Since the beginning of 2020, people around the world have been scared and unsure of their futures, but there are still plenty of great achievements that have occurred recently.

Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple, has launched a new company, known as Privateer Space, in order to clean up space debris.  According to NASA approximations, around 27,000 pieces of debris traveled around the Earth in the past year.  NASA has stated the space debris is  a concern because the smaller it is, the more dangerous it becomes, with some debris capable of traveling up to 17,500 mph.   The Apple co-founder has kept the project on the down low, with not too much known about it.  If it is  successful, then space debris, one of NASA’s biggest threats to robotic technology in Earth’s low orbit, could be beaten. 

“It’s awesome and interesting how someone like Steve Wozniak is willing to take on a challenge like this, an issue such as this one is very important for the Earth and the sooner that it is fixed the better,” said junior Antonio Sottile.

Leaded gasoline, one of Earth’s biggest pollutants in the past decades, has finally been eliminated worldwide.  The difference between unleaded fuel (also known as petrol, one of the main sources of car fuel), and leaded gas is that leaded gas contains additive tetraethyl lead.  Decades ago, it was unknown that lead released into the air had negative effects on the environment. After researchers were certain that it was dangerous for the atmosphere, Japan became the first country to stop selling leaded fuel back in 1980.  Recently, Algeria became the last  country in the world to ban the substance.  According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the ban of leaded gas has saved over 1.2 million lives yearly, showing the world just how great of an accomplishment banning this source of fuel was. 

“The banning of leaded fuel has been very important.  It has helped the environment in many ways and has saved millions of lives in the past years,” said junior Jack Robinson.

Some countries have taken initiative to make school life easier for children by reducing homework or giving them breaks throughout the day.  Recently, China attempted to help schoolchildren by banning written tests for six-year-olds in order to eliminate over-competition in school at such a young age.  This action is not something out of the ordinary for China, as in the past year they have also banned written homework for children ages six to seven and limited homework for middle schoolers to a maximum of 90 minutes a night.  The country enacted these measures because the amount of schoolwork was beginning to severely damage students’ physical and mental health.  It is believed that these bans can open up creativity and imagination, which will ultimately lead to better success in and out of school. 

Alzheimers, a disease that causes memory loss (along with the loss of other important mental functions), is one of the most common illnesses throughout the world. Recently, studies from Tel Aviv University have shown success in restoring the trauma caused in the brain by using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.  Hyperbaric treatment works by putting the patient in a chamber where the atmospheric pressure becomes much lower than what is experienced at sea level.  This has already been used in other medical treatments, such as certain types of poisoning, radiation injury, and diabetic wounds that cannot heal correctly.  This advancement would mark the first time that a drug free treatment has been proven to be effective in preventing the process that is responsible for the growth of Alzheimers.

“Diseases like Alzheimers really make me concerned for my friends and family in the near future, but treatments like these let me know that it will be ok,” said freshman Tea Drouzas.