Take a deep breath. Half of the oxygen that just filled your lungs came from the ocean, which also happens to feed billions, regulate the climate and support livelihoods in everything from fishing to tourism. No matter where you live, the fate of the ocean is entwined with ours. Protecting it, then, is critical for our survival – and this week brought some encouraging news on that front. 

According to the UN’s latest assessment, nations have passed “an important global milestone” in marine conservation, with more than 10% of the ocean now officially protected. An area larger than the European Union, it said, fell under some sort of conservation measure in the last two years alone. 

The UN was quick to point out that there’s still “much work” to be done. In 2022, nations committed to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030, meaning an area the size of the Indian Ocean must be conserved within four years to hit that target. Policing protected areas is also a challenge. Still, the latest milestone, it added, was “a moment for celebration”.

In other news, global deaths from terrorism hit a 20-year low, medicine’s ‘most ignored organ’ was finally mapped out, and a positive attitude was linked with a lower risk of dementia. Find out what else went right here. 

Gavin Haines
Associate editor