Since the 1970s, the price of solar panels has fallen by more than 99%—Here's Why

Since the 1970s, the price of solar panels has fallen by more than 99 percent. What was once a niche, costly technology has become one of the most widely adopted sources of clean power in the world. A new MIT study published in PLOS ONE explains how decades of steady, often overlooked breakthroughs made solar power the cheapest electricity in history. How solar got so cheap Researchers traced 81 distinct innovations that have reduced costs over the last half-century. Some were technical, such as “wire-sawing,” which slices silicon blocks into thinner wafers and slashes waste. Others were systemic, like streamlining permits for large projects. Many of these gains didn’t originate in the solar industry. Advances in semiconductors, glassmaking, metalworking, and even legal reforms spilled over into solar manufacturing and deployment. Together, they pushed photovoltaic (PV) systems from novelty to mainstream. Kostantsa Rangelova, a global electricity analyst at the think tank Ember, said small gains multiplied as the industry scaled up. “The story of how solar became the cheapest form of electricity in history … is one of a steady pace of systemic incremental innovations that brought new materials, tools and processes, often combining these elements to improve efficiency and reduce costs,” she said. Solar’s tipping point The payoff is now visible in Europe. In June, solar power generated more electricity than any other source in the EU for the first time. Globally, clean energy investment reached €1.7 trillion last year, nearly €700 billion more than fossil fuels. Solar’s cost decline has outpaced all other renewables, helping drive a broader shift away from fossil fuels. Offshore wind, for example, is now 53 percent cheaper than fossil generation, but it is solar’s dramatic fall that has reshaped global power markets. What comes next MIT researchers argue the next wave of cost cuts may rely less on materials and more on processes. Artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced software could lower installation costs and improve grid integration. “In terms of knowledge spillovers, what we’ve seen so far in PV may really just be the beginning,” said co-author Magdalena Klemun. Rangelova points to modularity—the use of standardized, easily replicated parts—as another key lesson. Panels designed for simple assembly and replacement already speed up production and installation. The same principle, she said, is now helping drive down battery costs. The looming recycling challenge Cheaper solar is only part of the story. With installations booming, researchers are now focused on what happens when panels reach the end of their 30-year lifespan. Panels are rugged by design, which makes dismantling them for recycling difficult and costly. Without better recovery systems, millions of tons of waste could pile up. Projects in Europe and Australia are experimenting with more efficient recycling methods, and some manufacturers are beginning to design panels with end-of-life recovery in mind. Repair and reuse programs are also gaining traction. Other renewables face similar hurdles. While most of a wind turbine can already be recycled, scientists estimate turbine waste could exceed 43 million tonnes by 2050. Lessons for the future Jessika Trancik, one of the MIT researchers, said government policy has been just as important as lab breakthroughs. Many of the innovations that helped solar spread—such as streamlined permitting and financial incentives—were driven by public institutions. “Through this retrospective analysis, you learn something valuable for future strategy,” Trancik said. “It is also useful to know what adjacent sectors may help support improvement in a particular technology.” The story of solar shows that breakthroughs rarely come from one place. They come from everywhere—labs, factories, policies, and industries that may seem unrelated. Sustaining that environment of innovation, the researchers argue, will be essential if the next generation of renewable technologies is to match solar’s extraordinary success.

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Former Inmates Volunteer To Help Renovate Historic Boston Baptist Church

A Boston church with deep roots in American history is getting new life, with help from an unlikely group of volunteers. Tremont Temple Baptist Church, the first integrated church in the United States, is undergoing major renovations. Among those restoring its century-old sanctuary are men who once served time behind bars. Felipe Colon, who spent 21 years in prison for manslaughter, was released less than two months ago. Today, he is reupholstering and reinstalling balcony seats that have not been replaced since the 1890s. For him, the work is personal. "We could've made a lot of mistakes. We could've burned a lot of bridges. But this church burned down, and then 100 years later, it's being renovated," Colon said. "This is basically an example of what you can do with our own selves." Pastor Jamie Owens said the project has been as much about people as it has been about the building. “Just seeing God work through many people, many hands. This particular occasion that we're able to see a restoration of our main meeting space. It's just been incredible to see all these different people from all over the city, all over the state,” he said. The painstaking process of restoring the balcony chairs has brought together volunteers from different backgrounds, all united in giving the historic church a welcoming feel again. For Colon, it is also a chance to show that change is possible. “People do have the ability here in America to reform yourself, and people will be accepting if you are doing the right thing,” he said. The renovations are expected to be completed in October, marking another chapter in the story of a church that has long been a symbol of renewal and resilience.

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Mother-In-Law's Heartfelt Gesture Brings New Mom To Tears After C-Section

When Caroline Ivizku walked through the door with her newborn for the first time, she was met with an unexpected gesture that changed the way she thought about family. Fresh from the hospital and still recovering from a c-section, the new mom felt overwhelmed. That’s when her mother-in-law stepped forward, hugged her tightly, and held on before greeting her own son. “I just remember like closing that door, and I was like, wow. Like I’m now home with a child that wasn’t here before,” Ivizku told PEOPLE. “It was super overwhelming. He was my first, and I had had a c-section which was planned, so I knew kind of like what to expect, but I didn’t know everything that came with having a c-section, all the pain and recovery and everything like that.” The quiet act of comfort, captured on video and later shared on TikTok, has now been viewed more than seven million times. The clip was posted with the caption, “Late night finds but it’s my mother-in-law hugging me before her own son when she realized I was overwhelmed.” For Ivizku, the moment was about more than going viral. “It’s definitely the act of putting me first,” she said. “She is just a very kind person in general. That’s just kind of her whole identity.” Her mother-in-law stayed with the family during those early days, helping with the baby and supporting Ivizku as she healed. “She did a fantastic job taking care of me as well as her own son, but like, mostly me because I needed the most help,” Ivizku recalled. “She stayed with us that first night, and she was there for a few nights. It was just really nice to have kind of like another woman who just saw me needing that extra support.” That support created a bond the two women hadn’t had before. “Before being a mom, it was more so like, ‘Oh, I’m the wife of your son,’ and we got along really well regardless,” Ivizku said. “But definitely after having kids and her being a grandma for the first time, we just had this really strong bond.” Her husband didn’t notice the significance of the moment until later. “When we talked about it after we saw the video, he didn’t even realize before that that had happened,” Ivizku said. But she added that he has always been attentive and supportive, especially after their second child was born. The video struck a chord with thousands of viewers, many of whom shared their own stories—some positive, others painful. “A lot of the messages at the beginning were like, ‘Oh, I love that for you. That was not the case for me,’” Ivizku said. “They would share these stories, horrific stories of some of the things that were said by their mother-in-laws.” Others used the video as inspiration. “There was also a lot of really positive stories, even from women on there that have their own children that have gotten married,” she said. “They were sharing that they want to make sure that they’re a good mother-in-law and really making sure that more positive experiences are shared.” For Ivizku, the moment underscored how vulnerable the postpartum period can be, and how much small gestures matter. “It is a really raw experience,” she said. “No matter how tough a woman or a mother seems, they’re gonna need support. They just need extra love and positivity, and they don’t need extra side comments.” She believes her mother-in-law gave her a model she hopes to follow in the future. “Seeing how she was with me definitely made me think about certain things that I would do in the future,” Ivizku said. “But definitely to take care of them.” Looking back, she hopes more families understand the importance of stepping in. “Postpartum is unlike any other experience I think you could ever have,” she said. “Especially if it was a traumatic birth or just a birth in general.” Her advice is simple: “If you have a mother-in-law in your life that is really kind and caring, it’s good to have a relationship with them. Because you never know when you’re gonna need them.”

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Pioneering Conservationist Jane Goodall is Being Remembered For Breaking Barriers and Legacy Of Environmental Advocacy

Jane Goodall, the pioneering scientist who reshaped our understanding of chimpanzees and spent decades urging the world to protect the environment, has passed away at 91. The Jane Goodall Institute confirmed her death on Wednesday, saying she passed away of natural causes. “Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the institute said in a statement. Goodall’s career began in the forests of East Africa, where she transformed primatology and later became one of the world’s most recognized conservationists. She was a trailblazer in more ways than one, breaking barriers as a young woman in the 1960s and challenging established scientific practices by observing primates as individuals with personalities, relationships, and emotions. Instead of cataloguing chimpanzees by numbers, she gave them names. She showed that they fashioned tools to fish termites from mounds, ate meat, and waged violent conflicts. “We have found that after all there isn’t a sharp line dividing humans from the rest of the animal kingdom,” she said in a 2002 TED Talk. Her discoveries forced science to rethink the very definition of humanity. Louis Leakey, the famed anthropologist who first sent her into the Tanzanian forest, said of her tool-making breakthrough, “Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as humans.” Born in London in 1934 and raised in Bournemouth, Goodall grew up with a love of animals, fueled by books like “Tarzan” and “Dr. Dolittle” and a stuffed gorilla from her father. Without the money for university, she worked as a secretary before making her way to Kenya in 1957. Meeting Leakey and his wife Mary changed her life. Soon after, she established what became the Gombe Stream Research Centre on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Through years of painstaking fieldwork, Goodall and her collaborators, including wildlife cameraman Hugo van Lawick, her first husband, brought the secret lives of chimpanzees into homes across the globe with the help of the National Geographic Society. Her best-known chimp was David Greybeard, who became a face of her groundbreaking work. But after decades in the field, Goodall realized that saving chimpanzees meant fighting to protect their vanishing forests. She left the jungle behind and embraced a global stage, founding the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to expand her conservation mission. The institute’s work eventually stretched far beyond Africa, covering conservation, health, and education initiatives worldwide. One of its signature programs, Roots & Shoots, engaged children and young people in hands-on projects to protect animals and the environment. By the 1980s, Goodall was spending nearly 300 days a year on the road, meeting government officials, community leaders, and schoolchildren in more than 60 countries. She continued traveling into her 90s. “It never ceases to amaze me that there’s this person who travels around and does all these things,” she said in 2014. “And it’s me. It doesn’t seem like me at all.” Goodall published more than 30 books, including her 1999 bestseller Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey. Her writing, like her lectures, often carried the same message: that humans had the ability to reverse the damage they had caused. “Yes, there is hope ... It’s in our hands, it’s in your hands and my hands and those of our children,” she said in 2002. “It’s really up to us.” Over her lifetime she received countless honors. Queen Elizabeth II named her a Dame of the British Empire in 2003, and in 2025 she received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. Even as she became one of the most recognizable figures in science, Goodall kept her focus on the larger mission. “We’re forgetting that we’re part of the natural world,” she told CNN in 2020. “There’s still a window of time.” Goodall is survived by her son, Hugo, known as “Grub,” from her marriage to van Lawick. She was later married to Derek Bryceson, who died in 1980. She often said that what kept her going was hope, a belief that people could make different choices and that the planet could recover if given the chance. Her life’s work, she said, was proof of that.

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Brave Siblings Rescue 6-Year-Old Boy from Drowning in Lake

A group of siblings in Florida is being credited with saving a 6-year-old boy who nearly drowned in a lake on Sunday evening. The incident unfolded on September 28 in Margate, in the 3000 block of Holiday Springs Boulevard, when cries for help drew the attention of the Castelo family. Alexander Castelo, 35, said he spotted the child floating face down in the water at the Villas on The Green. “A lot of vomit, a lot of fluid started coming out of his mouth, but he was completely unresponsive,” he recalled, describing how he began chest compressions he had learned as a Boy Scout. His younger brother Jonathan, 31, jumped in to help pull the boy from the water. Their sister Amy called 911, while the brothers’ wives, Jessica and Theresa, relayed information to emergency dispatchers. Jessica also walked out to Holiday Springs Boulevard to guide first responders to the scene. “I felt some relief when I heard him cry with fire rescue,” Alexander said, adding that the gravity of what had happened didn’t sink in until later that night. The boy’s mother stood beside Alexander during the rescue, he told WPLG. Paramedics later thanked him for his quick response. The Castelos say they believe divine timing played a role in their ability to help. Just hours earlier, the family had been celebrating the baptism of a 4-month-old relative. “I believe that God allowed us to be there to help this kid and that gives me an outlook that there is something out there guiding us,” Alexander said. “I believe it.” As of September 29, the boy remained in critical condition, according to WSVN. The Castelo family said their thoughts are with him and his loved ones. “We really hope he makes it and he is well,” Alexander said.

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After Decades of Decline, a Small Town Rebuilds With a Grocery Store, School, and Hope

For decades, the story of Venice, Illinois, was one of loss. When steel and manufacturing jobs vanished, two-thirds of the town’s residents left. Soon after, its only grocery store and its only school shut down. Now, the small town across the Mississippi River from St. Louis is trying to write a different story — one of revival. At the center of it is Ed Hightower, a retired school superintendent and longtime college basketball referee who grew up in the area. "I don't care what color you are, what belief you have. You want to reside in a safe area where you can go to school, you go get your groceries," he said. Hightower has played a pivotal role in channeling state support into Venice. Through the Illinois Grocery Initiative, the town secured a $2.4 million state grant to build a new grocery store. Construction is set to begin next month, alongside a new medical clinic and affordable housing. A new school has already opened. But Hightower isn’t just relying on public funding. He’s personally investing $3.5 million of his own money into the grocery store project and will manage it once it opens, leasing the building from the town. "There are no handouts here," said Illinois Deputy Gov. Andy Manar. "That's not happening. This starts at the root of people who want to change their community, when you have that level of investment that we see here in Venice, that's the bedrock for success." Manar says Venice could serve as a model for other struggling towns. "There's no political label you put on a community that has lost a grocery store," he added. For lifelong residents, the changes are more than symbolic. Alexis Williams, who recently enrolled her 5-year-old daughter in the new school, says the improvements give her hope. "I'm hoping that Venice grows and that she doesn't ever have to feel like she has to move away from home to have a better opportunity in life," she said. For Hightower, the work is about giving back. "This country kid who never thought, first of all, I'd get an education, to go as high as a doctorate in education. But my mom always taught us, you don't get there by yourself," he said. After years of decline, Venice is betting that lesson — rooted in teamwork, persistence, and community pride — can fuel its comeback.

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This Chicago Man Reunited With His Missing Dog After 10 Years

A Chicago man has been reunited with his dog after 10 years apart, thanks to a microchip that helped trace the lost pet across state lines. Ed Lighthall’s poodle mix, Pete, vanished from his backyard a decade ago. At the time, Lighthall believed the pup had been stolen and never expected to see him again. “I would tell people how much I missed him and how much it would mean if he ever came back,” he told NBC Chicago. Earlier this month, Pete was spotted running loose on a busy street corner in Hammond, Indiana, about 30 kilometers from where he was last seen. Hammond Animal Control picked him up, and staff quickly noticed he had a collar, tags, and a microchip. Laney Bunner of Hammond Animal Control said Pete’s most recent owner no longer wanted him. That’s when she contacted 24/7 Pet Watch, the company linked to Pete’s microchip, which led her to Lighthall. “He was ecstatic because his dog had been missing for 10 years,” Bunner said. “It’s the longest I have ever heard of.” For Lighthall, the reunion has been nothing short of surreal. “He is a lot older than when I last saw him … but it’s like yesterday,” he said. “It is like we picked up where we left off. I’m happy. He is happy. Everyone who hears this story is happy.” Now adjusting to life with his long-lost companion, Lighthall says he’s still overwhelmed with gratitude. “This is unbelievable,” he said. “There are no words. I am filled with gratitude right now.” The story follows another remarkable reunion last month in Florida, where a family was reunited with their German shepherd Bella after six years. Firefighters rescued her from a canal and traced her through adoption records. Her owner, Lisa Nicholson, said hugging Bella again felt like “being reunited with a long-lost friend.” Both cases highlight the role of microchips and rescue networks in bringing pets back home, even years after they disappear.

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How This UK Mom Triumphed Over Tragedy to Join Team Great Britain For the World Triathlon Championships

A woman from Southend-on-Sea in the UK who once struggled to run or swim is preparing to represent Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships in Australia this month. Georgia Couzens, 33, said the achievement still feels surreal. “If 10 years ago someone had said to me I’d be representing Great Britain, I think I just would have laughed,” she told the BBC. “I was never sporty as a child – quite the opposite.” Her journey into endurance sport began in the wake of personal tragedy. In 2015, her daughter Millie was born with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare and painful condition that causes skin to blister at the slightest touch. Doctors told the family she was unlikely to live beyond 10 weeks, but Millie fought on until she was 17 months old, passing away in March 2016. Just weeks later, Couzens lined up for the London Marathon, having never even run a 5km before. She completed the race in Millie’s memory while raising money for DEBRA UK, the charity that had supported her family. “Seeing everything that Millie went through, those dark days, they’ll always be with me and they’ll always be part of my journey,” she said. “Millie dealt with everything with such humility and strength, and that has really inspired me. She was like a force, and I think I take that with me in everything I do.” From there, she kept going: marathons, triathlons, even an Ironman. Gradually, she built the experience and strength to qualify for the World Championships, which will be held on October 17 in Wollongong, near Sydney. Her event, the sprint triathlon in the women’s 30–34 category, includes a 750-metre swim, a 20-kilometre bike ride and a 5-kilometre run. She will compete against more than 50 other athletes. Couzens admits she isn’t naturally talented and describes herself as someone who simply trains hard. She also had to crowdfund her trip, covering travel, accommodation and even her Team GB kit. Opening that kit, she said, was “a pinch-me moment.” “When [the kit] arrived and it’s got my name on it and Great Britain – I just never ever in a million years would have dreamt that this is something I’d be able to do,” she said. Her mother, Karen Brown, said Georgia’s achievements had inspired the whole family. “Out of adversity, she’s created something really special, which I think is an example for everybody,” she said. On race day, Couzens will be cheered on by her parents, as well as her children Flossie, 4, and Kit, 2. “I think everyone around me has more faith and confidence in me than I do myself,” she said. “I’m just proud to be there – to come out the other side of something that was absolutely awful, but also very rewarding. To stand on that start line, with my family behind me, means the world.”

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Slovenian Climber Achieves Daring Feat On Glider Wings At High Altitude

Slovenian climber Domen Škofic has pulled off a world first by scaling the wings of a glider mid-flight, completing a climb rated at difficulty level 8a while battling extreme conditions thousands of metres above ground. The 31-year-old made the ascent at an altitude of 2,500 metres, traversing both wings in a figure-eight sequence before leaping from 1,500 metres with a parachute — adding a backflip to end the attempt. The climb pushed Škofic into a test of endurance and nerve. He faced headwinds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, sub-zero windchill, and shifting G-forces as the aircraft sliced through the air. To prepare, he spent months in wind tunnels, undergoing parachute training and conditioning his body for the strain of holding positions in mid-flight. Special equipment was essential. Aerodynamic climbing holds, designed by Škofic’s father, were mounted on the wings to handle the forces of his movements. Pilot Ewald Roithner of the Red Bull Blanix Team kept the glider steady, flying at unusually low speeds to give Škofic a chance to cling on and climb. Nine cameras mounted on the plane captured the attempt, which combined extreme sport, aviation, and engineering in a spectacle once dismissed as impossible. For Škofic, known for competing at the highest levels of sport climbing, the feat was more than just a stunt — it was a chance to push the boundaries of what climbing can be. “The whole thing is an intersection of skill, trust, and imagination,” he said after completing the project. The attempt has already been hailed as one of the most original crossovers between climbing and aviation, blurring the line between sport and spectacle — and showing just how far human ambition can soar.

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Anonymous Donor Helps WWII Veteran Return Home After a $60,000 Medical Emergency

Bill Shea, a 100-year-old World War II veteran from Harrow, Ontario, received a hero’s welcome this week as he returned home after a month-long medical ordeal that nearly left him stranded across the country. An ambulance carrying Shea pulled up to Harrow Legion Branch 338, where friends, family, and legion members greeted him with cheers, waves, and hugs. For many, it was an emotional reunion with one of the region’s last surviving veterans of the Second World War. Just weeks earlier, Shea’s family feared he might never make it back. The veteran fell ill during an Alaskan cruise in August and was hospitalized with pneumonia, a bladder infection, and kidney complications. His condition required a specialized medical flight from British Columbia back to Ontario — a trip that cost nearly $60,000. Veterans Affairs Canada declined to cover the expense. After his story aired on local news, an anonymous donor came forward and paid the entire bill, allowing Shea to return home. He arrived in Windsor on Monday evening before being welcomed back at his legion branch. “To the person that donated the money, you’re an angel. We needed him back home. We missed him a lot,” said Branch 338 President Paul, who was among those gathered to celebrate Shea’s return. For the community, it was not only the safe homecoming of a beloved veteran but also a reminder of the generosity of strangers willing to step up when it mattered most.

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Goats are Conquering Vermont's Ski Slopes Thanks to an Eco-Friendly Mowing Experiment

On Vermont’s Jay Peak ski slopes, the summer workforce doesn’t look like your typical grounds crew. Instead of gas-powered mowers, dozens of goats and sheep have been chewing through overgrown vegetation, part of a trial to see if livestock can maintain the terrain before snow season begins. The animals, brought in by Cloud Brook Grazing owner Adam Ricci, are expected to clear about 25 acres over a five-week stretch. Jay Peak’s operations director, Andy Stenger, said the experiment has worked better than expected. “This year has proven that it can be done and be done successfully,” he said. “They’re great employees. They take a lot of lunch breaks, but that’s kind of the idea.” Each animal wears a collar that beeps when they near an invisible fence and delivers a mild shock if they cross it. The system also tracks activity and health data, giving Ricci alerts if something seems off. “I can see where they’re spending most of their time. And I also get a heads up if there’s sick animals,” he said. While goatscaping isn’t new, it’s making a comeback as a low-carbon alternative to machines. New Hampshire once used 1,000 sheep to clear power line corridors, the University of Georgia enlisted goats to fight invasive plants, and New York City has deployed goats in its parks. Nashville even has a permanent “Chew Crew” working its green spaces. Ricci’s herd has been busy across New England, tackling poison ivy, abandoned farmland, and invasive species at retirement communities. He hopes the Jay Peak project can become a model for other ski resorts. “Ideally, we can scale this up to the point where it’s working well and then hopefully develop a model that can be used at other ski resorts as well,” he said. Magic Mountain ski area has already tested the approach, working with a herd from Slippery Slope Goats. Both projects were coordinated by the Agritech Institute for Small Farms, which supports tools that help small farms stay viable while reducing emissions. Goats offer some environmental benefits beyond replacing gas mowers. They reduce erosion, help the soil hold more water, and can clear vegetation without compacting the ground. The cost per acre is roughly the same as traditional mowing, though Ricci admitted they are slow. “Conventional methods, they’re covering this whole entire site in about 10 days. So these guys work significantly slower than weed whackers do,” he said. Still, their presence has been a hit with staff and visitors. “It’s a lot of fun to have them on the mountain,” Stenger said. If the experiment proves sustainable, ski slopes across New England may one day be maintained by goats in the summer before skiers take over in the winter.

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