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
Topics
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State/Province
Institution
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Filters
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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2021 C.E. August 25
U.S. EPA limits pesticide pollution into rivers and streams to protect Pacific salmon and trout
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finally acting to protect more than two dozen endangered West Coast salmon and steelhead species from pesticides.
-
2021 C.E. August 25
Free education takes thousands of Congolese children out of mines and into the classroom
In 2019, the Democratic Republic of Congo became one of the last countries in the world to offer free primary education. The new scheme has now permitted four million children to go to school tuition-free.
-
2021 C.E. August 25
India has restored nearly 50,000 acres of mangroves since 2010
India is now replanting its mangroves in one of the largest restoration programs in the world. Since 2010, the World Bank has supported the community-managed plantation of 20,000 hectares of mangroves in India.
-
2021 C.E. August 24
Promising lung cancer blood test delivers impressively accurate results
A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center is showing a novel blood test can detect the presence of lung cancer with over 90% accuracy using artificial intelligence.
-
2021 C.E. August 24
Solar power in Australia outstrips coal-fired electricity for first time
The national electricity market reached a new milestone on Sunday, with solar power outstripping energy generation from coal for the first time since the market was set up two decades ago.
-
2021 C.E. August 24
Court rules North Carolina must allow former felons to vote
North Carolina judges ordered the restoration of voting rights for over 55,000 people with a felony conviction in what advocates call the largest expansion of voting rights in decades in the state.
-
2021 C.E. August 23
Stanford becomes first university in the U.S. to go 100% renewable energy
Stanford will become "first research university to use 100% renewable electricity" by summer 2022, even after a wildfire burned one of its solar farms.
-
2021 C.E. August 23
Israel is ending its ban on blood donation from queer men
Nitzan Horowitz, the out Minister of Health in Israel, proclaimed, “There’s no difference between one blood and the other. Discrimination against gays in donating blood is over.”
-
2021 C.E. August 23
Hong Kong cracks down on wildlife trafficking
A new bill empowers law enforcement to go beyond prosecuting carriers and mules and instead crack down on the criminal syndicates responsible for illegal wildlife trafficking.
-
2021 C.E. August 20
U.S. to erase student debt for those with severe disabilities
The Biden administration will automatically erase student loan debt for more than 300,000 Americans with severe disabilities that leave them unable to earn significant incomes. The move will wipe out more than $5.8 billion in debt.
-
2021 C.E. August 25
U.S. EPA limits pesticide pollution into rivers and streams to protect Pacific salmon and trout
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finally acting to protect more than two dozen endangered West Coast salmon and steelhead species from pesticides.
-
2021 C.E. August 25
Free education takes thousands of Congolese children out of mines and into the classroom
In 2019, the Democratic Republic of Congo became one of the last countries in the world to offer free primary education. The new scheme has now permitted four million children to go to school tuition-free.
-
2021 C.E. August 25
India has restored nearly 50,000 acres of mangroves since 2010
India is now replanting its mangroves in one of the largest restoration programs in the world. Since 2010, the World Bank has supported the community-managed plantation of 20,000 hectares of mangroves in India.
-
2021 C.E. August 24
Promising lung cancer blood test delivers impressively accurate results
A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center is showing a novel blood test can detect the presence of lung cancer with over 90% accuracy using artificial intelligence.
-
2021 C.E. August 24
Solar power in Australia outstrips coal-fired electricity for first time
The national electricity market reached a new milestone on Sunday, with solar power outstripping energy generation from coal for the first time since the market was set up two decades ago.
-
2021 C.E. August 24
Court rules North Carolina must allow former felons to vote
North Carolina judges ordered the restoration of voting rights for over 55,000 people with a felony conviction in what advocates call the largest expansion of voting rights in decades in the state.
-
2021 C.E. August 23
Stanford becomes first university in the U.S. to go 100% renewable energy
Stanford will become "first research university to use 100% renewable electricity" by summer 2022, even after a wildfire burned one of its solar farms.
-
2021 C.E. August 23
Israel is ending its ban on blood donation from queer men
Nitzan Horowitz, the out Minister of Health in Israel, proclaimed, “There’s no difference between one blood and the other. Discrimination against gays in donating blood is over.”
-
2021 C.E. August 23
Hong Kong cracks down on wildlife trafficking
A new bill empowers law enforcement to go beyond prosecuting carriers and mules and instead crack down on the criminal syndicates responsible for illegal wildlife trafficking.
-
2021 C.E. August 20
U.S. to erase student debt for those with severe disabilities
The Biden administration will automatically erase student loan debt for more than 300,000 Americans with severe disabilities that leave them unable to earn significant incomes. The move will wipe out more than $5.8 billion in debt.
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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.