1. Ecuador
A deep-sea Galápagos reef was discovered in pristine condition. Coral reefs around the world are threatened by rising temperatures and ocean acidification. This previously unexplored reef, part of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, was found to be “teeming with life.” The discovery offers hope for conservationists and politicians alike. “It reaffirms our determination to establish new marine protected areas,” said Ecuador’s environment minister, José Antonio Dávalos.
Scientists descended 2,000 feet below the surface in a submersible boat to reach the reef, collecting high-quality images and videos for study. Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, and Colombia are collaborating on a “mega-marine protected area” that would create a fishing-free corridor spanning one of the most important migratory routes for sea turtles, whales, sharks, and other species.
Source: The Guardian
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In our progress roundup, two countries made changes that could make struggling communities feel more valued. In Greece, special ramps for wheelchair users are increasing access to beaches. And in Morocco, a new annual holiday recognizes the 40% of the population with Berber roots.
2. United Kingdom
Scientists have discovered how the brightest, most powerful objects in the universe were created. Quasars shine as bright as a trillion stars bundled into a space about the size of Earth’s solar system. Experts now believe quasars are triggered when galaxies collide.
Quasars were discovered 60 years ago and are understood to affect star formations and galaxy growth with powerful winds that heat, ionize, and expel gases. With the Isaac Newton Telescope on the island of La Palma, Spain, astronomers could see distortions at the edge of quasar-hosting galaxies, which led to the recent discovery.
Quasar light takes billions of years to reach Earth, allowing scientists to see back in time. Knowing how quasars are sparked could be a window into what will happen 5 billion years from now, when scientists predict the Milky Way will collide with the Andromeda galaxy.
“It’s exciting to observe these events and finally understand why they occur,” said astrophysicist Clive Tadhunter with the University of Sheffield, who detailed the findings. “But thankfully Earth won’t be anywhere near one of these apocalyptic episodes for quite some time.”
Sources: Science Daily, CNN, Royal Astronomical Society
3. Morocco
Reuters/File
Morocco now honors Berber New Year with an official holiday. Berber people, an Indigenous group from the Maghreb region of North Africa, make up as much as 40% of the population in Morocco. Community members have long pushed for the government to recognize their New Year, Jan. 13, as a national holiday. The day is also celebrated by other Moroccans who consider it the start of the agricultural year.
The recognition is part of a wider cultural revival. Berber languages, collectively known as Tamazight, have historically been marginalized in a system that prioritizes Arabic and French. In recent years, Tamazight has been gradually introduced in schools across the country. In 2021, the Ministry of Education announced a plan to recruit 400 Tamazight teachers over three years. “It’s not just a language and mere symbolism, it’s much more than that, it’s about values,” Mustapha Marouane told Minority Rights Group International.
Sources: Barron’s, Al Jazeera, Minority Rights Group International
4. Greece
Greece’s beaches are becoming more accessible for wheelchair users. Sandy shores can be a barrier for people with mobility issues. The Greek government has invested in solar-powered ramps, equipped with remote-controlled chairs, to carry users over the sand. At the end of the ramp are handrails to allow individuals to guide themselves in and out of the water, and at the starting point are showers. The Seatrac system is designed for people to use the chairs without assistance, although it only works when the sea is calm. The project’s website affirms that “equal access to the sea is a human right.”
YORGOS KARAHALIS/REUTERS/FILE
Ramps are being installed at 287 beaches around the country, with over half already in place. The ramps are part of a $16.5 million project to improve accessibility in changing rooms, parking lots, and other beach facilities – and to help Greece become an inclusive tourist destination.
Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, USA Today
5. Australia
Artificial intelligence is shedding light on the recovery of vulnerable species after Australian bush fires. The World Wildlife Fund Australia and Conservation International worked with local land managers to place 1,100 sensor-activated cameras across the continent over the past three years. Wildlife Insights – a Google AI technology – scanned 4 million images of 150 different animals, including wombats, rare echidnas, dingo pups, koalas, and a wedge-tailed eagle.
Researchers were “most excited” to discover dunnarts on Kangaroo Island, where 90% of the animals’ habitat was destroyed in bush fires in 2019 and 2020. Scientists also said images of koalas moving around on the ground, as opposed to trees, indicate a search for new homes. Invasive species like foxes, wild cats, pigs, and cane toads also show up in photos.
The data can be used to support the recovering animals, and to quickly identify and help threatened species in future fires, which are expected to grow more frequent due to climate change.
Sources: The Guardian, WWF Australia