The world’s largest database of social change milestones from throughout human history
We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.
Filter by era, country, topic, actor, source, and more. Submit your own milestones!
3899
social change milestones archived
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Era
- Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
- Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
- Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
- Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
- Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
- Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
- Today (2017 C.E. - ???)
Year
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Search
Era
- Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
- Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
- Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
- Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
- Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
- Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
- Today (2017 C.E. - ???)
Year
Topics
Region
Countries
State/Province
Institution
Sources
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2020 C.E. November 11Philippines shuts door on new coal power proposals
The Philippines has stopped accepting new proposals for coal-based power projects to encourage investment in other energy sources like natural gas and renewables, the government’s energy chief said.
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2020 C.E. November 11Joe Biden becomes the first President or President-elect to mention trans people in official remarks
It seems that the eventual 46th President is beginning to follow through with his campaign promise to trans people that he believes “that Trans Lives Matter,” as he wrote in an article for LGBTQ Nation last month.
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2020 C.E. November 11H3X claims it’s tripled the power density of electric aircraft motors
Weight is a big deal in aviation – and that goes double for electric aircraft. Every pound carried skyward represents a pound less payload you can carry, a reduction in the range you'll get from your battery or hydrogen tank, and ultimately a loss of money for the owner.
-
2020 C.E.Nebraska voters say ‘no more’ to 404% interest rates on payday loans
A 400% interest rate on small-dollar loans is the average across the States. Now that 83% of Nebraska’s voters have approved Initiative 428, that won’t be the case in this Midwestern state: Payday lending interest rates will soon be capped at 36%.
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2020 C.E.The world’s biggest insect factory farm is under construction in France
In a bid to lower the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector, a French insect farming startup by the name of Ÿnsect is building the world’s largest insect farm in Amiens, a small city north of Paris.
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2020 C.E. November 10City of Austin votes to spend $7 billion to revolutionize transportation
Austin’s new transit plan will build a new rail system with 31 stations, four rapid bus routes, new on-demand shuttles to take people to transit stations, and new park-and-ride stations. The city will also reserve $300 million to ensure that residents aren’t displaced from their homes as a result of gentrification.
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2020 C.E. November 9School enrollment for girls around the world has risen from 73% to 89% since 1995
A new report from UNESCO shows great progress globally in girls’ education since 1995's Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark commitment by 189 countries to advance the rights of girls and women.
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2020 C.E.‘Watershed’ coronavirus vaccine looks to be 90% effective in phase 3 trial of 43,500 people
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set a minimum effectiveness bar for COVID-19 vaccines at 50% for drugs seeking approval. This is the first COVID-19 candidate vaccine to produce data exceeding that mark.
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2020 C.E. November 9Childhood Hepatitis B cases drop 80% worldwide in last three decades
Due to a highly effective global vaccine program, the proportion of children under five who are chronically infected with Hepatitis B has plummeted significantly—to just under 1%. This is down from around 5% in the pre-vaccine era (the period between the 1980s and the early 2000s), according to new estimates from the World Health Organization.
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2020 C.E. November 7Joe Biden wins election for President of the United States
Kamala Harris will become the first woman and first person of color to serve as Vice President.
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2020 C.E. November 11Philippines shuts door on new coal power proposals
The Philippines has stopped accepting new proposals for coal-based power projects to encourage investment in other energy sources like natural gas and renewables, the government’s energy chief said.
-
2020 C.E. November 11Joe Biden becomes the first President or President-elect to mention trans people in official remarks
It seems that the eventual 46th President is beginning to follow through with his campaign promise to trans people that he believes “that Trans Lives Matter,” as he wrote in an article for LGBTQ Nation last month.
-
2020 C.E. November 11H3X claims it’s tripled the power density of electric aircraft motors
Weight is a big deal in aviation – and that goes double for electric aircraft. Every pound carried skyward represents a pound less payload you can carry, a reduction in the range you'll get from your battery or hydrogen tank, and ultimately a loss of money for the owner.
-
2020 C.E.Nebraska voters say ‘no more’ to 404% interest rates on payday loans
A 400% interest rate on small-dollar loans is the average across the States. Now that 83% of Nebraska’s voters have approved Initiative 428, that won’t be the case in this Midwestern state: Payday lending interest rates will soon be capped at 36%.
-
2020 C.E.The world’s biggest insect factory farm is under construction in France
In a bid to lower the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector, a French insect farming startup by the name of Ÿnsect is building the world’s largest insect farm in Amiens, a small city north of Paris.
-
2020 C.E. November 10City of Austin votes to spend $7 billion to revolutionize transportation
Austin’s new transit plan will build a new rail system with 31 stations, four rapid bus routes, new on-demand shuttles to take people to transit stations, and new park-and-ride stations. The city will also reserve $300 million to ensure that residents aren’t displaced from their homes as a result of gentrification.
-
2020 C.E. November 9School enrollment for girls around the world has risen from 73% to 89% since 1995
A new report from UNESCO shows great progress globally in girls’ education since 1995's Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark commitment by 189 countries to advance the rights of girls and women.
-
2020 C.E.‘Watershed’ coronavirus vaccine looks to be 90% effective in phase 3 trial of 43,500 people
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set a minimum effectiveness bar for COVID-19 vaccines at 50% for drugs seeking approval. This is the first COVID-19 candidate vaccine to produce data exceeding that mark.
-
2020 C.E. November 9Childhood Hepatitis B cases drop 80% worldwide in last three decades
Due to a highly effective global vaccine program, the proportion of children under five who are chronically infected with Hepatitis B has plummeted significantly—to just under 1%. This is down from around 5% in the pre-vaccine era (the period between the 1980s and the early 2000s), according to new estimates from the World Health Organization.
-
2020 C.E. November 7Joe Biden wins election for President of the United States
Kamala Harris will become the first woman and first person of color to serve as Vice President.
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Submit a Milestone
Did we miss a social change milestone? What social progress have you seen around the world that I should include? Let us know!
NOTE: We cannot guarantee we will post all stories submitted here. We only post stories that represent milestones in human development (as opposed to “feel good” stories). We want something that would make sense to put on a timeline of human progress. For example, a story like “Random customer leaves a huge tip” isn’t a great fit. “Country X passes economic inequality reform bill” is a great fit.