The Know Daily - Thursday 30 January 2025

_{Read in 4m 44s ∙ Listening to Charli XCX ∙}

The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to create the world’s biggest tropical rainforest reserve. The initiative will see three existing national parks connect to form a “green corridor”, with conservation efforts supported by partnerships with local communities and global philanthropic donations.

🌠 Star sightseeing

Astrotourism – AKA dark sky tourism – is gaining popularity. 

What is it?
Astrotourism is travel centred around experiencing starry skies and celestial events – think stargazing or eclipse viewing. “Dark sky tourism continues to grow year-on-year,” said a spokesperson from non-profit Dark Sky London. Most recently, 20 new International Dark Sky Places (IDSPs) – destinations certified for exceptional starry skies –  were designated in a single year, meaning there are now over 200 of these special sites worldwide.

What’s behind the rise?
In urban countries like the UK and US, up to 99% of the population can’t see the Milky Way anymore because of light pollution – pushing them to seek out starry skies in far-flung locations. What’s more, upcoming rare phenomena like the 2027 solar eclipse are driving demand, with one tour group operator saying that his 2026 and 2027 eclipse experiences are already 75% sold.

Plus, jumps in technology have made it easier to forecast the weather and auroras, as well as appreciate the stars, a travel guide told South China Morning Post.

Are there any downsides?
Yep. Just like other forms of tourism, it can bring pollution to natural landscapes and disrupt the livelihoods of local communities. More travellers means more cars and infrastructure to accommodate them – all of which contribute to light pollution.

By putting regulations in place, stargazing locations can be better protected though, an astronomer told Condé Nast Traveller. “Limiting how many people can visit may simply be the cost of making sure that these places are protected,” he added. Even more, there’s steps we can take as travellers to admire the night sky responsibly, as outlined by DarkSky.

📱 Signal boost: Vodafone made the world’s first space satellite video call using a standard smartphone.

• The bigger story: Smartphone manufacturers and mobile operators are working towards using satellite networks to close gaps in network coverage and improve connectivity in remote parts of the UK. It aligns with the UK government’s wider Shared Rural Network plan to have at least 95% 4G coverage across the country this year.

🎵 Festival season: The full line-up for Parklife music festival has been revealed.

🦛 Conservation efforts: The UK Ivory Act has been extended to protect 4 more species.

🤖 Robot race: China is set to host the world’s first half marathon between robots and humans.

💊 New treatment: People in England with a dust mite allergy will soon be offered a first-of-its-kind daily pill.

🚆 Travel concession: This city is set to make public transportation free for a week in order to curb smog.

🏢 Office attendance: Make way for coffee badging – a cheeky approach to fulfilling in-person working obligations.

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