Goodable

Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain. Around 3,500 fireworks were then launched during a five-minute display from various floors of the Sky Tower, local media reported.

South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.

The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from various floors of the 240-meter (787-foot) Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.

Australia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand. In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.

In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.

Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration.&nbsp;Around 3,500 fireworks were then launched during a five-minute display from various floors of the Sky Tower, local media reported.South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from various floors of the 240-meter (787-foot) Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.Australia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand. In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.

New Year 2026: New Zealand kicks off celebrations with dazzling fireworks

Science Alert

The secret behind the smooth, chocolatey flavor of Black Ivory coffee may lie in one unlikely place: elephant poop.

A new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that the unique taste of Black Ivory coffee could be shaped by the gut bacteria of Asian elephants. Researchers in Japan found that specific microbes in the elephants’ digestive systems break down bitter compounds found in coffee beans—essentially pre-processing them before they’re ever roasted.

Black Ivory coffee is among the rarest and most expensive coffees in the world. Produced exclusively at a sanctuary in Thailand, it’s made by feeding elephants unprocessed coffee cherries. The beans are later collected from their feces, cleaned, and roasted.

It might sound unappetizing, but the flavor is renowned. Compared to kopi luwak—another high-end coffee produced using civets—Black Ivory is considered smoother and less bitter. And now scientists think they know why.

“Our previous study revealed that Gluconobacter was the dominant genus in the gut of civet cats, and it may produce volatile compounds from the coffee beans, suggesting that microbial metabolism contributes to the coffee aroma,” said genomicist Takuji Yamada of the Institute of Science Tokyo. “These findings raised the question of whether the gut microbiome of elephants similarly influences the flavor of Black Ivory coffee.”

To explore the idea, Yamada and his colleagues collected fecal samples from six elephants at the Thai sanctuary—three that had been fed the coffee cherries and three that hadn’t. Aside from the addition of bananas, rice bran, and coffee cherries to the “coffee group,” the animals’ diets were identical.

When they analyzed the samples, the researchers found that the coffee-eating elephants had higher levels of gut microbes capable of breaking down cellulose and pectin—plant compounds that contribute to coffee’s bitterness when roasted. Some of these bacteria were completely absent from the control group.

Coffee's bitterness partly comes from compounds released when pectin and cellulose break down during roasting. A 2018 study found that Black Ivory beans have significantly less of one of these bitter compounds, 2-furfuryl furan, than typical roasted beans. The new study suggests the microbes in elephant guts may be stripping away those bitterness-producing compounds before roasting ever begins.

To test whether this microbial mix is unique to elephants, the researchers compared the samples with existing data from the gut microbiomes of cattle, pigs, and chickens. While some bacteria overlapped, only the elephants had the full set of microbes needed to break down both cellulose and pectin effectively.

“Our findings may highlight a potential molecular mechanism by which the gut microbiota of Black Ivory coffee elephants contributes to the flavor of Black Ivory coffee,” Yamada said.

The next step? Testing the beans themselves. Researchers want to conduct a biochemical analysis of the coffee beans before and after they pass through the elephant’s digestive tract to confirm the gut microbes’ exact role in shaping the final flavor.

For now, the idea that the most luxurious cup of coffee on Earth may owe its rich, mellow taste to the digestive enzymes of an elephant is more than just a quirky fact—it could be a microbial marvel.

Can Elephants Reveal The Secret To Amazing Coffee?

BBC News

More treasure was discovered in Norfolk than anywhere else in England last year, according to new figures released by the British Museum.

Metal detectorists in the county reported 138 items officially classed as treasure in 2024, putting Norfolk ahead of Hampshire (110) and North Yorkshire (109). When all archaeological finds are counted—not just treasure—Norfolk again topped the list with more than 7,120 discoveries.

Dr Helen Geake, the county’s finds liaison officer, said Norfolk’s consistent success comes down to “a combination of factors.”

“It’s the agricultural land, we’ve got a big treasure team in Norfolk, and we’ve got loads and loads of detectorists,” she explained. “It was also a rich county before the Industrial Revolution, going back years. We’ve been rich since the beginning, and a lot of rich people are careless; they’re less likely to look for the stuff they’ve lost.”

Other counties with high find counts included Suffolk (5,410), Lincolnshire (5,133), and Gloucestershire (5,034). The British Museum said over 92% of objects were recovered from cultivated land, where archaeological materials are especially vulnerable to damage from farming.

Among the standout items recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme in 2024 was a Roman copper-alloy vehicle fitting discovered near Harlow, Essex. Dating from between AD 43 and 200, the intricately designed artefact depicts a female panther with its paws on a severed head. Archaeologist Dr John Pearce from King's College London said “there is nothing quite like it in Romano-Britain.”

“It was probably attached to the body of a carriage or to the yoke, which hitched draught animals to the vehicle,” added Lori Rogerson, Essex’s finds liaison officer. “The Harlow fitting will quickly become one of Essex’s most iconic archaeological objects.”

The item was declared treasure under new rules introduced to the Treasure Act 1996, which now allows for historically significant items to qualify, even if they don’t meet traditional thresholds for age or material.

Another rare discovery came near York, where a hoard of 179 silver pennies from the reign of Harold II was found. Experts believe the coins were buried just before the Battle of Fulford in 1066, when Norwegian forces briefly captured York. The museum described the hoard as “exceptional” because it only contains coins from Harold’s brief reign, which lasted from 6 January to 14 October that year.

Wiltshire also yielded some early medieval finds that may be linked to a high-status burial. The objects include gold rings, ornate metalwork, and a bird’s-head terminal made from silver, gold, garnet, and elephant ivory. Cardiff University will lead a follow-up excavation with the Portable Antiquities Scheme in the coming months.

One of Norfolk’s more unusual treasures was a pierced gold coin, thought to have been worn as a pendant. It’s an imitation of a coin struck for Louis the Pious, the Frankish king and Holy Roman Emperor between AD 814 and 840. Geake said researchers had assumed such coins were made by Frisians, but growing evidence suggests they may actually be Viking in origin.

“We tend to feel Vikings are violent barbarians and not likely to imitate beautiful, civilised European coins,” she said. “But they are highly experienced in precious metals and have an eye for beautiful objects as they pillage them.”

In total, 79,616 finds were recorded in 2024—a sharp rise from 74,506 the year before and 53,490 in 2022. Metal detectorists continue to account for 94% of all reported discoveries.

Ian Richardson, acting head of portable antiquities and treasure at the British Museum, called the increase “a testament to the dedication of finders across the country.”

“Their responsible reporting allows us to build a richer and more detailed picture of life in the past, while ensuring that important objects are preserved for public benefit,” he said.

Culture Minister Baroness Twycross praised the network of finders, landowners, museums, and researchers involved in the process.

“Thanks to the finders, landowners, museums and everyone involved in the treasure process, we have the rare opportunity to display these treasures to educate and inspire future generations to come,” she said.

This Region Topped England’s Treasure Charts as a Record Number of Finds Were Unearthed

Sunny Skyz

What started as an ordinary Friday lunch turned into a dramatic rescue at a Virginia Beach restaurant, when a car plunged into the water just outside.

Jeremy Way, an aviation rescue swimmer in the U.S. Navy, was eating at Bubba’s on Shore Drive when he heard a loud crash followed by an unusually large splash against the restaurant windows.

“Sitting here having lunch, and there’s a large splash against the windows, that was way higher than it should’ve been,” Way said.

A car had driven off the nearby boat ramp and into the water. Realizing someone was still inside the sinking SUV, Way didn’t hesitate. Despite the frigid weather — the air temperature was around -2°C — he dove in.

“I knew it was going to be cold,” he said. “I just dove right in.”

Once he reached the vehicle, he found the driver trapped and in a panic. She refused to unlock the doors as the SUV continued to fill with water. Others on the scene tried to break the windows while Way kept talking to the woman, urging her to stay calm.

Eventually, as the vehicle slipped completely underwater, they managed to get her out.

“She finally came out, and I did what I’ve always been taught — rescue swimmer techniques — and swam her toward safety,” Way said.

Dan Baker, a manager at Bubba’s, watched the rescue unfold.

“The car started to sink, and then two of these guys, these citizens, heroines, just lifted this person out of the water as the car was gone,” he said. “I mean, they just lifted this person out of the water. It was crazy. It was surreal.”

All three people involved — the driver and two Good Samaritans — were taken to hospital for treatment. None of the injuries were considered serious, according to police.

Way believes it was no coincidence he happened to be there.

“I came out to get some lunch,” he said. “I’m an aviation rescue swimmer. I was here for a reason. ‘So others may live’ — it’s our motto.”

Navy Rescue Swimmer Saves Woman from Sinking Car During Virginia Beach Lunch Outing

A councillor in Sevenoaks who lost his ability to speak due to motor neurone disease is now using artificial intelligence to speak again — in his own voice.

Nick Varley, who represents Kippington on both the district and town councils, was diagnosed with MND in November 2024. The disease, which affects how nerves in the brain and spinal cord control muscles, often starts with subtle symptoms. In Varley’s case, it began with his speech.

“It was nine months after I first noticed at a council meeting that my voice was sounding ever so slightly odd, a tiny bit slurred,” he said.

Since then, his condition has progressed. The type of MND he has starts in the mouth and throat before affecting other parts of the body. Now 58, Varley describes feeling a “terrible shock and fear” after receiving the diagnosis.

But shortly after, he made a decision that would change his ability to communicate.

Varley recorded samples of his voice, which were then used to train an AI model to reproduce it. The voice-cloning technology was developed through a collaboration between the MND Association and California-based tech firm 11Labs. The result is a remarkably accurate digital version of his voice that he can use to speak in real time.

“It can be very emotional because your voice is such a big part of you, and no one wants it to sound like Stephen Hawking did,” Varley said.

On 13 January, he used the AI voice publicly for the first time, asking a question at a Sevenoaks District Council cabinet meeting.

“It’s amazing because when you get your diagnosis, part of you thinks, ‘my life is over’,” he said. “And being able to still work, still talk, and still participate is amazing.”

Varley, a former journalist, hasn’t let his diagnosis stop him from being active. Since going public with his condition, he’s been raising money for MND-related charities. He participated in the 2025 Moonlight Walk organised by Hospice in the Weald, which has been supporting him since his diagnosis, and raised over £11,000. In December, he completed a charity run in Leeds, bringing in another £10,000.

Through it all, the AI voice has given him not just the ability to speak, but a way to keep being himself.

Councillor with MND Uses AI to Speak Again in His Own Voice

NASA

For Jaclyn Kagey, helping astronauts prepare to walk on the Moon isn’t some far-off dream — it’s her daily job.

As the extravehicular activity (EVA) lead for Artemis III in NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate, Kagey is responsible for shaping how astronauts will carry out spacewalks when they return to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.

That includes building detailed timelines, planning scientific tasks, coordinating with commercial partners, and supporting real-time operations — all while keeping astronauts safe. It’s a high-stakes role, and one that will help define how humans explore the Moon’s south polar region, a place no person has ever set foot.

“My mission is to shape this historic endeavor by working closely with scientists and industry partners to define lunar surface activities,” said Kagey. “We are setting the standard for humanity’s return to the Moon.”

Kagey has spent over 25 years working across some of NASA’s most complex human spaceflight programs. Her path started at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where watching space shuttle launches inspired her to pursue a career in human spaceflight. That dream became reality through United Space Alliance, where she and her husband both got their start as contractors.

Since then, she’s helped plan and execute seven spacewalks. One that stands out in her memory is U.S. EVA 21 — a high-pressure mission to fix a critical ammonia leak aboard the International Space Station.

“We had just 36 hours to plan, prepare the spacesuits, and execute the repair,” Kagey recalled. “The agility, dedication, and teamwork shown during that operation were remarkable. It demonstrated what this team can accomplish under pressure.”

That kind of problem-solving has become second nature. "You have to be flexible," she said. "Things rarely go exactly as planned, and your job is to respond in a way that keeps the crew safe and the mission moving forward."

She’s also learned the importance of knowing when to push and when to pause. “There are times when the mission requires everything you have,” she said. “And there are times when you have to step back. Learning when to do each is critical.”

Kagey’s influence isn’t limited to mission planning — she’s also helping shape the future of spacesuit design.

As someone on the shorter side, Kagey once couldn’t complete a full test in NASA’s older Extravehicular Mobility Unit. Although she passed the initial fit check, the suit’s proportions were too large to allow her to move effectively during testing. That experience led her to push for more inclusive suit designs that accommodate a wider range of body types.

That effort came full circle when she recently tested Axiom Space’s new lunar spacesuit — the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or AxEMU — on NASA’s gravity offload system in Houston.

“It’s exciting to literally fit into the future of spacewalks!” she said.

With Artemis III, NASA is aiming to land astronauts near the Moon’s south pole using a commercial lander and conduct groundbreaking science on the surface. The mission is not only a return to the Moon, but also a proving ground for future exploration — and Kagey’s work will help make it possible.

From planning critical repairs on the ISS to preparing for the first Moonwalk in decades, Kagey’s career is a reminder of the human effort behind every mission.

She may not be walking on the Moon herself, but she’s making sure others can — safely, efficiently, and with a suit that finally fits.

Meet the NASA Engineer Helping Astronauts Walk on the Moon Again

She’s wandered through pubs, lounged in supermarkets, and charmed thousands along the way. Now Susie the cat, Dorchester’s most famous feline, is getting a statue in her honour.

An anonymous donor has proposed a bronze sculpture of the adventurous cat, who has built a global fan base simply by strolling through the Dorset town like she owns it. If planning permission is approved, the statue will be installed in South Street and sculpted by Weymouth artist Ama Menec.

Susie moved to Dorchester in 2023 with Linda and Michael Crow, who came to stay with their daughter Jenny Graves. Not long after, locals began spotting Susie all over town and calling in concerned that she was lost. That’s when Graves updated her collar to read: "Susie – Not lost, just adventurous."

She hasn’t stopped exploring since.

The Facebook group dedicated to Susie now has more than 11,000 members, who regularly post sightings of her tucked into shops, pubs, and even high-rise flats. Her owner, Jenny Graves, a hospital consultant, says Susie has unexpectedly brought people together.

“We have people from all over the world following her so it's been a nice thing,” Graves said. “I get at least two patients in every clinic who mention her. I really like it – it's allowed me to meet all sorts of people who I would not have otherwise met.”

The proposed statue will depict Susie wearing a Roman-style collar made of glass beads, with a Roman tile beneath her paws—an artistic nod to the town’s ancient roots. A similar tile with cat paw prints was found in nearby Gloucester, dating back to the Roman era.

Fittingly, the statue will be set at a child’s eye level, resting on a plinth made of Portland stone embedded with Jurassic Coast fossils.

Graves said the donor, who is also managing the project, wants to remain anonymous but is someone with a passion for Dorchester’s Roman history and a soft spot for Susie. “I don't want to offend anyone but it's completely crazy… in a good way,” she said. “If it increases footfall, it can only be a positive thing.”

Susie’s fame has already sparked several community fundraising efforts. In 2024, a children’s book titled Not Lost was published to raise funds for People First Dorset, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities. The idea came after Susie paid a surprise visit to charity manager Laura Kerr’s fourth-floor flat.

The book, created by Kerry Martin, William Parmiter and Emily Burr with illustrations by Catherine Owen, drew a crowd of around 100 people to its launch. Owen’s postcards of Susie have since raised additional funds for a cat rescue charity.

Most recently, a 2026 calendar featuring photos of Susie, created by local resident Matthew Darvill, raised more than £2,600 for Samaritans.

From Facebook fame to a children’s book, and soon a bronze statue, Susie’s laid-back wanderings have made her a beloved fixture in Dorchester—and soon, a permanent one.

Bronze Statue To Honor Celebrity Cat Susie In Dorchester

Science Daily

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have made a major leap in the field of cell therapy, successfully developing a method to reliably grow a key type of human immune cell—helper T cells—from stem cells in the lab.

Published January 7 in Cell Stem Cell, the study solves a bottleneck that has long limited the scale and affordability of engineered immune treatments. The ability to mass-produce these cells could pave the way for off-the-shelf therapies for cancer, infections, autoimmune disorders, and more.

“Engineered cell therapies are transforming modern medicine,” said Dr. Peter Zandstra, co-senior author of the study and director of UBC’s School of Biomedical Engineering. “This study addresses one of the biggest challenges in making these lifesaving treatments accessible to more people, showing for the first time a reliable and scalable way to grow multiple immune cell types.”

Cell-based therapies like CAR-T have shown dramatic results in treating aggressive cancers. These therapies work by reprogramming a patient’s own immune cells to attack disease, but the process is slow, expensive, and often inaccessible. One of the biggest hurdles is the reliance on each patient’s individual cells, which have to be harvested and modified separately—a time-consuming and costly process.

“The long-term goal is to have off-the-shelf cell therapies that are manufactured ahead of time and on a larger scale from a renewable source like stem cells,” said co-senior author Dr. Megan Levings, a professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at UBC. “This would make treatments much more cost-effective and ready when patients need them.”

While scientists have made headway in generating killer T cells—immune cells that attack cancer and infected cells—helper T cells have remained out of reach. These cells play a central role in coordinating immune responses, activating other immune cells and sustaining those responses over time. Without them, many therapies don’t work as well or last as long.

“Helper T cells are essential for a strong and lasting immune response,” said Dr. Levings. “It’s critical that we have both to maximize the efficacy and flexibility of off-the-shelf therapies.”

The UBC team cracked the code by fine-tuning a biological signal called Notch, which helps guide how stem cells mature into immune cells. Notch needs to be active early on to help start the process, but if it stays on for too long, it prevents the formation of helper T cells.

“By precisely tuning when and how much this signal is reduced, we were able to direct stem cells to become either helper or killer T cells,” said Dr. Ross Jones, a co-first author and research associate in the Zandstra Lab. “We were able to do this in controlled laboratory conditions that are directly applicable in real-world biomanufacturing, which is an essential step toward turning this discovery into a viable therapy.”

What’s more, the lab-grown helper T cells didn’t just look the part—they acted like fully mature immune cells. They carried diverse immune receptors, showed signs of full development, and could form specialized subtypes with distinct roles.

“These cells look and act like genuine human helper T cells,” said co-first author Kevin Salim, a PhD student in the Levings Lab. “That’s critical for future therapeutic potential.”

The ability to consistently generate both types of T cells—and control their proportions—could allow scientists to fine-tune therapies for different diseases and patients.

“This is a major step forward in our ability to develop scalable and affordable immune cell therapies,” said Dr. Zandstra. “This technology now forms the foundation for testing the role of helper T cells in supporting the elimination of cancer cells and generating new types of helper T cell-derived cells, such as regulatory T cells, for clinical applications.”

With this advance, the vision of accessible, off-the-shelf cell therapies for life-threatening conditions is no longer science fiction—it’s getting closer to clinical reality.

Scientists Say They've Unlocked a Breakthrough in Immune Cells for Cancer and Autoimmune Therapy

When Mehnaaz Fayaz told her daughter she was thinking of going back to school, she didn’t expect to end up as her lab partner. But that’s exactly what happened.

The 46-year-old mother from Leicester recently completed a postgraduate degree in Cancer Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics alongside her 22-year-old daughter, Kauser. Both women earned distinctions and say they hope their story encourages others to rethink what’s possible—no matter their age.

“They say once you get married and have kids you cannot study—you can, and you can study with your kids together,” Mehnaaz said.

After both graduated from the University of Leicester with previous degrees, they decided to enrol in the same postgraduate course to support each other. It turned out to be more than just a smart academic decision—it became a shared journey neither of them will forget.

“It was my passion to go more into cancer research and learn more about the molecular part of it, so that's why I chose to go back,” Mehnaaz explained.

Kauser, now working as a writer for a medical device company, said studying with her mum was more than just convenient—it was inspiring. “She's my mum, she's my role model,” she said. “I hope mum's achievements will inspire other women, who might think they are too old to go to university, to pursue education – she's shown it's never too late.”

The two often turned heads on campus, with classmates frequently mistaking them for sisters. Kauser didn’t mind. “It happens often,” she said. “It's quite nice though because it's nice to see that she's growing old gracefully!”

Despite their close bond, the mother-daughter duo admits their study habits don’t quite align. “She's more of a bookworm,” Kauser said. “She likes to study a lot more than me, but I must say I did get a higher grade in our dissertations!”

Their results speak for themselves. Both received distinctions—the highest grade available. Mehnaaz will soon begin an internship as a medical article writer, while Kauser has already started her professional career.

The University of Leicester celebrated the achievement. Linda Ralphs, Pro Vice-Chancellor Education, said, “We welcome everyone. It is exactly that sort of story that really makes our day.”

For Mehnaaz, the takeaway is simple: “I want to break the stereotype. It’s for everybody, there is no age to learn.”

Mother And Daughter Graduate Together, Proving It's Never Too Late To Learn

A retired silversmith from the UK has spent the last 18 months transforming discarded candle wax into a lifeline for people on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.

Mark Stevens, from Ludlow in Shropshire, has collected more than a thousand kilos of used candles from churches, cathedrals, and charity shops. He melts them down and recasts the wax into compact, portable stoves designed to provide both heat and light to Ukrainian civilians and military personnel living without electricity or heating.

"It's the idea of being in a cold dark space with no light, no heat and it's something very simple," Stevens said. "People are throwing away candles every day so it's good recycling."

The concept is simple but effective. A single wax stove can warm a room or a shelter, making a real difference for those facing harsh winters and frequent blackouts due to ongoing attacks on infrastructure.

“This would heat a room,” Stevens explained, holding one of the candles. “It could be used in a shelter somewhere.”

So far, Stevens has travelled to Ukraine four times to personally deliver the wax stoves and other supplies. He also ships them via a local charity. His efforts don’t stop at candles—he’s also helped supply generators and even vehicles to Ukrainians caught in the conflict.

“It’s easy to ignore what’s going on on our doorstep and the destruction and the waste and the environmental hazard that is being created by a war,” he said.

His work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Lesley Harling, a church warden at St Laurence’s in Ludlow, where Stevens collects many of his candles, called the project remarkable. “I think it's amazing. Apart from anything else, the sheer amount of work that goes into it.”

The community of Ludlow has welcomed many Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war. Some now work at a café inside St Laurence’s Church. Yuliia Shapoval, one of the staff members, said Stevens’ actions have had a real emotional impact.

“I really appreciate his work,” she said. “People need to feel like... somebody wants to help them.”

Stevens continues to collect candle donations and encourages others to think about how simple, overlooked materials can be repurposed into something meaningful.

In a war where supplies are often scarce and power outages common, a few ounces of wax and a wick can provide more than just heat—they offer hope, dignity, and a reminder that even small acts of kindness can reach across borders.

Retired Silversmith Turns Used Candles into Lifesaving Heat for War-Torn Ukraine

Mongabay

Coffee is in trouble. As global temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, nearly half of the world’s arabica coffee-growing regions could become unsuitable for cultivation by 2050.

That’s not just bad news for morning routines. It's a looming crisis for the 25 million farmers and 100 million workers who rely on coffee for their livelihood — many of them earning just a few dollars a day. In countries like Burundi, where coffee makes up nearly 70 percent of exports, the stakes are even higher.

“If half of global coffee goes bust … and millions of people go broke, it could trigger humanitarian disasters and maybe even civil unrest,” said Etelle Higonnet, founder and director of Coffee Watch.

But there’s hope in an age-old technique: agroforestry.

Instead of planting coffee as a monocrop, agroforestry mimics natural ecosystems by growing it alongside shade trees, fruit trees, and other crops. The result is a cooler, more stable microclimate that protects fragile coffee plants from temperature extremes, erratic rainfall, and soil degradation.

Coffee, as Higonnet puts it, is “a very sensitive little plant.” It thrives in mountainous tropical areas but doesn’t cope well with too much heat or cold, or too much moisture or dryness. “It doesn’t like cold, but it doesn’t like hot. It doesn’t like dry, but it doesn’t like wet.”

Agroforestry helps hit that elusive “Goldilocks zone,” while offering other benefits too. Healthier soils, greater biodiversity, and stronger yields are all part of the package. Companion crops can also provide food and income for growers, making farms more resilient.

The challenge? Making sure farmers and governments know how to do it — and do it well.

To solve that, Coffee Watch has launched what it says is the most comprehensive online library of agroforestry research ever assembled. It includes everything ever published on the topic and is freely available in multiple languages.

“Companies don’t have to do a million stupid pilot projects and reinvent the wheel for 20 years that we don’t have,” Higonnet said. “They can just hoover up all this knowledge quickly, easily.”

Guillermo Vargas Leitón, coordinator of education for agricultural sustainability at Café Monteverde in Costa Rica, called the move “a crucial step in ensuring that coffee farmers can find valuable data for their daily production needs.”

Brazil and Vietnam together produce nearly half the world’s coffee — about a third and 18 percent respectively — but according to Higonnet, they’re not currently taking agroforestry seriously. “When those governments decide that they want to do agroforestry to climate-proof their coffee, save their economy and all those jobs … this [e-library] is there for them.”

The initiative is not just about protecting plants. It’s about protecting people, economies, and entire regions that depend on the success of one of the world’s most beloved crops. And with time running out, the hope is that the Coffee Watch e-library helps fast-track the transition.

Coffee may be a drink, but for millions, it’s also a lifeline.

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