News That's Good for Your Heart:
Through February, which is American Heart Month, every Wednesday, we'll be sharing our favorite good news stories from the week. When you're overwhelmed with negativity, it's easy to spiral into stress and anxiety. Studies have suggested stress triggers inflammation, which is directly linked to heart disease. Staying positive is one way to continue to support your heart health.
It can be hard to find a bright side right now, given how the global pandemic and continual lockdown has affected us all. But Covid-19 hasn't ruined all good things in the world. Keep reading to see our selection of positive news from this week:
In 2020, combined print book and e-book sales were the highest in a single year since 2004!
Print sales rose 8.2% in 2020, the largest annual increase since 2010.
The largest growing subcategories were education/reference/language at 55.5% and games/activities/hobbies at 31.3%!
Click here to read more!
All 5 Covid-19 vaccines have eliminated deaths from coronavirus and have drastically reduced hospitalizations!
Of the 75,000 people who received a vaccine in a research trial, not one person has died from Covid-19 and only a few people were hospitalized- but those in the hospital were released soon after.
Compare to the effects of Covid-19 on a representative group of 75,000 American adults- roughly 150 people would be killed and several hundred more would be hospitalized.
Click here to read more!
Boeing has promised biofuel planes by 2030!
Boeing flew the world's first commercial flight using only biofuel in 2018 and has now promised to fly 100% biofuel planes by 2030.
Biofuel is made from "bio-based feedstock" like agriculture and forestry residues.
Click here to read more!
The Great American Rail-Trail, a cross-country biking trail that follows railroad tracks, is over 53% finished!
The Great American Rail-Trail will stretch 3,700 miles across 12 states, from Washington DC to Washington state.
Bike sales increased 63% during lock-down.
Click here to read more!
Ikea has purchased 11,000 acres of forest in Georgia to protect the land from development!
Ingka Investment Group, which owns Ikea, bought the land, which is home to over 350 plant and wildlife species, several of them endangered.
The forest will now be protected from future deforestation, part of Ingka's commitment to restore forests and plant more than they harvest.
Click here to read more!
A new prostate cancer test makes a diagnosis from urine in 20 minutes with near 100% accuracy!
Korean medical students have created a new prostate cancer test, using AI technology, that can detect cancer in a record amount of time.
The urine test strips contain an electrical-signal-based ultrasensitive biosensor, which is then analyzed by AI technology to quantify the values of four different prostate cancer factors.
Click here to learn more!
