The internet is abundant with so much negativity that we end up overlooking the uplifting news pieces. Thankfully, we have content creators to remind us that not everything you read about online covers the doom and gloom of the world.
TikTok user Sam Bentley is one of them. One of his recent posts is a rundown of some of the positive things that happened in 2024 that mainstream media failed to bring to light.
These events could restore your faith in humanity or, at the very least, make you feel more optimistic about the future. Enjoy scrolling through.
Image credits: sambentley
#1 Scientists In Singapore Discovered Superworms That Can Digest Plastic Thanks To Their Gut Bacteria
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@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#2 Japanese Researchers Developed A Revolutionary Biodegradable Plastic That Dissolves In Seawater And Doesn’t Generate Microplastics
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@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#3 Seven Countries Now Generate Over 99% Of Electricity From Renewable Sources
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Have you ever wondered why most media outlets cover more of the grim aspects of society than those that bring more positivity to the world? According to Dr. Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, Director of Research at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, it is all by design.
In an interview with the university, Dr. Nielsen explained that a journalist’s primary objective is to “de-mask” powerful institutions and individuals and hold them to account.
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#4 Kenya’s Black Rhinos That Nearly Went Extinct Made A Huge Comeback And Doubled In Number To 1,000
Image credits: sambentley
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#5 The Largest Dam Removal In Us History Was Completed, Opening Up 400 Miles Of The Klamath River, Helping Salmon And Communities That Rely On The River To Thrive
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@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#6 Two Teenagers Won $50,000 For Inventing A Device That Can Filter Microplastics From Water
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Another reason reporters focus on negativity is that they are more drawn to events than trends. According to Dr. Nielsen, this approach tends to conceal the truth of the situation in its entirety.
However, focusing on adverse events that have particular consequences for named individuals creates a human-interest story, which is good for business.
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#7 Scientists Discovered Almost 100 New Deep-Sea Species Living Up To 14,000 Feet Under The Sea
Image credits: sambentley
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#8 India Electrified Over 94% Of Its Railways, And 45% Of The Electrification Happened In Just Five Years
Image credits: sambentley
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#9 Pakistan Tripled Their Mangrove Forests Over The Last 30 Years
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Of course, overconsuming the toxicity on the internet can affect our mood and mental health. That’s why Boston University researcher and marketing professor Carey Morewedge emphasizes the importance of balanced reporting.
“In the long term, these sites may be better suited by providing more of a mix of positive info,” Morewedge told Vox in a 2023 interview. “Just thinking about what people do in the present may not capture their full preferences.”
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#10 20 Indigenous Groups In The Peruvian Amazon Managed To Secure Land Rights To Over 75,000 Acres. It’s Three Times As Big As Manhattan!
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@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#11 Greece And Sweden Became The First Countries In Europe To Announce Bans On Bottom Trawling To Help Protect Our Beautiful Ocean
Image credits: sambentley
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley
#12 Uruguay Ran On 100% Renewables For 10 Months Straight
Image credits: sambentley
Bentley’s video below is a breath of fresh air from the gloominess that’s become prevalent on social media timelines. As expected, people in the comments appreciated his focus shift.
@sambentley Some of the best good news from 2024 you may have missed! #fyp #foryou #goodnews #sustainableliving #conservation #newstiktok ♬ original sound – Sam Bentley