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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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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2019 C.E. February 19Australia is planting a billion trees to fight climate change
The government estimates that the project, which will run until 2050, will eventually remove 18 million tons of greenhouse gases per years.
-
2019 C.E. February 19Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland signed a declaration, committing to step up climate ambition by 2020
In the declaration, the five countries commit to step up ambition by 2020, enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Sustainable Development Goals, and intensify their cooperation.
-
2019 C.E. February 18New ‘Trojan Horse’ cancer drug successfully treats patients with 6 different kinds of lethal tumors
A brand new type of cancer drug that acts as a Trojan horse to get inside tumor cells has shown promise in patients with advanced, drug-resistant cancers. Patients with six different cancer types have responded positively to the new treatment.
-
2019 C.E.World Health Organization recommends removing cannabis from Schedule IVthe most restrictive category of a 1961 international drug convention
Global health experts at the United Nations are recommending that marijuana and its key components be formally rescheduled under international drug treaties. WHO is also moving to make clear that CBD-focused preparations containing no more than 0.2 percent THC are "not under international control" at all.
-
2019 C.E. February 15More than 8 million UK students to strike over climate change
Following in the footsteps of Greta Thunberg, school children across the UK have gone on strike for climate change. A new initiative called 'Fridays for Future' has been introduced, this will mean that students will strike every Friday until the government respond with an appropriate action.
-
2019 C.E. February 15The U.S. Senate passes decade’s biggest public lands package, protecting 1.3 million acres of wilderness
The measure protects 1.3 million acres as wilderness, the nation's most stringent protection. It permanently withdraws more than 370,000 acres of land from mining around two national parks.
-
2019 C.E. February 14Beijing will implement Stage 6 emissions rules in 2019 – reducing CO2 and NO2 emissions by 50%
Currently, Stage V rules based primarily on regulations promulgated by the European Union are in force. Stage VI rules will slash carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% below those already strict Stage V level.
-
2019 C.E. February 14Electric cars now cheaper than petrol or diesel alternatives in Europe, report finds
New research from the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT) has found that electric cars are now cheaper to run compared to petrol and diesel alternatives.
-
2019 C.E. February 1324-year old Kazakhstani man becomes first to use wirelessly-charged bionic heart
Tursunov's bionic heart (or VAD) doesn't need a power cord thanks to a charging system created by Israeli tech company Leviticus Cardio, eliminating one of the biggest points of failure in a device that cannot afford to fail.
-
2019 C.E. February 13Earth has more tree and leaf coverage now than in 2000, thanks to China and India
According to U.S. NASA, there are now more than 2 million sq miles of extra leaf area per year, compared with the early 2000s a 5% increase. The greening effect stems mainly from ambitious tree-planting and intensive farming in China and India.
-
2019 C.E. February 19Australia is planting a billion trees to fight climate change
The government estimates that the project, which will run until 2050, will eventually remove 18 million tons of greenhouse gases per years.
-
2019 C.E. February 19Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland signed a declaration, committing to step up climate ambition by 2020
In the declaration, the five countries commit to step up ambition by 2020, enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Sustainable Development Goals, and intensify their cooperation.
-
2019 C.E. February 18New ‘Trojan Horse’ cancer drug successfully treats patients with 6 different kinds of lethal tumors
A brand new type of cancer drug that acts as a Trojan horse to get inside tumor cells has shown promise in patients with advanced, drug-resistant cancers. Patients with six different cancer types have responded positively to the new treatment.
-
2019 C.E.World Health Organization recommends removing cannabis from Schedule IVthe most restrictive category of a 1961 international drug convention
Global health experts at the United Nations are recommending that marijuana and its key components be formally rescheduled under international drug treaties. WHO is also moving to make clear that CBD-focused preparations containing no more than 0.2 percent THC are "not under international control" at all.
-
2019 C.E. February 15More than 8 million UK students to strike over climate change
Following in the footsteps of Greta Thunberg, school children across the UK have gone on strike for climate change. A new initiative called 'Fridays for Future' has been introduced, this will mean that students will strike every Friday until the government respond with an appropriate action.
-
2019 C.E. February 15The U.S. Senate passes decade’s biggest public lands package, protecting 1.3 million acres of wilderness
The measure protects 1.3 million acres as wilderness, the nation's most stringent protection. It permanently withdraws more than 370,000 acres of land from mining around two national parks.
-
2019 C.E. February 14Beijing will implement Stage 6 emissions rules in 2019 – reducing CO2 and NO2 emissions by 50%
Currently, Stage V rules based primarily on regulations promulgated by the European Union are in force. Stage VI rules will slash carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% below those already strict Stage V level.
-
2019 C.E. February 14Electric cars now cheaper than petrol or diesel alternatives in Europe, report finds
New research from the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT) has found that electric cars are now cheaper to run compared to petrol and diesel alternatives.
-
2019 C.E. February 1324-year old Kazakhstani man becomes first to use wirelessly-charged bionic heart
Tursunov's bionic heart (or VAD) doesn't need a power cord thanks to a charging system created by Israeli tech company Leviticus Cardio, eliminating one of the biggest points of failure in a device that cannot afford to fail.
-
2019 C.E. February 13Earth has more tree and leaf coverage now than in 2000, thanks to China and India
According to U.S. NASA, there are now more than 2 million sq miles of extra leaf area per year, compared with the early 2000s a 5% increase. The greening effect stems mainly from ambitious tree-planting and intensive farming in China and India.
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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.