Legal magic mushrooms? Tolerance for heroin and meth? It’s not as crazy as it sounds. REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

UK overseas territory Tristan da Cunha’s new marine protected area will be fourth largest sanctuary of its kind. THE GUARDIAN

Many drugs are being tested in patients at different stages of the disease, but with a few notable exceptions, results so far have been disappointing. In patients with severe COVID-19, runaway inflammation is a big contributor to the tissue damage we see with this disease. Another class of drugs that you may soon be hearing more about are those targeting complement. THE CONVERSATION

The Asian Renewable Energy Hub would have an energy content equivalent to 40% of Australia’s overall electricity generation. THE GUARDIAN

Norway is the rare country where the rich pay taxes on their wealth. A new study could boost similar proposals in the US. HUFFPOST

The global immunisation effort could offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create sustainable and resilient distribution systems. WIRED

Researchers ended a clinical trial of the drug early because the results were so convincing. The more effective drug would be given in six injections a year instead of as 365 daily pills. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Pfizer and BioNTech have just released interim results of their COVID-19 vaccine trial. As we get nearer the long-awaited start of a COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, it is worth looking at how statisticians help medics establish the safety of vaccines. THE CONVERSATION

A pilot plant making steel from green energy and hydrogen instead of coal could have big consequences for an industry with one of the worst environmental footprints. HUFFPOST

Sheep grazing has dominated the Howgill Fells for over a century, but with shifting agricultural subsidies and urgent calls to address biodiversity loss, change is coming. THE GUARDIAN

Nations are pledging to plant billions of trees. But a new study shows that we've underestimated the power of natural forest regrowth to fight climate change. WIRED

“An engineering problem that, when solved, solves energy.” VOX

As some conservationists and researchers begin to return large carnivores to areas where they once roamed, scientists intensify efforts to study the ecological roles of predators. THE SCIENTIST

A new approach, called ecological mangrove restoration (EMR), accounts for an area’s altered hydrology and encourages natural restoration, resulting in better survival rates, faster growth, and a more diverse, resilient forest. MONGABAY

Results might provide a convenient screening tool for people who may not suspect they are infected. MIT NEWS

Halting destruction of wild places could slow frequency of deadly outbreaks, say scientists. THE GUARDIAN

The idea of modifying Earth’s atmosphere to cool the planet, once seen as too risky to seriously consider, is attracting new money and attention. THE NEW YORK TIMES

The results show the power of cash transfers to reduce homelessness. VOX

A new study argues that by expanding the world’s MPAs by just 5% could generate an extra nine to 12 million tonnes of seafood per year, worth between USD$15-19 billion. It would also significantly increase how much nutritious fish protein is available for a growing human population to eat. THE CONVERSATION

After a tornado demolished Greensburg, Kan., it rebuilt without carbon emissions. Can its lessons help communities and economies rebound from fires, hurricanes and covid-19? THE WASHINGTON POST