Weekly Progress Roundup

Jun 02, 2025

Officials counted 891 Asiatic lions in the Indian state of Gujarat this month, up from 674 five years ago.
The Iberian lynx population more than doubled between 2020 and 2024, growing from 1,111 to 2,401 individuals.
A rare orchid called the Ute Ladies’-Tresses is no longer considered endangered in the United States.
Scientists at the University of California San Diego have developed a gel that may accelerate coral reef recovery. The substance attracts coral larvae to degraded reefs by mimicking the chemical cues of healthy reefs. In laboratory experiments, surfaces treated with the gel saw up to 20 times more coral settlement compared to untreated surfaces.

Health & Demographics

A New Hampshire man named Tim Andrews has lived with a genetically modified pig kidney since January 25, just two days short of the previous record. CNN reports that Andrews is healthy and his life is “returning to normal.”
A new report from the World Health Organization finds that the global age-standardized suicide rate fell by 35 percent between 2000 and 2021, in line with an earlier estimate from the IHME.
Researchers in Australia have developed a new blood test that can rapidly diagnose genetic disorders in children. Using as little as 1 milliliter of blood, the test can identify abnormalities associated with up to 50 percent of known rare genetic diseases.
A recent study drawing attention to some astounding progress in cancer treatment went viral on X:

The US Supreme Court has limited the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), ruling that federal agencies are not required to consider indirect environmental effects when evaluating projects. The ruling is expected to streamline federal approvals for infrastructure projects, reducing litigation risks and fostering a more efficient regulatory environment.

If historical trends continue, “lasers will become roughly 100 times cheaper per watt by 2045.”
The California Public Utilities Commission has approved Waymo's request to expand its robotaxi service into San Jose. The company also announced plans to begin testing in Houston, Orlando, and San Antonio, and released more research suggesting that its autonomous vehicles are far less accident-prone than human drivers.

Lawmakers have banned child marriage in Pakistan’s capital city, a promising development in a country where 29 percent of girls marry by the age of 18.