In recent months, the world has been filled with anger, violence, and hate. Many people have lost hope in humanity’s ability to repair and rebuild what we’ve destroyed. And while the world has been a scary place recently, it’s important to focus on the wins every now and then.

There are few major categories that these achievements can fall into: medical, environmental, technological, and societal. All around the world people are working tirelessly to make our planet a safer, and more liveable place – and it’s paying off. 

Medical

Medicine all around the world is improving by the day. Doctors and scientists all over the globe have worked incessantly to make advancements and help those who need it the most. In Africa, childhood malaria cases have dropped by 30-40% since 2025. In 2023, there were an estimated 597,000 deaths in Africa caused by Malaria, the vast majority being young children. According to UN News, this vaccine has the ability to save more than 7 million lives by 2030. 

Moving east, Australia is on track to become the first country to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035. AU Gov states, “For the first time since records began in 1982, there were no cervical cancer cases diagnosed in women under 25 in 2021.” Not only that, but survival rates are also improving – in 2017-2021 the survival rates increased by 3% since 2012-2016. While this advancement may feel small or far away, it signals significant progress in all cancer research.

Societal

Many people around the world have seen the impact of the recent hate and violence, and have chosen to go in the opposite direction. Society has come together to be the change they want to see. Particularly in the United States, the amount of protests and walk-outs have skyrocketed. The Guardian states, “There were more than 10,700 protests in 2025, a 133% increase from the 4,588 recorded in 2017.” US citizens have used their voice to make a difference and are rallying together to make a difference.

Also in the United States, according to NPR, the undergraduate and graduate program enrollments have reached 19.4 million, 1% higher compared to the fall of 2024. With higher education rates increasing, so does the number of students willing to make a difference. Education is where some of the greatest advancements start, and the more people given the opportunity to a higher education, the faster we will see progress in our world. 

Technological

Technology has come a long way in recent years. The improvement and common usage of artificial intelligence has assisted us in creating new systems to benefit the world around us. Self-driving cars are one example of a slow but impactful change in urban areas. According to Esade, driverless vehicles will “make it possible to reduce the number of privately owned cars and rethink urban design…” This ultimately leads to less traffic in large cities around the world, and more efficient uses of gas and electricity. 

A very recent advancement is the launch of the Artemis II crew. The Artemis II crew launched on April 1, 2026 and landed safely back on Earth on April 10, 2026. They flew once around Earth and continued to orbit the moon, finally coasting back to Earth without the use of fuel. The mission was a product of brilliant human ingenuity and perseverance. The Artemis astronauts were the first humans to visit the moon in over 50 years. On their 3-hour journey past the dark side of the moon (the side facing away from earth), “[the] astronauts will analyze and photograph geologic features, such as impact craters and ancient lava flows,” according to NASA.

Environmental

Environmentally, there has been significant progress all over the globe. In recent years, countries have been transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. In 2025, Great Britain’s energy generation was over 20% solar according to the BBC. 

AP explains the High Seas Treaty is “the world’s first legally binding agreement to protect marine life in international waters.” The treaty will help govern the world’s oceans beyond one country’s control, protecting them from threats like dangerous fishing practices, shipping, plastic pollution, and potential deep sea mining.

Similarly, many aquatic species are making a comeback. The humpback whale population is up 80% from their original numbers in the 1960s. Whaling drove the species to near extinction, but many regulations and legislation allowed all kinds of whale species to thrive. More details can be found from ABC.

After decades of decline in their population, green sea turtles are no longer considered extinct according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These reptiles have been hunted and exploited for centuries for their meat and unique shells. The Smithsonian Magazine explains that, “even when unsustainable hunting and trade began to decline, green sea turtles faced new threats, including pollution, habitat loss, rising sea levels and warmer temperatures…” 

Hunting wasn’t the only threat to sea turtles. Similar to many other aquatic organisms, but their charismatic nature has inspired people to make a change. In 2015-2017, the “Save The Turtles” movement went viral all over the internet. People stopped using plastic straws, invested in reusable water bottles, and fought for stricter legislation on fishing gear. This combined effort all around the world has resulted in the savior of green sea turtles only 10 years later. 

While it’s important to be aware of our mistakes, we also must look at how we’ve learned from them, and celebrate. In the last few years, humanity has seen unmatched advancements in technology, society, and so much more. This isn’t where our advancements end – in the next decade, we are expected to see most of this progress continue, if not improve significantly. But all change starts with us. As a new generation enters society, it’s important to start setting the expectations we plan to surpass.