The Good News thread

CaptainExplosion

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CaptainExplosion on 09 July 2026

badskywalker said:

First Commerical Fusion Plant in construction in Washington State

As someone who knows a thing or two about physics, I was rather skeptical when I first read about this article, but doing some more research has made me genuinely, though still cautiously, optimistic about the future of fusion. The first commerical fusion reactor is being built here in the States (surprised the hell outta me we are the ones doing it). If successful there is a genuine argument to be made for investments to fusion energy en masse as a replacement for most energy sources. It offers a fair number of advantages over every form of electricity generation.

Less carbon emissions than fossil fuels
Less space than Solar and Wind
No battery issue like Solar has
No nuclear waste like Fission

I'm optimistic as it does not rely so much on major advances in physics (like a new magnetic or superconductors) but more engineering challenges, many of which are resolved by just making the magnet bigger. There are still many challenges, so it is by no means a done deal, but they seem to be progressing in a good direction.

For scale, 50 MW equates to about 438 GWh a year, which while a paltry drop in the bucket compared to the US's total energy demand ~4 PWh a year or 4.2 million GWh is certainly something to look out for.

I just hope it's kept stable, because we don't need another Chernobyl.

Speaking of energy, these electric buses double as backup for the Denver Colorado power grid.

badskywalker

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badskywalker on 10 July 2026

CaptainExplosion said:

badskywalker said:

First Commerical Fusion Plant in construction in Washington State

As someone who knows a thing or two about physics, I was rather skeptical when I first read about this article, but doing some more research has made me genuinely, though still cautiously, optimistic about the future of fusion. The first commerical fusion reactor is being built here in the States (surprised the hell outta me we are the ones doing it). If successful there is a genuine argument to be made for investments to fusion energy en masse as a replacement for most energy sources. It offers a fair number of advantages over every form of electricity generation.

Less carbon emissions than fossil fuels
Less space than Solar and Wind
No battery issue like Solar has
No nuclear waste like Fission

I'm optimistic as it does not rely so much on major advances in physics (like a new magnetic or superconductors) but more engineering challenges, many of which are resolved by just making the magnet bigger. There are still many challenges, so it is by no means a done deal, but they seem to be progressing in a good direction.

For scale, 50 MW equates to about 438 GWh a year, which while a paltry drop in the bucket compared to the US's total energy demand ~4 PWh a year or 4.2 million GWh is certainly something to look out for.

I just hope it's kept stable, because we don't need another Chernobyl.

Speaking of energy, these electric buses double as backup for the Denver Colorado power grid.

Fusion deals with lighter, non-radioactive materials (preferably hydrogen as it has the best binding energy). Fission is the one that is inherently radioactive due to the splitting of unstable atoms to more unstable ones.

Also nuclear fission, even counting every incident and the obtainment of uranium from around the world is still by far the safest form of energy, cuasing the fewest deaths per kWh. The notion that it is dangerous is due to a few sporadic events that stoked large amounts of fear as to the damage it does.

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curl-6 on 10 July 2026

Just got invited to give a speech at an autism event, and having a nice quiet drink at home, so feeling pretty good.

Sometimes it's the pleasant nights in and the little wins that make life worth living.

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curl-6 on 13 July 2026

This month's Good News roundup, for those who need a little hope:

- The Numbat is officially no longer endangered: https://www.australianwildlife.org/news-and-resources/press-release/numbat-steps-back-from-the-brink

- Southeast Asia is on the brink of eliminating Malaria: https://cambodianess.com/article/as...n-but-climate-change-threatens-hard-won-gains

- Peru protects 981 square kilometres of Amazonian forests, wetlands, and rivers: https://www.andesamazonfund.org/new...-peruvian-amazon-after-a-decade-long-process/

- Life expectancy in Africa has improved by 10 years since 2000: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/afr...nce-2000-despite-wars-famine-and-instability/

- Stem cell breakthrough regenerates retinal blood vessels, offering hope of curing blindness: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/bli...l-breakthrough-remakes-retinal-blood-vessels/

- Rhinos return to Mozambique: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/her...ulation-succeeds-with-61-animals-moved-there/

- "Groundbreaking" potential cure for lupus found: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/gro...to-remission-allowing-dreams-to-be-fulfilled/

- Cervical cancer deaths fall to zero for immunised young women in the UK, following similar results here in Australia: https://ecancer.org/en/news/28457-c...o-in-england-among-hpv-vaccinated-young-women

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CaptainExplosion on 14 July 2026

Bloomberg Donates $260 Million To Ensure New High Seas Treaty Translates to Lasting Ocean Protection

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