of the year, driven mainly by massive growth in solar and wind. Clean energy met all new global electricity demand and slightly reduced coal and gas use.
Developing countries—especially China and India—led this shift, cutting fossil fuel generation, while richer regions like the US and EU relied more on coal and gas due to weaker renewable growth and policy choices. Solar power is booming worldwide thanks to huge cost drops, especially in lower-income countries and Africa.
100 Million Kids no longer in Poverty
Over the past decade, the number of children living in extreme poverty has fallen significantly worldwide, dropping from 507 million in 2014 to about 412 million in 2024. Progress has been uneven: South Asia, East Asia, and parts of Latin America made strong gains, driven by countries like India and Indonesia, while Sub-Saharan Africa saw little change and now accounts for most children in extreme poverty. When using a higher poverty line ($8.30/day), nearly two-thirds of the world’s children are still considered poor, showing widespread economic vulnerability. Conflict and instability, especially in regions like the Middle East and North Africa, have reversed progress in some countries.
Brazilian Technology Halves Diabetes-Related Amputations
Brazilian researchers at the University of Brasília developed Rapha, a low-cost bandage made of natural latex and LED lights that speeds healing of diabetic foot ulcers. By promoting blood vessel growth and skin regeneration, it could greatly reduce diabetes-related amputations, which affect tens of thousands of people each year. After nearly 20 years of research, Rapha has passed safety tests and is awaiting final regulatory approval to be used in Brazil’s public health system.
Stem-cell therapies for repairing brains damaged by stroke
Stroke damage to the brain has long been considered irreversible, but advances in regenerative medicine are challenging that view. Building on earlier success with stem cell transplants in Parkinson’s disease, scientists are now testing cell-based therapies to repair stroke-damaged brain tissue. New approaches use genetically engineered stem cells to promote neural regrowth and reconnection, while induced pluripotent stem cells reduce ethical and immune concerns. Although major safety and regulatory hurdles remain, the research offers growing hope that brain repair after stroke may one day be possible.
Huntington’s Disease Breakthrough
A new experimental treatment, AMT-130, is the first to show it can slow the progression of Huntington’s disease rather than just treat symptoms. In a small clinical trial, patients who received a high dose saw disease progression slow by about 75% over three years, with no major safety issues. The one-time surgical therapy works by blocking production of the toxic huntingtin protein without altering DNA. While results are early and the drug is not yet FDA-approved, it represents a major breakthrough and new hope for people with Huntington’s disease.
New Brazilian Sustainable Reactor Produces Green Hydrogen
Brazilian researchers developed a solar-powered photoelectrolyzer that produces green hydrogen using only sunlight, water, and abundant local materials, with no carbon emissions or external electricity. The system uses a stable, low-cost hematite-based photoanode enhanced with aluminum and zirconium, works reliably in lab and outdoor tests, and is designed to be modular and scalable for industrial use.
Source: WHO, BBC, world bank, Globo, Olhar Digital, UAB, ACS
