The 10 Bright Things Brought to the World in 2022

Verily, the good can only be appreciated when we truly take the time to acknowledge it. As we are nearly closing 2022’s doors, we found it necessary to reflect on the positive events that transpired in the last 355 days as of December 22nd, 2022. As a global conscience, what are the memorable breakthroughs we have this year to thank for? Let us go down memory lane and underpin this year’s brightness. Here are the 10 bright things that were brought to the world in 2022:

A Promising WHO-approved Malaria Vaccine 

After clinical trials of a previous malaria vaccine showed partial prevention efficacy, the newly developed vaccine denoted R21 has shown a more promising outcome in prevention. Clinical trials conducted in Burkina Faso, where malaria is seasonal, on 450 children demonstrated that R21 affords prevention up to 80%, compared to the previous vaccine that only exhibited 40-50% prevention effectiveness.

Malaria is a rampant parasitic endemic that ravages hundreds of thousands of lives year in and year out, therefore, an effective vaccine aiming at its prevention presents hopes of saving lives in affected regions of the world.

The Return to Normal 

The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 put the world at a halt, with limited freedom of movement, the wearing of masks, and mandatory hand sanitisation practices, among others. Not to say that hygiene is no longer a priority but, it is less likely now to find a security guard ensuring that everyone sanitises their hands at the entrance of a supermarket.

A more open job market, travel restrictions have been lifted, people no longer have to wear surgical masks, and we do not encounter COVID-19 marshalls in shopping malls anymore. In 2022, many countries waned restrictions brought about by COVID-19 by virtue of the successful vaccines deployed and the acquired immunity in the masses, thereby lowering death risks.

Tigers Are Given More Habitat in China

After decades of human activities, including urbanisation, and agricultural development, to name a few, wild tigers in China were going extinct. In 2010, the total population of wild tigers was estimated to be no more than 20, of which most had crossed the border to Russia.

The survival of wild tigers was greatly menaced, a dire strait giving birth to the government’s conservation efforts. In 2016, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, covering an area of 14,600 square kilometres, was opened to safeguard China’s ecological diversity.

Today, as per the latest data, the number of Siberian tigers has surpassed 50 from 27 five years ago. In 2010, China, along with other countries, set out to bring wild tigers back from extinction, and double the number of wild tigers by 2022. China stupendously achieved this goal and is on the right track to restoring ecological balance for wild tigers.

A Consensus is Reached at COP27

For years, Western nations that have discharged the majority of historical emissions resisted discussion to evade laying down a possible standard on financial accountability. At COP 27, these countries abandoned their protests and agreed to form the loss and damage fund.

Holistic Healing in Canada 

In efforts to improve patients’ mental and physical health, healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, in four Canadian provinces joined forces to bring Park Prescriptions in collaboration with Parks Canada.

The program dubbed PaRx—Pa for Parks and Rx for prescriptions—aims to use nature to provide wellbeing to people in addition to mainstream treatments. Doctors and other licensed healthcare professionals, who registered to this program, can prescribe a one year-long pass to national parks to their patients.

The pass, worth 75 Canadian Dollars and free for 17 years old and under, grants unlimited yearly access to national parks, marine conservation areas, and national historic sites. As medical research backs the benefits of connecting to nature, we hope to see the expansion of this project and witness more of its positive effects.

A Groundbreaking HIV Vaccine Is Undergoing Trials

In May 2022, good news in global health hit the scene when Moderna announced phase 1 of clinical trials for their mRNA HIV vaccine. In recent years, many treatments curbing the effects of HIV have been available, but no vaccine has passed clinical trials yet. The early phases of clinical trials, including an initial and booster dose on HIV-negative individuals, serve to test the safety and monitor the immune response to determine the effectiveness of this vaccine.

The search for an HIV vaccine has posed challenges over the past decades. Moderna in collaboration with International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)  worked on this innovative vaccine to advance towards this global health issue.

London-based Café Offers Employment to Disabled Youth

Having learning disabilities may often impede the affected to have a fair chance on the job market. Social enterprise, Fair Shot Cafe, launched its training and employment opportunities program in 2021 to empower young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.

The learning program is done in partnership with West London College. One year later, it has made a substantial impact, with 100% of job-ready graduates currently in employment.

The World Cup in Qatar 2022

The World Cup gave us a 28 day-long moment of euphoria as 32 qualifying nations played football in Qatar. Despite the initial controversy surrounding the build-up to it, it was a successful event. The world champion who came out to be Argentina, defeating the 2018’s winner France, made their country proud.

A Spectacular View of Galaxies by NASA

In July 2022, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope delivered astounding full-colour images of space, welcoming a new era in astronomy. The images captured the deepest and sharpest infra-red images of a universe very distant from us. The lights showed in this image are 4.6 billion years old, an insight into an unimaginable distant past. The crisp images obtained are a monumental breakthrough for NASA, progressing in the investigation of the universe.

Those Reading Have Lived 355 Days Longer

If you are reading this article, it means that you are alive and have lived 355 days of the year 2022. Be grateful for this opportunity. Life is made up of positive and negative things because everything is in the universe is created as a pair of opposites. Do not be let down by negativity, but rather use it to remind yourself you have the gift of life. Spread love and strive to become a better version of yourself day in and day out, and year in and year out.