Happy Tuesday 👋

Here are the impactful insights that I have for you today:

• Scientists look to Maya technology to solve water crisis 🚰
• World’s first beanless coffee ☕
• AI technology that protects the Amazon rainforest 🪵
• And more… 💚

What do the ancient Mayas and our water systems have in common?

Well, not too much yet, but it seems like this might be about to change!

Fighting for solutions to our ever-worsening water crisis is one thing that’s close to my heart. And it looks like a potential solution might come from an ancient technology used by the Mayas.

🚰 How Ancient Maya Reservoirs Could Solve the Modern-Day Water Crisis

1️⃣ The big picture: Researchers at the University of Illinois have discovered how the ancient Maya used aquatic plants to provide continuous, clean water for thousands of citizens in times of extreme drought. Archaeological evidence shows that the Maya built and maintained reservoirs that remained in use for thousands of years. They used quartz sand for effective water filtration and aquatic plants, especially the Water Lily (Nymphaea ampla) to prevent standing water from becoming stagnant. The resulting nutrient-rich soil was then used to fertilize urban fields. 

2️⃣ Why is this good news: This Maya-inspired technology could help build new sustainable water systems to solve the current global water crisis. Currently, 1.1 billion people lack access to water and 2.7 billion people experience water scarcity at least once a month every year. It’s estimated that half of the world’s human population could be facing water scarcity by 2025. On top of this, current water systems involve pumping and treating water, which are very carbon-intensive processes. For example, 13% of the electricity used in the US is for water delivery and treatment. On average, every cubic meter of water consumed generates 10.6kg of carbon emissions.

3️⃣ What’s next: Scientists are now looking at how the sustainable Maya water system could be replicated to solve today’s water crisis. The next step is to combine the knowledge gained from this research with our current understanding of constructed wetlands.

👉 You can already help to ensure that every person has access to clean water by contributing to the Best Charities That Fight for Clean Water!

📢 More Good News…

☕ Seattle-based company launches world’s first beanless coffee:

• With the financial backing of plant-based food company Beyond Meat, business startup Atomo Coffee has launched the world’s first beanless coffee.
• Their caffeinated cold beverage uses superfoods and plant-based waste ingredients to mimic the molecular structure of coffee. This process uses 94% less water and causes 93% less carbon emissions than regular coffee production.

🪵 AI robots can prevent illegal deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest:

• Researchers at the Amazonas State University have developed small wireless boxes that can be trained to detect deforestation sounds, such as chainsaws. The information is then relayed to a central point, where agents are deployed to intercept.
• To date, 10 of the devices, named ‘curupiras’ after a forest creature in folklore, have been fixed to trees in 55,000 acres of forest near Manaus.
• Environmentalists hope to scale up this project to tackle the threat of illegal deforestation. 

🌱 Robots could make farms more diverse through precision crop planting:

• Scientists at Harper Adams University, UK are investigating the use of autonomous robots guided by GPS to plant multiple crops in close proximity to each other. 
• This process has been shown to trigger beneficial interactions between different plants, boosting biodiversity.
• The technology was presented at the New Scientist Live event in London on October 08 this year. It’s hoped that this technology will create more nutrient-rich soil and allow local wildlife to thrive. 

🚫 Event of the Week: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

👉 Did you know that today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty? This event was founded in 1987 to raise awareness of the fight against poverty and advocate for collective action to solve the problem. 

1️⃣ The big picture: The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was initially set up as the ‘World Day to Overcome Poverty’ in Paris, France. 10,000 people attended the event to honor victims of poverty, violence, hunger, and fear. The specific date was chosen to commemorate Joseph Wresinski, who was the founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World. Today, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is marked around the world through awareness events and community gatherings.

2️⃣ Why is this important: Roughly 9.2% of the world’s population is living in poverty. That’s 719 million people! To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed a further 97 million people into extreme poverty, which is most concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. People living below the breadline suffer extreme hunger, malnutrition, social discrimination, and a lack of access to decent education.

3️⃣ How can you get involved: The theme for International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Day 2023 is ‘putting dignity in practice for all’. This draws on first-hand testimonies from people working long hours in unsuitable conditions for minimal wages. To commemorate this event, you can raise awareness of poverty-related issues on your social media platforms or in your local community. You can also listen to the personal struggles of people living in extreme poverty.

Additionally, you can check out the organizations below that fight for the rights of every human to have access to a decent standard of living. This should be adequate for their health and well-being:

• 20 Best Charities for Global Poverty
• 9 Best Charities That Support Low-Income Families
• 9 Best Charities Impacting Developing Countries

📜 This Week in History

✝️ October 17, 1979: Mother Teresa, founder of a Roman Catholic order dedicated to helping the poor and disadvantaged, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. 

🎶 October 18, 1961: The acclaimed musical film West Side Story was released in American Theaters. It won 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.

🐋 October 18, 1851: Herman Melville’s classic novel, Moby Dick, was first published.

💭 Quote of the Day

“Live simply so others may simply live.” 

— Mother Teresa, Catholic Nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity

Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!

Stay impactful 💚