Signals

UK – Indulge in the serenity of nature without leaving your home; that is the promise of Meltee’s Nature’s Healing collection. Combining scents like rosemary, leaves, green stems, lily, bluebell and cedarwood, the brand brings a calming ambience to daily life with candles and wax melts made from soy and reed diffusers.

The collection harnesses the power of phytoncide technology, the organic compounds found in plants, particularly in leaves, bark and needles, that offer therapeutic benefits of walking outside in nature. Research indicates that exposure to phytoncides lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones and boosts the immune system, promoting mental wellbeing.

Meltee’s innovative approach enables consumers to enjoy the rewards of nature’s wonders sustainably and without leaving the house. Amid climate change and resource scarcity, access to phytoncides could be in jeopardy; hence, innovations like Meltee’s Nature’s Healing collection hint at various possibilities to get a nature fix from home. Head to our Sustainability topic for more innovations preparing us to live through climate change.

US – In a new analysis released in January 2024, the Financial Times reveals a growing ideology gap between Gen Z women and men in the US. According to data from the Survey Center on American Life and Gallup, women aged 18–30 in the US are 30 percentage points more liberal than their male contemporaries. What’s more, that gap took just six years to open up.

A growing ideological chasm between young men and women is also emerging in Europe, with Germany displaying a 30-point gap and the UK showing a 25-point difference. In Poland, almost half of young men supported the hard-right Confederation party in 2023, compared to only a sixth of their women counterparts. Beyond the West, stark divisions are also evident in South Korea, China and Tunisia.

Gen Z South Koreans were particularly polarised during the local presidential elections in 2022. This societal split has led to plummeting marriage rates and a record-low birth rate of 0.78 births per woman in 2022. The #MeToo movement played a pivotal role, fostering feminist values among young women empowered to speak out against injustices.

Young women are advocating for change beyond sexual harassment. In the US, the UK and Germany, they are more liberal on immigration and racial justice. In our analysis of Gen Z in Nigeria, we highlighted how young women with progressive ideals are building feminist spaces to empower their peers.