Good News Bears

Angela Rayner: Cabinet comeback for one of Labour's biggest names

The potential contender to replace Keir Starmer is now back in the cabinet under Andy Burnham.

FIFA ‘destroying football’ for the World Cup, says Spanish football chief

In a scathing interview, La Liga President Javier Tebas says FIFA chief Gianni Infantino’s time is 'over'.

New Species of Monkey Found in DR Congo Shows How Much There’s Left to Discover

When news reaches the public that a new species has been identified, the chances really are 9 times out of 10 that it’s some deep sea slug or a spider. From the Congo comes the…

Behavior expert shares the one powerful habit that makes you more likable

There are two statements kids often make that decades of scientific research suggest are actually true: “It takes one to know one” and “If you don’t have anything nice to say,…

Social skills coach shares 4 prompts to keep conversations ‘rolling’ so they never get awkward

Making small talk can be frustrating for many reasons. It’s nerve-wracking to come up with things to talk about with someone you hardly know that aren’t “How’s the weather?” or…

The internet slams a man drinking water while his partner gives birth, but a nurse sets them straight

Many couples post videos of their child’s birth at the hospital, but one particular video was overly scrutinized online . In the social media post, the father-to-be is seated and…

5 conversation habits that unintentionally push people away, and what to do instead

People are innately social creatures. Even introverts need human connection , so it can be upsetting to learn that something you’ve said unintentionally shut down a conversation .…

Guy kicks a single rock for 200 days to see if it’ll become a perfect sphere. Here’s how it went.

When Portland-based Owen Gail isn’t selling thrifted clothing at his Shirtzenpantz store, he’s outside kicking rocks. Well, one rock in particular: a granodiorite named…

Messi's strange pre-final video puzzles World Cup fans

Messi’s team talk before the 2026 World Cup final sparked theories online. Journalist Eduardo Feinmann relayed claims that Messi’s call to 'forget everything' was linked to…

Argentina's Fernandez defends team after ugly scenes in World Cup final loss to Spain

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez claims Argentina represented their nation "in the best possible way" in the World Cup.

British Runner ‘Calls His Shot’ and Breaks World Record in the Mile–After it Stood for 27 Years

Scottish runner Josh Kerr just put in the fastest mile time in human history, breaking a record that had stood for 27 years after clocking 3:42.66. Set at the recent London…

Fabricated AI animal videos are distorting how we see wildlife, researchers warn

AI-generated animal footage is racking up millions of views online, but researchers warn it is also distorting public understanding of wildlife behaviour and could be undermining…

How a 64-team World Cup could transform football’s economics

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the cohosts of the 2030 edition, but we await confirmation of 48 or 64 competitors.

Coral Reef Long Presumed Dead Is Rediscovered ‘Teeming with Life’ Off Coast of Africa

A coral reef long presumed dead has been rediscovered “teeming with life” off the coast of West Africa. Surveys conducted in the 1960s that were focused on identifying promising…

How soccer brings a Bhutanese community together in Harrisburg, Pa.

Harrisburg is home to one of the nation's largest communities of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees and their families. Through soccer, generations have found connection,…

FIFA opens investigation into Argentina over post-World Cup final incidents

Football's governing body has appointed a prosecutor to assess the clashes between Argentine and Spanish players at the full-time whistle at the Metlife Stadium as well as the…

Why States Are Making It Harder to Save Money With Solar Panels

The changes are costing homeowners money. But they also reflect a changing grid — and the need for home batteries.

Are Electric Cars Making Us Healthier?

This story has been co-published by Reasons to be Cheerful and the Outrider Foundation . A t the turn of the century Beijing had one million vehicles. By 2010, just a decade…

Montana Teenand#039;s Rodeo Skills Save Drowning Man in Incredible Yellowstone River Rescue

'Kick Argentina out of the World Cup' petition nearly breaks Guinness World Record

FIFA has confirmed that Argentina will face an investigation into the “disgusting” scenes at the end of the World Cup final. The team has gone viral for all the wrong reasons at…

Good News in History, July 21

36 years ago today, Roger Waters performed The Wall in Berlin for 350,000 fans to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall eight months earlier. Staged on a vacant lot between…

Victorious Spanish team parade through Madrid after World Cup triumph

Spain's World Cup-winning team toured Madrid on an open-top bus as huge crowds lined the streets to celebrate their victory over Argentina

Europe Today: Spain celebrates World Cup triumph as Burnham takes office in the UK

Two million people took to the streets of Madrid to welcome home their World Cup heroes last night. In the UK, Andy Burnham delivered his first address to the nation as Prime…

‘A place of hope and solutions’: the building promising a better future

The post ‘A place of hope and solutions’: the building promising a better future appeared first on Positive News .

How to keep babies safe when temperatures soar this summer

As heatwaves grow more frequent and severe, here's what parents need to know to keep infants and young children safe in the heat.

A flight attendant with 11 years in the air says she’ll never wear shorts on a plane

Charity Moore has spent 11 years as a flight attendant , which is long enough to have seen what happens on airplane seats when nobody’s watching. As a result, she has one firm…

She inherited her late father’s house and a $228,000 water bill for the entire neighborhood

When Kristina Moore inherited her late father’s house in Northeast Baltimore, she braced for the ordinary work of settling an estate: the paperwork, the maintenance, the slow…

How one tiny lyric change made the ‘Piña Colada Song’ one of the biggest hits of the ’70s

There are a billion different decisions that go into making a hit song . A songwriter has to settle on a tempo, key, chord changes, and lyrics. The band has to manage the small…

Your tips on getting a fussy child to eat, and six recipes they might love

Want to avoid battles over broccoli and squabbles over spinach? We've asked you for your advice on how to cope at mealtimes over the summer holidays.

In Cuba’s fuel crisis, solar tricycles took the streets

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Cuba has long been known for its vintage cars — the American ones that kept rolling through decades of embargo and scarcity, repaired with…

Why summer slips away so quickly and how to make it feel longer, according to brain science

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It’s hard to believe it’s almost August; if you’re anything like us, you’re probably wondering where June and July went. It happens every…

Found weak and disheveled, rescued eagle — probably Big Bear's Jackie — receiving care in Ojai

Found weak and disheveled along the shoreline, the raptor believed to be nest cam star Jackie is receiving care while experts investigate what caused its decline.

The highlights and controversies of the 2026 World Cup

There was a hero's welcome for the Spanish soccer team as they arrived in Madrid, where throngs of fans cheered their triumphant World Cup win. Spain's victory ended Argentina and…

Young man who apparently jumped from L.A. City Hall remembered as gifted baseball player

Family and friends remembered the 19-year-old man as a devoted son and brother and a gifted baseball player.

After 5-yo Diagnosed with Rare Disease, Little Sister Wanted to Be Her ‘Brave’ Bone Marrow Donor

From Salt Lake City comes the touching story of a 5-year-old girl saved thanks to a bone marrow transplant from none other than her 2-year-old sister. Emma Meline was diagnosed…

Arellano: How this World Cup finally taught me to love soccer

Over 104 games, a bunch of questionable VAR calls, another heartbreaking downfall by Mexico and a brilliant goal by Spain's Ferran Torres, I learned why soccer is the world's most…

Biotech Startup Breeds Blight Tolerant American Chestnut Without Any Genetic Defects

At the intersection of big data, forestry, and genomics, a biotech startup has birthed a generation of “elite” blight-resistant American chestnut trees without deep genetic…

The underground fridge that keeps food cool – even in a heatwave

The post The underground fridge that keeps food cool – even in a heatwave appeared first on Positive News .

Senior Center Worker Celebrates 50 Years on the Job Without Using a Single Sick Day

Tom McKievick says his job is challenging yet entertaining, a good combination for a perspective career. Yet when he saw the newspaper ad for the job at Fredericka Manor senior…

Longest Undersea Road to Shorten Travel Times by 5 Hours and Feature ‘Great Hall of Lights’

1,000 feet below the North Sea, blast after blast brings Norwegian engineers closer and closer to completion of the longest undersea road tunnel on Earth. No one better to do it…

What If We Never Built Another New Building?

S wiss architect Barbara Buser has spent decades proving that the greenest building is often the one already standing. When one unscrews a section of the bright red sheet metal…

This Grandpa Has Spent 8 Years Cuddling a Hospitaland#039;s Tiniest Fighters Every Week

Good News in History, July 20

57 years ago today, men first stepped on the moon during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission; Neil Armstrong first, at 10:56pm EST, because he was closest to the door and Buzz Aldrin second.…

Rescued Big Bear bald eagle Jackie is 'stable,' wildlife nonprofit says

Based on videos and pictures from the public and rescuers, "it is apparent that the rescued eagle is likely Jackie," Friends of Big Bear Valley said in a social media post late…

What watching soccer does to your body, according to science

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Forty-eight teams. Sixty-four matches. A final played yesterday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. And a victory for Spain, the country taking…

Could this popular gym supplement strengthen cancer immunotherapy?

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Cancer immunotherapy has transformed treatment for some patients. For the 60 to 80 percent who don’t respond, the problem often isn’t the…

Pigeon Walks Up to Firefighters Who Offer Oxygen to ‘Clear its Lungs’

Video footage of a fireman giving oxygen to a pigeon following a fire has gone viral on social media. After attending to a vehicle fire on Wednesday evening, the E29 crew of…

Kansas City Cop Won’t Stop Until He Finds Stolen E-Bike for Cancer Patient One Month Later

On May 10, when someone stole the e-bike that this cancer survivor needed to get to her oncology appointments, Officer JP Young of the Kansas City Police Department told her he…

Pharaoh’s Daughters Were Skilled at Archery 4,000 Years ago, Reveals New Research

For decades, experts have disputed whether weapons found in ancient burial chambers of Egyptian princesses were actually their tools or placed there in a purely symbolic way. Now,…

Firefighters Spend 4.5 Hours Carrying Exhausted 100-Pound Dog Down Mountain to Safety

Lopez: The doctor who helped save her is in another state, and telemedicine follow-up is prohibited

"Thousands of cases" highlight barriers to interstate telemedicine care

West Hollywood faces long recovery from massive water main break: 'It was like whitewater rapids'

When 17 million gallons of water poured out of a broken water main under Sunset Boulevard into downhill neighborhoods in West Hollywood, family businesses and residents' cars and…

Hero Uses His Own Car to Safely Stop Runaway SUV, Saving Woman and Child on Busy Highway

Podcast Transcript July 17th, 2026— Wildfire satellites, Seine city cooling, and parenting securely attached kids

Episode Description: Greece just launched the world’s first satellite constellation built specifically for wildfire detection. It can spot a fire measuring only a few feet across,…

In pictures: how forensic science is helping tackle wildlife poaching

The post In pictures: how forensic science is helping tackle wildlife poaching appeared first on Positive News .

Tampons Are Becoming a Valuable Medical Tool

S ometimes the most consequential innovations are fueled by frustration. When she was in her early thirties, Ridhi Tariyal asked her gynecologist for a fertility test. Her doctor…

The Best Thing About This Chick-Fil-A Isnand#039;t on the Menu. Itand#039;s 92-Year-Old Mr. Gil

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 .

A cheap, homegrown catnip lotion could replace DEET for millions of Ugandans

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A lotion made from catnip oil matched DEET in field trials in Uganda, according to research presented at the Society for Experimental Biology…

Reducing microplastic exposure: the four habits we should all be prioritizing

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In 2025, researchers publishing in Nature Medicine found microplastics in human brain tissue at concentrations considerably higher than in the…

How a farming programme in Sierra Leone helps amputees rebuild lives

The post How a farming programme in Sierra Leone helps amputees rebuild lives appeared first on Positive News .

‘Food Really Is Medicine’

This article was originally published by Stateline . About a dozen states offer “medically tailored meals” to people with conditions such as diabetes and heart disease who get…

and#039;I Just Thought About My Own Kidsand#039;: A Complete Stranger Saved This Little Girland#039;s Life

Africa secures $900 million in new clean cooking commitments

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Nearly one billion people across Africa cook over charcoal or firewood every day. $3.1 billion in commitments is what it’s going to take to…

The marginalised groups finding community through football

The post The marginalised groups finding community through football appeared first on Positive News .

What We’re Reading: In Europe, Clothing Waste Is Unfashionable — and Illegal

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…

A Stranger Saw a Struggling Veteran at the Airport. Days Later, He Received $184,000

Teen Hailed as a Hero After Saving Woman With Dementia From Dangerous Arizona Heat

What positive change have you seen unfold over many years?

The post What positive change have you seen unfold over many years? appeared first on Positive News .

The City That Chose Beauty Over Billboards

“T here used to be a massive block of concrete here, there was an advertising column, it wasn’t so beautiful,” says Gilles Namur, waving his hand along the length of Cours…

Anonymous Donor Gives $100,000 to Save Senior Food Program After Womanand#039;s Plea for Help

A Lonely 4 Year Oldand#039;s Daily Wave Brought an Entire Neighborhood Together

Children are overwhelmingly positive for the future, says survey

The post Children are overwhelmingly positive for the future, says survey appeared first on Positive News .

In It for the Long Haul

As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday this weekend, many of its residents can sense the big, ideologically divided elephant in the room. But while the country reckons…

The Spark: Would You Drive Six Hours to Save a Hummingbird?

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…