Good News Bears

Police launch criminal investigation into Reform UK donations

The investigation, which follows a broadcast by Channel 4 News, is being folded into the inquiry that has been under way into other donations.

78 people including newborn rescued in Mediterranean

At least 78 people including a newborn baby were rescued from the Mediterranean Sea.

Norway bids final farewell to King Harald V as royals gather in Oslo

Norway's royal family, led by new King Haakon VIII, foreign royals, heads of state and dignitaries took part in the procession to Oslo's Lutheran cathedral on foot.

LIVE: Napoli vs Arsenal – UEFA Champions League

Follow live updates from our text commentary stream coverage as favourites Arsenal begin their Champions League season.

LIVE: Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid – Champions League

Follow updates from the league phase clash, including the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game.

Arthritis Drug Demonstrates Substantial Hair Regrowth in 1,400 Alopecia Patients

An arthritis drug of all things was recently found in a study to restore up to 100% of hair in patients with severe alopecia. Around 2% of the world population live with alopecia…

Greetings from Paris, where the 2024 Olympics balloon rises again

The floating Olympic cauldron, held aloft by a giant glowing balloon, is still making regular appearances two years after the 2024 Paris Games, showing up all summer long in the…

Dortmund’s Karetsas hospitalised after collapsing in Champions League match

Greek teenage star Konstantinos Karetsas faced 'circulatory problems' and was stretchered off during the match against Villarreal.

Braga celebrates African heritage over two days with music, film and debates

The festival celebrates African heritage, between the "culture we inherit" and the "reality we build". It takes place on 11 and 12 September in Braga.

Meet Nazym Kyzaibay, Kazakhstan’s first female world boxing champion and Olympic bronze medallist

Nazym Kyzaibay recounts her rise from a young boxer to Central Asia’s first female three-time world boxing champion and an Olympic bronze medallist.

Scientists Recreated Chirps of Jurassic Insects, Simulating a 165 Million-yo Soundscape (Listen)

It wasn’t just the roars of the dinosaurs that made up the soundscape of the animal world during the Jurassic period. Crickets and grasshoppers communicated through a variety of…

Yard Work Reveals Largest Trove of Viking Silver Ever Discovered in Denmark

When a man in Denmark broke ground in his backyard on home improvement work, it was a new terrace that he was looking forward to seeing at the end of the sweaty job. Yet merely…

Film and TV Portrayals of A.I. Go Beyond Science Fiction

Plots involving some kind of artificial intelligence are even part of soap operas. Here’s how they’ve evolved over the decades.

The right to play: displaced by conflict

The post The right to play: displaced by conflict appeared first on Positive News .

A bus lane through Eagle Rock is slated to open before the Olympics. Will it hurt businesses?

Residents and small-business owners in Eagle Rock have for years questioned Metro's plans to create a bus lane they believe will inundate the area with new traffic.

Flower-crowned cows bring Alpine tradition to Gstaad festival

Decorated cows descend from Alpine pastures into Gstaad for Switzerland's Züglete festival, drawing crowds, music and visitors from around the world.

What We’re Reading: What If You Could Opt Out of Algorithms?

Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at info@reasonstobecheerful.world and we just might…

Off-Duty NYPD Officer Saves Unconscious Driver and Prevents Potential Tragedy

Good News in History, September 9

On this day in history, two masters of early ocean exploration returned to their prospective homes—Vasco da Gama 527 years ago to Lisbon, and Thomas Cavendish 438 years ago to…

Boomer is roasted for opening low-tech AI storefront business to guide AI beginners. But many love it.

For older generations , keeping up with technology can be a struggle—especially with swiftly-moving developments like AI (artificial intelligence). According to a 2025 Deloitte…

A fisherman rescued an orphaned seal in 1971. Five years later, the animal started speaking English.

In 1971, a Maine fisherman named George Swallow discovered an orphaned harbor seal pup at Bethel Point. Swallow took him home, named him Hoover, and kept him alive . During the…

A simpler path to treating degenerative blindness: photoswitchable eye drops

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Scientists at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia developed light-activated compounds that restored light perception and visually…

Beyond the thrift store: where your donations do more good

THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When you’re decluttering , the thrift store is the obvious first move. Drop it off, and it’s done. But a lot of what people donate there sits on…

Woman nails how each generation behaves after taking their seat on a flight

Not all generational stereotypes can be neatly boxed and tied with a bow, but there is something quite fun about trying. Obviously, the decade in which we’re born can’t predict…

FDA Immediately Approves Drug That’s Doubling Lifespan for Late Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Pancreatic cancer has long been a death sentence, and a rapid one at that, but a new two-a-day pill has seen patients live twice as long even after chemotherapy fails. “Surviving”…

Emma Thompson shares how she gleans profound life lessons from old ‘Peanuts’ comics

Sometimes, trips through our childhood bookshelves uncover the fact that the best life philosophies were in front of us all along. Wisdom was buried in the brightly colored pages…

96-year-old insists that the ‘third part of life,’ from age 75 on, is actually awesome

Alice McGinty ( @AbsolutelyAlice_ ) is a traveler, artist, life coach, and an inspiration online. She also happens to be just four years shy of her 100th birthday , but this…

Teacher shares 9 great things we took out of the classroom that need to come back immediately

Like most institutions, elementary schools evolve, whether because of advancements in technology, new methodologies, or fluctuating school budgets nationwide. An elementary school…

In the 1910s, laws were enacted to ‘protect’ women from working night shifts. Then women spoke up.

In the early 1900s , there was a growing push to improve working conditions for women . In particular, reformers were fighting for shorter hours, safer workspaces, and protection…

Doctors say this one specific sentence from male patients is a massive red flag

Medical professionals spend years learning how to diagnose complex diseases . Sometimes, however, the biggest warning sign isn’t on a chart or a scan but a single sentence. When…

3 people die during 2026 Burning Man festival

Authorities say three people died during this year's Burning Man festival in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, including two men found unresponsive at the event and a third who died en…

Armless Racing Driver Hits 110 mph Steering with His Feet–Aims to Make History at Le Mans

Meet the world’s only armless racing driver who uses his feet to steer. 23-year-old Callum Smith was born without arms but has already handled speeds of more than 110 mph on…

EMT Ran 1.5 Miles up 1,000 Feet of Elevation in 31 Minutes to Get Blood Transfusion for Injured Climber

Experienced rock climber and father Jacob Gregory was dying. Experienced rock climber and EMT Will Soper wasn’t going to let that happen. Gregory had fallen 20 feet down a rock…

S. Carolina Aquarium Celebrates ‘Baby Boom’ of Critically-Endangered Penguin Chicks

5 baby penguins from a species considered Critically-Endangered have hatched at an aquarium down in South Carolina. The 5 join 2 that hatched in May, and together make up a record…

They’re resilient, low-effort and beautiful: how to plant a rubble garden

The post They’re resilient, low-effort and beautiful: how to plant a rubble garden appeared first on Positive News .

Cat Accidentally Thrown Away With a Couch Is Rescued From Landfill and Reunited With His Family

Good News in History, September 8

60 years ago, the first episode of Star Trek, featuring “Space: the final frontier” and the USS Enterprise, began its three-year mission of exploration on TV screens across…

The neuroscience of motivation: what orexin neurons reveal about staying the course

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Researchers at Nagoya University identified orexin-producing neurons as the brain’s apparent mechanism for deciding whether a reward is worth…

At-home urine test spots bladder cancer in nine of ten cases

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In an NHS trial of nearly 1,000 patients across seven hospitals in England and Scotland, an at-home urine test detected 92 percent of bladder…

22-yo with Down Syndrome Becomes Certified Fitness Instructor, Leads Class of 60 at Local Gym

A 22-year-old Utahan with Down Syndrome has just become a certified fitness instructor for the popular fitness program UpBeat Barre. UpBeat Barre instructor and co-owner of VASA…

Firm Buys Texas Coal Plant to Leverage its Grid Connections for New Massive Solar Project

Coal power has a huge role still to play in the American energy mix—by turning over its substantial grid infrastructure to renewable energy projects. Energy investment firm…

Fitted with a Berlin Heart, Little Macs Is ‘Absolutely Thriving’ While He Waits for a Heart Transplant

From the UK comes the story of a baby called Macs, who seemed poised for final-stage heart failure, but who has been saved by a device called a Berlin Heart. The only device of…

We’re likely to breach 1.5C. What happens next is still in our hands

The post We’re likely to breach 1.5C. What happens next is still in our hands appeared first on Positive News .

Beavers Are Having a Moment

O ver the last 20 years, Oregon’s wilderness has suffered big time. Salmon have disappeared, wildfires have scoured the hills and drought has parched once-fertile soils. Years of…

“Aubry Is a Light”: Woman With Down Syndrome Makes History as a Fitness Instructor

Rare sighting of endangered gray wolf in Lake County brings hope of California comeback

Wildlife officials say that people spotted the wolf in late August, and a biologist confirmed the animal has been in the California area.

A Coyote With a Swollen Face Needed Help. An Entire Community Refused to Give Up on Her

Yosemite National Park officials warn of rabies-infected bat three months after it was discovered

The National Park Service warned visitors that a rabies-infected bat was discovered in Yosemite National Park, noting no contact with humans was reported.

Spatula-wielding hero leaps through In-N-Out window to protect workers

A Southern California man has drawn praise for using a spatula to confront a stick-wielding woman who reportedly was threatening employees of an In-N-Out in Lake Elsinore.

Podcast Transcript September 4th, 2026— AI music banned from Australia’s charts, Roman telescope launches, a biodegradable balloon and much more!

Episode Description: Arielle and Karissa are reunited after a few weeks apart, covering a wide range of solutions this episode: a new telescope that survived two White House…

Celebrate California Wildlife Day in honor of iconic Big Bear bald eagle Jackie

Admirers of Jackie the bald eagle, who became an internet sensation from her perch overlooking Big Bear Lake, will have yet another chance to celebrate the bird's legacy.

The Spark: Your Laundromat Could Be a Library

Welcome back to The Spark, our monthly celebration of how people just like you are creating positive change, one meaningful step at a time. The Spark is generously supported by…

A Boy Saved Her Life. 23 Years Later, She’s Marrying His Brother

What went right this week: the good news that matters

The post What went right this week: the good news that matters appeared first on Positive News .

Why managers struggle with coaching and what the research says to do instead

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Ask any organization whether they invest in coaching, and you’ll almost certainly get a yes. It’s a stated priority, a line item in leadership…

Statins reduce heart attack risk in healthy adults over 70, decade-long trial confirms

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A decade-long clinical trial of nearly 10,000 adults aged 70 and over has found that daily statins reduce the risk of a first major cardiac…

‘My life-changing career break happened because I was wearing a second hand coat’

The post ‘My life-changing career break happened because I was wearing a second hand coat’ appeared first on Positive News .

Former Poachers Are Protecting One of Nigeria’s Last Rainforests

Sunday Abiodun can often tell an animal is nearby before he sees it — from a broken twig or the way birds suddenly stop singing. For 15 years, he used those instincts to hunt…

Woman With Alzheimer’s Regains Most of Her Memory, Finds Love and Hope

NASA’s Roman space telescope heads to deep space after surviving budget cuts

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A space telescope with 100 times the sky coverage of Hubble lifted off from Florida this past Sunday. Astronomers have been waiting nearly a…

What We’re Reading: In Baltimore, 911 Now Has More Ways to Help

Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at info@reasonstobecheerful.world and we just might…

“I Think I’ve Found My People”: Group of Guys Take Lonely Man With Autism Under Their Wing at Festival, Give Him the Best Weekend of His Life

What Brazil’s supercentenarians can teach us about living to 120

The post What Brazil’s supercentenarians can teach us about living to 120 appeared first on Positive News .

How London’s low emissions zone is helping children breathe easier

The post How London’s low emissions zone is helping children breathe easier appeared first on Positive News .

Could Plastic-Eating Robots Clean Up Our Oceans?

This story has been co-published by Reasons to be Cheerful and the Outrider Foundation . I n Los Angeles, in Mumbai, in Kuala Lumpur and in several other cities around the planet,…

This Father-Son Duo Fixes Cars for Whatever Customers Can Afford

The unlikely rise of the sea shanty band

The post The unlikely rise of the sea shanty band appeared first on Positive News .

One Way to Keep Childcare Affordable? Give Staff Free Housing

This article was originally published by Shelterforce , an independent newsroom reporting on affordable housing. When it came time for college student Eric Gil to choose a career,…

Pizza Shop Owner Sees Woman Eating From the Trash, Gives Her a Fresh Slice and Makes a Promise to Feed Anyone Who Is Hungry

The Goat-Cow Is Spain’s Wildfire-Fighting Secret Weapon

“I n Galicia, we have lots of rain and strong sun, so vegetation grows quickly and it’s hard to control,” shouts José Taboada, as we hurtle up a steep, rocky path in his rickety…

Two Aussies Were on Vacation in Thailand When They Saw Workers Struggling With an Excavator. So They Stopped to Help