A daily journal of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity. https://latelybetter.com/ 2026-05-29T12:00:00Z Lately, Better https://latelybetter.com © Lately, Better. Article excerpts and summaries are presented for editorial curation; rights to underlying articles remain with their original publishers. tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-29:edition 2026-05-29T12:00:00Z 2026-05-29T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

You’re Guaranteed to Spot at Least One Gorgeous Giraffe in Each of These 15 Stunning and Awe-Inspiring Images (Smithsonian Magazine)

With their singular coats, naturally craning collars and elegant gait, these skyscraping mammals can’t help but attract sightseers to their neck of the woods

Community & Kindness

• 31 Ideas To Take Action & Celebrate Pride Month (Good Good Good)
  June is Pride Month! We’ve gathered a list of ideas to help you celebrate, honor, and support the LGBTQ+ community — all month long.
• Innovative strategies cities are using to combat homelessness in South Africa (iol.co.za)
  The innovative strategies employed by South African cities to tackle homelessness include family reunification, shelter expansion, and community engagement, as they strive to create sustainable solutions for vulnerable populations.
• Little free libraries are turning into 'Little Bee Libraries' to give pollinators a cozy place to rest (Good Good Good)
  In addition to neighborhood plant swaps, trinket exchanges, dioramas, and more, Rachael Harms Mahlandt proposed a new craft idea that helps pollinators thrive.
• First in the nation 'dementia village' is a tiny town built just for residents with memory loss (Good Good Good)
  The new model aims to maintain the best possible quality of life for its residents and help “normal” life last longer, even as their illness progresses.

Science & Health

• A new breakthrough offers hope for a ‘functional cure’ of hepatitis B (nationalgeographic.com)
  The sneaky virus poses serious health threats if it goes on to become a chronic disease. Clinical trial results suggest a new drug may cure 1 in 5 of those cases.
• A $4 tongue swab test detects tuberculosis within 30 minutes (Science News)
  The new test may catch active tuberculosis in those with low access to health care or who have trouble making the phlegm needed for traditional tests.
• Just Minutes of Intense Exercise Could Slash Disease Risk by 50% (SciTechDaily)
  A few breathless minutes of exercise each week could have a far bigger impact on your health than most people realize. As summer approaches, many people start thinking about getting back into an exercise routine. While most of us know that physical activity is good for our hea…
• The Force That Holds Atoms Together May Be Driving the Universe Apart (popularmechanics.com)
  Our best model of the cosmos has a glaring mathematical problem, but we may have found an answer.

Culture & Arts

• How jazz boosts my creativity in physics (nature.com)
  Stephon Alexander says his passion for musical improvisation helps him to understand and teach complex ideas.
• The Unexpected Math Behind Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” (Open Culture)
  If you’ve taken a good art history course on the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, you’ve inevitably encountered Vincent van Gogh’s 1889 masterpiece “Starry Night,” which now hangs in the MoMA in New York City. The painting, the museum writes on its website, “is a symbol…
• The Secret Behind Indigenous Andeans’ “Digestive Superpower” May Be Potatoes (SciTechDaily)
  Summary: Scientists have uncovered evidence that the domestication of potatoes in the Andes influenced the evolution of human metabolism. A new study suggests ancient potato farming in the Andes may have shaped human evolution in an unexpected way. Indigenous communities in th…
• 9 Books By Trans And Nonbinary Authors To Read This Pride Month (Good Good Good)
  It is more important than ever to learn directly from trans and nonbinary writers. Here’s a reading list to get you started.

Environment & Wildlife

• Fabulous Vietnam Pheasant Not Seen in 20 Years Returns to Wild Thanks to Zoo Coalition (Good News Network)
  For over 20 years, the forests of central Vietnam have been missing one of their most remarkable inhabitants. Now, an international alliance of conservation organizations, zoological institutions, and Vietnamese partners has come together with a shared goal: to return the Viet…
• All-Electric Truck Completes Milestone Canberra-to-Sydney Haul, Cutting 84% in Fuel Costs (Good News Network)
  A green-geared milestone was just set in Australia as a company saw its all-electric haul truck go from the capital of Canberra to Sydney on a single charge. Carrying tons of toilet paper, the final mile deliveries were made with electric vehicles too, keeping emissions down, …
• What doesn’t kill a soil microbe makes it stronger (Anthropocene Magazine)
  Decades of agricultural stress appear to have forged unusually heat-resistant microbial communities. Researchers think cropland soils could be transplanted to restore fragile ecosystems.
• Homing pigeons may use a surprising navigation mechanism (Science News)
  How animals navigate by Earth's magnetic field is hotly debated. New research in pigeons points to iron-laden liver immune cells as the compass.

Video

• Oh deer: Indiana firefighters rescue baby deer from rushing floodwater (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  Firefighters in Morgan County, Indiana had just helped a person trapped in a car after a storm when they heard the cries of a baby deer caught in rushing floodwater. They jumped into action to pull the small animal to safety. Tom Llamas reports. For more context and news cover…
• Chameleons Battle for Treetop Territory | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  These Madagascan chameleons are wonderfully adapted to life in the trees, but sometimes rival males can clash… Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, updates and exclusives from BBC Earth https://www.bbcearth.com/newsletter #Wildlif…
• How To Keep a Skyscraper From Falling Over (YouTube · Mark Rober)
• How An Infinite Hotel Ran Out Of Room (YouTube · Veritasium)
  If there's a hotel with infinite rooms, could it ever be completely full? Could you run out of space to put everyone? The surprising answer is yes -- this is important to know if you're the manager of the Hilbert Hotel.

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-28:edition 2026-05-28T12:00:00Z 2026-05-28T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 28 (Good News Network)

94 years ago today, one of Europe’s greatest landscape engineering projects, the Afsuiltdijk, was completed in the Netherlands, proving that newly-mechanized Man could tame not only the land, but also the seas. The Afsuiltdijk closed off Zuiderzee (South Sea) Bay and converted it into a freshwater lake called IJsselmeer. In the previous 100 years, the […] The post Good News in History, May 28 appe

Community & Kindness

• For the love of: ecstatic dance (Positive News)
  A new daytime dance craze is bringing together spirituality, physicality and a whole lot of fun The post For the love of: ecstatic dance appeared first on Positive News .
• When the Lights Go Out, a Community Steps in to Save Revan’s Life (The Daily Good)
  When the power fails in young Revan du Toit's home, his oxygen concentrator stops -- and for a child whose lungs are compromised by cerebral palsy and severe scoliosis, those hours of darkness carry mortal weight. His father puts it plainly: "When the power goes off,…
• After years of living in homeless shelters and his car, Hawaiian teenager graduates high school (upworthy.com)
  Eric Schultz graduated from Waianae High School.
• Inside Germany’s ‘Schools Without Racism’ (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  Above the entrance of a high school in Renningen, Germany, a promise is written in large letters: School without Racism – School with Courage. Inside, that promise is tested. On a cold day in January, 10th- and 11th-grade students spend hours moving through workshops on racism…

Science & Health

• NASA Detects Bizarre Solar Radio Burst That Wouldn’t Stop (SciTechDaily)
  The Sun unleashed a bizarre radio signal that kept broadcasting for 19 straight days, leaving NASA scientists stunned. A radio burst detected from the Sun in August 2025 initially appeared to be a normal solar event to NASA scientists. These bursts, which are caused by energet…
• New Research Challenges the Idea That Geometry Is Uniquely Human (SciTechDaily)
  Geometry may come from navigation skills shared with animals, while human language allows those spatial abilities to become abstract mathematical reasoning. Discussions about how humans learn and understand geometry go back to ancient Greece and the time of Plato. In recent de…
• Is rubbing your eyes bad for you? 2 eye specialists explain what’s behind the urge to rub and what to do about it (The Conversation — Health)
  Some over-the-counter and at-home remedies can help reduce eye irritation that causes rubbing. But if those don’t bring relief, it’s important to see an eye doctor.
• Scientists Create Tiny Chip That Uses Light Instead of Electricity To Process Information (SciTechDaily)
  Researchers have created a compact chip that manipulates light-based quantum information with remarkable precision, advancing the development of next-generation photonic and quantum technologies. What if computers could process information using light instead of electricity? R…

Culture & Arts

• Secret to happiness: Study finds 5 traits linked to life satisfaction (dailymail.com)
  Experts from the University of Oxford surveyed 80,000 people in 76 countries about their happiness and life satisfaction. The results revealed five key traits among happy people.
• Italy Unifies its Historic Pilgrimage Trails to Offer Slower, More Intimate Tourism (Good News Network)
  With Europe more choked with tourists than ever amid year after year of record-setting summer heat, Italy is looking to change course: off the beaten path of luxury hotels and museums. Antichi Cammini d’Italia, or the Antique Trails of Italy, responds to the growing demand for…
• Engaging With Art Can Slow Aging, Study Claims (Hyperallergic)
  A group of researchers at University College London identified a relationship between consuming and creating art and a lower biological age.
• The 100 Best Artworks About America (ARTnews)
  These works bear witness to centuries of American history and American change.

Environment & Wildlife

• Everglades Restoration Project Ongoing for 20-Plus Years Sees Huge Rewilding Success (Good News Network)
  A huge area of the Everglades that was drained in an attempt to convert it to suburbia has been restored to a somewhat native ecosystem after 2 decades of reverse-landscape engineering. Picayune Strand is a big, almost perfect rectangle of south Florida wetland located northwe…
• Huge volcanic eruption offers clues to fighting climate change (Science News)
  The South Pacific blast may have consumed its own methane — but using this idea against the greenhouse gas is controversial.
• Why India’s Indigenous Rice Varieties Are Making a Comeback Across Farms and Global Kitchens (The Daily Good)
  Across India, farmers are returning to rice varieties their ancestors cultivated for centuries - not out of nostalgia, but survival. After the Green Revolution replaced more than 100,000 indigenous strains with uniform hybrids, climate extremes are now revealing what was lost:…
• Portland’s billion dollar climate fund, sharp drop in forever chemicals, Virginia bans assault weapons (Squirrel News)
  In today's edition: Portland's mammoth climate fund drives clean energy projects, PFAS levels drop sharply in wildlife, and Virginia becomes the latest US state to officially outlaw assault weapons.

Video

• Mama Dog Wanders Into A Barn To Have Her Puppies | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  She did everything she could to keep her babies safe 🧡 Our producer Parham worked with @StrayRescueOfficial to share Hopper’s story — from giving birth in a barn to finally being safe in a loving foster home with her puppies 🙏
• The Second-to-Last Mammoths Ever (YouTube · PBS Eons)
  Learn More About Opera: https://opr.as/Opera-browser-eons About 5,700 years ago, on a small, isolated island off the coast of Alaska, a herd of woolly mammoths crossed a treeless tundra. But these weren’t just any mammoths. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. T…
• Family Carries Their Injured Lab 7 Kilometers Down A Mountain | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  We love how this family figured out what to do 👏 ❤️ Kai's family told us what they wished they'd known before taking the hike, and how relieved they were to see him back to his happy, active self! To see more, follow Kai on Instagram and TikTok: @lifewithkaithelab Lo…
• Where Are Humans ACTUALLY From? (YouTube · SciShow)
  We know humans evolved in Africa. But that's a big place, so do we know where on this massive continent our ancestors first became, well, us? Let's unpack the evidence by talking about the oldest known lineage of humans and track their and our migration all across Af…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-27:edition 2026-05-27T12:00:00Z 2026-05-27T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

From lab idea to $2.25 billion: Ultrasound destroys cancer without scalpels (japantoday.com)

Biomedical engineer Zhen Xu has spent a quarter of a century developing a non-invasive, ultrasound-based technique to treat tumor cells, in what is potentially a breakthrough treatment of cancer. Xu co-invented the histotripsy technique, which can target and liquefy tumor cells while leaving surroun...

Community & Kindness

• 'Off Campus' star Belmont Cameli donated a kidney to a stranger, saving the lives of 7 people in 'transplant chain' (Good Good Good)
  Turns out, Cameli’s shirtless scenes in “Off Campus” also do good.
• A 4,500-Year-Old Neolithic Hall Replica Rises at Stonehenge as Archaeologists and Volunteers Build With Prehistoric Tools and Techniques (Smithsonian Magazine)
  The reconstruction of a prehistoric building, likely originally a place for winter feasts at the nearby Durrington Walls site, will serve as a learning space for students
• Educating as if Democracy Depends on It (Blog) (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
  Preparing young people to participate and govern means moving beyond entrusting civic learning to a single course in high school or an elective on campus.
• How natural selection helps design antennas, cancer treatments and adhesives (The Conversation — Science)
  When people harness the logic of natural selection, they can often find efficient and effective ways to solve complex problems.

Science & Health

• Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low: Only 10 Human Cases Reported in 2025 (The Daily Good)
  When Jimmy Carter launched the global campaign against Guinea worm disease in 1986, 3.5 million people suffered from the parasite each year; in 2025, only ten cases were reported worldwide. The reduction of more than 99.99% brings humanity to the threshold of eradicating only …
• New Treatment Could Reverse Osteoarthritis Within Weeks (SciTechDaily)
  Experimental osteoarthritis therapies repaired damaged joints in animals and may enter clinical trials within 18 months. A new experimental treatment may one day allow arthritic joints to heal themselves — without major surgery. In animal studies, researchers successfully rege…
• Could aliens ever visit Earth? An aerospace scientist unpacks the challenges of interstellar spaceflight (The Conversation — Science)
  To travel between solar systems, a spacecraft would need extremely sophisticated – if not impossible – technology.
• The 10-minute habit that helped David Attenborough reach 100 years old (The Optimist Daily)
  BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Sir David Attenborough turned 100 on May 8, and people want to know how he did it. Fair enough. A century is rare. A century of active fieldwork, narration, and travel across every ecosystem on earth is something even rarer. When someone wh…

Culture & Arts

• The In-Between Worlds of Larissa Borteh (Hyperallergic)
  In the artist's paintings, are we looking at plants in a state of beautiful decay, ghosts, deities, fairylands, or something from a dream?
• It's Art-World Summer in NYC (Hyperallergic)
  Celebrate with a visit to Betye Saar's doll collection and Roberto Lugo's ode to Puerto Rico.
• Eight London Underground Restrooms Get Vibrant Refurbs with Illustrated Tiles (Colossal)
  Hugh Broughton Architects incorporates designs by artist and illustrator James Lambert, who interprets the distinctive character of each location. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as litt…
• Two Houses, One Legend: A New Museum Shows Another Side of Frida Kahlo (observer.com)
  Casa Roja pulls back the curtain on the iconic artist’s family life and may have even introduced a new work to her oeuvre.

Environment & Wildlife

• Facing Desertification, Man’s Campaign Draws 30,000 Volunteers to Plant 1 Million Trees in his County (Good News Network)
  From China’s arid Gansu Corridor comes the story of a rural county welcoming thousands of big city volunteers after a viral call for help. Minqin County is on the front line of China’s struggle against desertification, but it recently received a helping hand thanks to a social…
• 70% Drop in Levels of Forever Chemicals Observed in Seabird Eggs Tracks Regulatory Success (Good News Network)
  Content of several “forever chemicals” in seabird eggs were found to have sharply decreased over the last 55 years by a team of scientists. While first rising exponentially from during the 1960s, the chemicals, classed as PFAS, peaked in the 1990s before decreasing in line wit…
• What We’re Reading: Denver’s Newest Clean Energy Source Will Be Sewage (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  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 feature it here. Filthy clean energy Denver’s goal is to reduce its greenhouse gases to zero by 2040, w…
• The 'happy face spiders' of Hawaii have a new relative in the Himalayas. They evolved their smiley faces half a world apart (Good Good Good)
  Devi Priyadarshini and Ashirwad Tripathy were on the hunt for Himalayan forest ants. Instead, they discovered an entirely new species.

Video

• What toys have kids played with throughout history? (YouTube · TED-Ed)
  Trace the ancient origins of toys and games throughout history, and discover how play has evolved — and stayed the same. -- Archaeologists have found material, visual, and written evidence for toys across the ancient world. In 3000 BCE Anatolia, miniature toy carriages raced t…
• What China's Stone Forest Teaches Us About Cities (YouTube · SciShow)
  Visit https://brilliant.org/scishow/ to get started learning STEM for free for a full 30 days and get 20% off their annual premium subscription. The Shilin World Geopark, or Stone Forest, is a natural wonder of geological proportions. Its impressive range of stunning karst can…
• No, You Can’t Make Your Own Sunscreen (YouTube · SciShow)
  Get your $5 sign-up bonus at http://privacy.com/scishow. You can use it on your first purchase! Privacy has a free plan with no transaction fees for domestic purchases. Protect your financial identity online with virtual cards. The internet is full of myths, including a few da…
• Exploring Japan's Remote Border with Russia (no one comes here) (YouTube · Yes Theory)
  Go to https://surfshark.com/yestheory or use code YESTHEORY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! We venture into the very far North of Japan, in search of lost stories, of an unresolved conflict dating all the way back to WW2.. Join us as we explore and seek to …

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-26:edition 2026-05-26T12:00:00Z 2026-05-26T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

The Myth of Sisyphus Wonderfully Animated in an Oscar-Nominated Short Film (1974) (Open Culture)

Even if you don’t know the myth by name, you know the story. In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, King of Corinth, was punished “for his self-aggrandizing craftiness and deceitfulness by being forced to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, repeating this action for eternity.” In modern times, this story inspired Albert […]

Community & Kindness

• After Loss, Grief And Waiting… Apollo Has Finally Found His Home (The Daily Good)
  For nearly two years, Apollo waited in a kennel, grieving the death of Judd Aron, the beloved man he'd stood beside at traffic lights across Johannesburg for years-a familiar pair who had nothing but each other. When Leon Gouws walked into Stafford Rescue Africa expecting…
• ‘It Makes Their Day’: Boise Seniors Experience the Joy of Bike Rides Again (Sunny Skyz)
• The case for making prison phone calls free: new data, real results (The Optimist Daily)
  BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For decades, a phone call home from prison could cost a family several dollars a minute. That wasn’t an oversight. It was the business model. A growing number of state prison systems and county jails have moved to make calls free, arguing t…
• 72,000 veterans remembered at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly | News | abc12.com (abc12.com)
  The Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan, held its 21st annual Memorial Day ceremony on Sunday to honor the 72000 veterans and their ...

Science & Health

• Innovation starts in schools — lessons from China (nature.com)
  Countries that want successful innovation systems must invest in science education and science teachers.
• Helping Children Laugh Can Make Their Brains More Resilient and Learning Easier (Good News Network)
  Laughter is the best medicine, according to an old adage. Now, new research suggests it also boosts child development. Making children laugh can help make their brains more resilient and open to learning, according to scientists. Laughter builds deep emotional connections and …
• Photographic Memory Is a Myth — Here’s What Research Really Says About Remembering (Nice News)
  Hollywood loves a superpower. Not all involve capes or cosmic rays. Some are cognitive: characters who can remember everything. In movies and on TV, viewers repeatedly encounter those with extraordinary minds who glance once at a page, a room or a face – and later recreate eve…
• The Universe’s Most Powerful Particles May Be Even Stranger Than Scientists Thought (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have discovered that ultraheavy atomic nuclei could explain some of the highest-energy cosmic rays ever observed. The particles may come from extreme events such as neutron-star mergers and collapsing massive stars. Scientists may have uncovered a new clue behind th…

Culture & Arts

• Meet Europe's largest modern realism museum: Museum MORE (dutchreview.com)
  Ready for the magic of modern realism? Museum More's two unique and beautiful locations (one of which is a castle!) offer culture like never before.
• How the Brand Emmy Kasbit Is Weaving Nigerian Heritage Into Global Fashion (The Daily Good)
  In a quiet Nigerian community, the ancient craft of Akwete weaving - practiced only by women for centuries - was disappearing as fast fashion erased demand for textiles that take two weeks to complete by hand. Designer Emmanuel Okoro refused to let the craft fade, building his…
• How Betye Saar Set Black Dolls Free (Hyperallergic)
  Nearing the occasion of her upcoming 100th birthday, an exhibition at the New York Historical celebrates Saar’s promised gift of her collection of dolls to the institution.
• Vibrant Miniature Dioramas Burst from Vintage Compacts by Shannon Taylor (Colossal)
  Nature and magic come alive in tiny watercolor scenes. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Vibrant Miniature Dioramas Burst from Vintage Compacts by Sh…

Environment & Wildlife

• 30 Years of Volunteering Has Kept This California Creek Pristine (Good News Network)
  An important watershed in Oakland is now a thriving Eden of native species thanks to the work of two generations of volunteers. 30 years ago last week, Mr. Michael Thilgen and his neighbors formed the Friends of Sausal Creek nonprofit dedicating to restoring the waterway from …
• Asia’s overlooked leopard cat (Mongabay)
  Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Asia’s mainland leopard cat is easy to overlook. It’s small, nocturnal, and often mistaken for a domestic cat or a leopard cub. On paper, it appe…
• Scientists Discover 43-Foot Sea Reptile Twice the Size of a Great White Shark (SciTechDaily)
  A newly identified mosasaur from Texas suggests that some ancient marine predators were larger, more powerful, and possibly more aggressive than previously recognized. Bite marks, broken jaws, and a giant skull from Texas are helping scientists redraw the family tree of one of…
• Lab-Grown Sunflower Sea Stars Offer Hope for Vanishing Marine Ecosystems (Earth.org)
  Private and public entities, each contributing their own set of strengths and resources, are collaborating in the recovery of the sunflower sea star. The post Lab-Grown Sunflower Sea Stars Offer Hope for Vanishing Marine Ecosystems appeared first on Earth.Org .

Video

• From Highway Rescue To Full-Time Baby Pig Bestie | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  May this kind of love find us 🩵 Karlie shared how she rushed to save this tiny pig from highway traffic — and how their bond turned into the sweetest, most unexpected friendship 😭 Keep up with Karlie on TikTok: https://thedo.do/karlieTT, Facebook: https://thedo.do/karlieFB, an…
• Good News: Teacher ‘fairy godmothers’ add magic touch to prom night (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  At Riverside Junior Senior High School in Pennsylvania, special education teachers Jessica Trescavage and Kaitlin Yngelmo are making prom night extra special, adding their magic touch to a milestone event for students, acting as “fairy godmothers” who help them get ready for t…
• Something Strange Is Happening Under the Doomsday Glacier (YouTube · SciShow)
  Thanks to Henson Shaving for sponsoring this video! Head to https://hensonshaving.com/scishow and use code scishow to receive 100 blades for free (2+ years worth). Just make sure both products are in the cart for the code to take effect. It's probably not a surprise that …
• Woman Finds TINY Kitten All Alone — And Brings Him Home | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Even people who’ve never had cats aren’t safe from the cat distribution system 🥰 Our producer Ben spoke with Sara about becoming a first-time cat mom after finding this tiny, very adorable kitten in the middle of the road 🫶

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-25:edition 2026-05-25T12:00:00Z 2026-05-25T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 25 (Good News Network)

40 years ago today, the Hands Across America fundraising event was held, hoping to create a human chain across the entire country. Hosted over Memorial Day weekend, the hope was to raise tens of millions to fight hunger and homelessness, with volunteers encouraged to donate for a space in the chain. This seemingly fanciful goal […] The post Good News in History, May 25 appeared first on Good News

Community & Kindness

• Dog Saved from Pound Rescuers New Owner from House Fire: ‘A genuine treasure’ (Good News Network)
  From a New Zealand outlet comes the story of a man who saved a dog from the pound, and the dog who saved him from perishing in a house fire. Even though her new forever home has turned to ashes, Hazel the dog managed to save the only thing that really mattered: a life. With [……
• In Beirut, refugee girls and women learn more than self-defense in martial arts class (NPR · World)
  In the male-dominated world of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, a martial arts teacher offers women a way to empowerment.
• This New York Neighborhood Was A Total Bust In The '70s — Now It's A Must-Visit Entertainment Hub For Families - Islands (islands.com)
  Coney Island was once one of Brooklyn's most dangerous areas, but today it draws visitors with historic roller coasters, beaches, and live entertainment.
• Feast on Dishes Made With Kochi’s Indigenous Ingredients & Hear Their Stories as You Eat (The Daily Good)
  At twenty-one, Armaan Essa is feeding Fort Kochi back to itself-one forgotten ingredient at a time. His eight-course "Tideline" dinners feature pokkali rice that prevents flooding, cacao husks that honor hidden labor, and fermented broths that carry memory, each dish…

Science & Health

• NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft Just Used Mars as a Giant Slingshot (SciTechDaily)
  NASA’s Psyche spacecraft just used Mars as a giant slingshot on its journey to a mysterious metal world that could reveal what’s hidden inside planets like Earth. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft successfully completed a close flyby of Mars on May 15, passing just 2,864 miles (4,609 k…
• Drug Used to Treat Asthma and Allergies May Also Help Fight Aggressive Cancers (Good News Network)
  A drug often used to treat asthma and allergies may also help fight aggressive cancers, according to new US research. The study revealed how tumors hijack common white blood cells to evade immunotherapy. Scientists say their findings in mice and human tissues point to a new wa…
• Researchers Reveal the Surprisingly Easy Habit Linked to Longer Healthier Lives (SciTechDaily)
  A long-running study suggests that one of the simplest ways to support healthy aging may also be one of the most effective: eating slightly fewer calories. Search online, and you will find countless biohacking trends that promise healthier aging, from cold plunges and hyperbar…
• Scientists Discover Grapes Can “Reprogram” Your Skin Against Sun Damage (SciTechDaily)
  New research suggests grapes may offer surprising benefits for skin health by changing how genes behave in the body. Earlier clinical trials showed that eating grapes could improve resistance to UV radiation in about 30% to 50% of people. Now, scientists say the effects appear…

Culture & Arts

• From Midnight Casts to Authorized Editions: Understanding the Market for Posthumously Produced Art (observer.com)
  Works made after an artist’s death fall into a fascinating gray zone, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a good buy.
• Visual impairment doesn't keep these birders out of the hobby (NPR · Culture)
  The phrase "bird watching" does not take in the full range of people who love searching for wild birds. We meet a few of the many visually impaired birders who use their ears.
• Origami dragons and a story arcade! The joy of museums aimed at children (theguardian.com)
  The best of these reject any ‘don’t touch’ attitude in favour of an open invitation to curiosity that might just see your toddler tell you to sit down and read a book
• Swimming and the Meaning of Life (The Marginalian)
  One of my earliest and most vivid childhood memories is of swimming in a cool pool bounded by boulders in the middle of a river in the mountains of Bulgaria, the late-afternoon sun casting komorebi on the water through the rustling leaves. I can still hear the feeling-tone in …

Environment & Wildlife

• Great Koala National Park tests whether protected forests can stay connected (Mongabay)
  Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. The case for Australia’s new Great Koala National Park rests on a practical point: koalas need more than scattered trees. They need connected hab…
• The French City That Champions Its Trees (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  “I think it’s over there, to the right, but the grounds are so big I’m not sure where it is exactly,” says Anna Massong, director of technical services at Sceaux City Hall, as we study a map beside the grand iron entrance gates of the Lakanal School. Built in the... The post T…
• China solar exports hit all-time record in March as Africa, Asia demand jumps (Mongabay)
  China exported a record volume of solar components in March 2026, comprising photovoltaic panels, cells and wafers, according to data from the Chinese customs authority analyzed by U.K.-based energy think tank Ember. The 68 gigawatts in solar capacity was a 49% increase from t…
• NYC 'queer garden' is filled with non-binary and sex-changing plants (Good Good Good)
  Many of the plants found at the Alice Austen House are non-binary or sex-changing species, such as ferns and flowers that self-pollinate or have both reproductive organs.

Video

• Students who covertly embody college mascots reveal identities at graduation (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  At colleges and universities across the country, the students inside the mascot suits usually keep their identities a secret. But in a growing trend, they’re finding fun ways to reveal who they really are to their school. NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas reports. For more co…
• Rare Wildlife Encounters From the Wild | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  As rams compete fiercely for a mate and snow leopards search for prey, these are some of the most tense moments in the wild. #Animals #Wildlife #Leopard Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, updates and exclusives from BBC Earth ht…
• The Most Famous Science Paper Isn’t Famous (YouTube · SciShow)
  These are the most cited papers in materials science, computer science, physics, biology, and chemistry. Learn why graphene, deep residual learning, generalized gradient approximation, SDS-PAGE, and the Lowry assay are so popular. Hosted by: Madelyn Leembruggen (she/her) -----…
• These are the most EXTREME tides on Earth (YouTube · PBS Terra)
  Inside Canada’s Bay of Fundy, 160 BILLION tons of water rush in and out daily, creating the most extreme tides on Earth. Scientists now think this force could help power our future.

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-24:edition 2026-05-24T12:00:00Z 2026-05-24T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 24 (Good News Network)

Happy 85th Birthday to Bob Dylan, the Bard of our ‘(Forever) Young’ generation. Born Robert Zimmerman in Minnesota, Dylan renamed himself after the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. The singer-songwriter-musician and visual artist, produced anthems for young Americans in the 1960s that chronicled the nation’s social unrest, like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They […] The post Good News in History,

Community & Kindness

• Volunteers place 36K flags at Great Lakes National Cemetery | Community | abc12.com (abc12.com)
  The flags are a small way to honor those who have passed and all they did for the country. Many of the volunteers were family and friends of ...
• “Please Help My Baby”: Veteran’s Goodbye Letter Leads Firefighters to Adopt His Dog and Change His Life (Sunny Skyz)
• Good News This Week: May 23, 2026 - Puffins, Teabags, & Jaguars (Good Good Good)
  Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...
• Women gain livelihood in Rajasthan’s Thar villages (The Daily Good)
  In Rajasthan's Thar villages, where women's lives have long followed a pattern "so fixed it has almost become invisible," training centers are being built inside the communities themselves-close enough that families might say yes. Kritigya Champawat, an eng…

Science & Health

• Scientists say house cats could help unlock new cancer treatments for humans (sciencedaily.com)
  Scientists have cracked open the “black box” of feline cancer in a landmark study that genetically analyzed nearly 500 cat tumors from around the world. The research uncovered striking similarities between cancers in cats, dogs, and humans — including shared cancer-driving gen…
• Sun Suddenly Blasts Powerful Radio Transmission for 19 Continuous Days (futurism.com)
  Four various NASA craft have observed what is understood to be the longest blast of solar radio waves ever recorded.
• New Holographic 3D Printing Method Is 70x More Efficient (SciTechDaily)
  A new holographic 3D-printing platform can produce detailed living structures faster, larger, and with greater accuracy than previous methods. What if a 3D printer could create soft, living tissue in seconds instead of slowly building it layer by layer? Researchers at EPFL are…
• Scientists Discover the Secret Bacteria Behind Artisan Cheeses – and They May Be Good for Your Health (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have traced the changing microbial communities inside three artisan British cheeses, revealing how bacteria shape their flavor, texture, and potential benefits for gut health. Cheese can seem like a simple pleasure, but every bite is the result of a microscopic tran…

Culture & Arts

• Stunning Mosaics Made by Londoners with PTSD Offer Pieces of Healing in Community Artwork (Good News Network)
  Tucked away in the parks and alleyways of East London lies one of the city’s most vibrant collections of public art. What makes it all the more special is the mending of mental health maladies that transforms its volunteer artists. The sometimes sprawling, Roman-inspired maste…
• Bayeux Tapestry to be displayed flat for first time at British Museum (dailysabah.com)
  The 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, will be displayed flat for the first time when it goes on display...
• Mind-bending photos by anonymous cousins show the pain and dreams of Afghan women (NPR · Culture)
  The young women make photos that look at life — how it is, how they wish it could be — under Taliban rule. The images are on display at the Photoville Festival in Brooklyn, New York.
• 15 movies we can't wait to see this summer, from Spielberg to 'Spider-Man' (NPR · Culture)
  The Toy Story squad takes on a tablet, the Minions take on Hollywood and Christopher Nolan takes on a Greek epic.

Environment & Wildlife

• Animal DNA Samples Can Pinpoint Hotspots of Illegal Wildlife Trade Routes (Good News Network)
  Tiny samples of DNA taken from a wide variety of animal sources can pinpoint hotspots of the illegal wildlife trade, utilizing a new research technique—and eventually lead to dismantling lucrative poaching networks. The study focused on pangolins—with their scales prized for t…
• The thorny ethical questions that emerge from covering our place in the natural world (NPR · Environment)
  Nate Rott's beat takes him to some really wild places, asking thorny ethical questions that emerge as he reports on the natural world and humanity's relationship to it
• Could nature itself hold the solution to climate change? (theguardian.com)
  Technological interventions face huge financial or practical challenges. Why not embrace the Earth’s feedback loops?
• Ocean census reveals more than 1,100 new species (scientificamerican.com)
  Over the course of 13 expeditions and other efforts between mid-2025 and mid-2026, scientists found hundreds of previously undiscovered creatures living under the waves

Video

• Foster Mom Becomes Seeing-Eye Human For This Blind Puppy | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Watch him learn the sound of her footsteps 💙 Lauren shared how fostering this puppy born without eyes turned into the sweetest bond — and the adorable reason he missed his adoption flight 😭 All thanks to Boonie Flight Project for this incredible rescue story 💞 Learn more by vi…
• How many batteries would it take to power a human? (YouTube · Veritasium)
  AD How many batteries would it take to power a human? We partnered with @AnkerOfficial to find out... Pick up your Anker Prime power bank here: https://ankerfast.club/noagy5 #AnkerTech #Anker #AnkerPrime #Veritasium #Tech
• How Onions ACTUALLY Make You Cry (And How to Stop Them) (YouTube · SciShow)
  Scientists had figured out the biology and chemistry of how onions make you cry. But there was one thing they left out: Physics. Using an onion guillotine, they have finally solved the puzzle. Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him) ---------- Support us for $8/month on Patreon and kee…
• Lucy Irvine talks about living on a remote island (YouTube · Aeon Magazine)
  Lucy Irvine recalls her decision to spend 14 months on an uninhabited island in the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea with an ‘arranged marriage husband’, as well as the strange sensation afterwards of re-entering the world of civilisation – exacerbated by t…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-23:edition 2026-05-23T12:00:00Z 2026-05-23T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

28,000 people raise $1M to help veterans in all 50 states. This one man inspired it all (Good Good Good)

This inspiring act of kindness turned one GoFundMe success story into 50.

Community & Kindness

• Good News in History, May 23 (Good News Network)
  213 years ago today, South American revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar entered Mérida, leading the invasion of Venezuela, and was proclaimed El Libertador (“The Liberator”). Credited with leading the fight for independence in areas of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama…
• While everyone’s ‘maxxing’ everything, I’m reviving the lost art of laziness (theage.com.au)
  In this era of optimisation, let’s not forget the joy in doing sweet f--- all.
• Police Deputy Praised After ‘Run-of-the-Mill’ Call Turns into Emergency Baby Delivery (Good News Network)
  A call about suspicious activity saw a California police officer race to save a newborn’s life. A woman was sitting between two bushes near a business in the Rancho Cordova, and Deputy Foster Tracy described the situation as “routine,” before it became anything but. “It was ze…
• Your Local Storm Forecast Is Likely Based on Weather Miles Away — Mesonets Can Help Bridge That Gap (Nice News)
  Whether you’re planning a weekend hike, deciding what to wear to work or preparing your home for severe storms, the weather forecast is essential. You might instinctively grab your smartphone and check an app for an instant weather update.

Science & Health

• Ultrasound aimed at the brain offers new hope for Parkinson’s patients (Science News)
  A noninvasive treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound helped relieve the shaking, stiffness and pain that accompany Parkinson’s disease.
• The science of us (Science News)
  Editor in chief Nancy Shute introduces a new social sciences column that explores what it means to be human.
• Paleontologists Discover an Ancient Marine Reptile They've Dubbed the T. Rex of the Sea, Crowning Another King of the Cretaceous (Smithsonian Magazine)
  Scientists figured out that the predators were lumped in with a previously named mosasaur species. The new one, called Tylosaurus rex, could grow to 43 feet long, about the length of a school bus
• See NASA's Stunning New Images of Mars Captured During an Asteroid-Bound Spacecraft's Strategic Flyby (Smithsonian Magazine)
  The Psyche mission, on its way to study an asteroid of the same name, approached within 2,864 miles of the red planet on May 15

Culture & Arts

• Sarah Rowe Will Light Up Native Neon Residency in Kingston, NY (Artforum)
  A new residency exclusively meant for Indigenous artists working with neon for the first time is launching as the result of a collaboration between the Walker Youngbird Foundation, a Native-led nonprofit supporting Indigenous artists, and Lite Brite Neon Studio, a neon fabrica…
• Why are people buying pet ants? (Mongabay)
  Move over cats and dogs. There’s a new hot favorite pet in town: ants. More and more people are raising pet ants around the world. They are small, low-maintenance and display complex behaviors that fascinate humans. But this fascination is leading to a bigger issue: an undergr…
• UK’s Oldest Candy Shop Has the Same Bestselling Sweets After Nearly 200 Years (Nice News)
  Calling all candy lovers: Have you ever tried pear drops or humbugs? The 1820s-era treats aren’t staples at the average U.S. candy store, but at The Oldest Sweet Shop in Pateley Bridge, England, they’ve been some of the establishment’s bestsellers for nearly 200 years.
• Human Connection Cuts Through Technology at Focus Art Fair (Hyperallergic)
  The show, New York's only art fair dedicated to contemporary Asian art, featured uniquely tender subversions of this year’s topical theme.

Environment & Wildlife

• The First White Rhino Orphan Rescued From Kruger is a Mom! (The Daily Good)
  Twelve years after she was found standing beside her poached mother's body in Kruger National Park, Satara has given birth to her first calf - a moment that transforms the first white rhino orphan ever rescued from the park into a symbol of resilience. Her rescue in 2014,…
• AI Used to Pinpoint Whale Heat Signatures to Prevent Ship Collisions in San Francisco Bay (Good News Network)
  Scientists in California are using heat-sensing AI to save grey whales transiting through San Francisco Bay. More and more sightings of grey whales, a medium size baleen that can grow to between 40 and 50 feet, are being recorded in the bay, and conservationists are eager to d…
• This Week in Climate News (May 2026, Week 3) (Earth.org)
  This weekly round-up brings you key climate news from the past seven days, including UN member states backing a landmark climate ruling by the world's top court and another victory for the US chemical industry. The post This Week in Climate News (May 2026, Week 3) appeare…
• Scientists Are Turning Ocean Trash Into Roads – and It’s Actually Working (SciTechDaily)
  Hawaii researchers are testing whether plastic waste and abandoned fishing nets can be safely reused in asphalt roads. Hawaii is struggling with plastic waste. Recycling is difficult and expensive for the island state, especially when the waste includes marine debris that rema…

Video

• Some schools are teaching kindness classes: "Makes me want to be a better person" (YouTube · CBS – On The Road with Steve Hartman)
  Schools teach kids how to read, write and do math. But what about a class on how to be kind? In some places, it is. Steve Hartman goes "On the Road" with the story. "CBS Evening News" delivers the day's most important stories, delivering context and de…
• Can you solve the hat riddle? (YouTube · Veritasium)
  You and 3 amigos are buried neck deep in sand in a prison yard. The guard says if one of you can guess your own hat colour you can all go free. You know there are two black hats and two white hats and you can only see the hats of the people in front of you. A minute passes in …
• Wait, are octopuses building cities now? (YouTube · Be Smart)
  Another YouTube #shorts from Dr. Joe! Subscribe for more fun science stories. Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/
• Can We Describe The Whole Universe With A Single Number? (YouTube · SciShow)
  Visit https://brilliant.org/scishow/ to get started learning STEM for free for a full 30 days and get 20% off their annual premium subscription. How many numbers do we need to describe reality? If you're a particle physicist, it currently hovers around 30, describing thin…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-22:edition 2026-05-22T12:00:00Z 2026-05-22T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good news: Men and women both live longer lives in countries with greater gender equality (Good Good Good)

Researchers at the PLOS Global Public Health journal found direct correlations between gender and life expectancy.

Community & Kindness

• Arsenal Tech’s band program helps students form close friendships — and go to college (wfyi.org)
  This week roughly 1,200 Indianapolis Public Schools students graduated from the four district-run high schools as families across Marion County celebrate the Class of 2026 in May and June.
• NYC magician uses tricks (and treats) to help shelter dogs get adopted (Good Good Good)
  John Stessel knows the love of a dog is the realest source of magic the world has to offer.
• Hero Police Officer Kicks In Door, Rushes Into Burning Home To Save Mother And Children (Sunny Skyz)
• Above an Australian highway, a bridge reconnects wilderness for quolls, koalas and other animals (Mongabay)
  SYDNEY, Australia. At dusk on the edge of the bush in Australia’s Heathcote National Park, a spotted-tailed quoll lowers its tawny head to the ground, pink nose twitching. The dense forest, the scent of damp earth and eucalyptus leaf litter gives way, abruptly, to heat and a c…

Science & Health

• Ride It Out: How Cycling Helps Kids Focus (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  Jimmy G. was a distracted and disruptive fifth grader. “In the morning, when he came in, he’d be up in everybody’s business, up and out of his chair, constantly blurting stuff out,” says Amy Young, his science and social studies teacher at Spooner Middle School in the North Wo…
• Daily briefing: Wearable robot could help kids with neuromuscular disease stand (nature.com)
  A robotic device helps children with spinal muscular atrophy build up strength in their knees. Plus, a tough peer-review process could lead to a more-cited paper and chemists’ mission to replace ‘forever chemicals’.
• Screening all kids for type 1 diabetes can catch more cases early (Science News)
  Identifying children with early signs of type 1 diabetes makes a difference to their health. A new study suggests wider screening is effective.
• Scientists Just Found a Massive Untapped Reserve of Energy. It Could Help Power Our Future. (popularmechanics.com)
  A closer look at the natural processes that produce hydrogen provides promise of a clean energy source.

Culture & Arts

• One mystery of the Great Pyramid’s longevity has finally been solved (Science News)
  Differences in how the pyramid and surrounding soil vibrate, along with design choices, have protected the structure from earthquakes.
• From the Shining Seas to the Sandy Sahara, These 15 Photographs Showcase the Sensational Scenery of Morocco (Smithsonian Magazine)
  This selection of Smithsonian Photo Contest submissions amount to a stunning virtual tour of the Mediterranean nation that includes camels and cats, medina markets and mosques
• A nondescript brick building used to be public housing in Chicago. Now, it's a first-of-its-kind museum (Good Good Good)
  Despite most public housing residences closing in the 1960s and 70s, this one has been preserved for the future.
• Required Reading (Hyperallergic)
  This week: a mysterious LA guerrilla artist, Whistler and gold paint, remembering Totó La Momposina, the art of photographing queer nightlife, AI agents turn Marxist, and more.

Environment & Wildlife

• Jane Goodall's grandson keeps her conservation work alive: 'Hope is rooted in action' (Good Good Good)
  Goodall's grandson, Merlin Van Lawick, has been working in the field in Tanzania for years, now supporting science and communication efforts at his late grandmother's nonprofit.
• American who gave US$5,000 to China farmer for tree planting decades ago to view forest (scmp.com)
  US citizen accepts ‘awesome’ invitation to visit massive and successful anti-desertification project in Inner Mongolia.
• AI listens for endangered orcas to help reduce underwater noise exposure (Mongabay)
  Artificial intelligence is listening to orca calls in real time and helping to reduce their exposure to underwater noise. The effort is focused on an endangered orca subspecies in the Salish Sea, off the coasts of the northwestern U.S. and western Canada, reports Mongabay writ…
• Canada’s Billion-Year-Old Rocks Could Hold the Future of Clean Energy (SciTechDaily)
  Researchers found that ancient rocks beneath Canada are naturally generating and releasing hydrogen gas over long periods of time. The discovery could open the door to a major new source of clean energy hidden within Earth’s crust. Deep beneath Canada’s ancient geological form…

Video

• This giant ancient sea monster may have been a stealth predator (YouTube · PBS Eons)
  ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to http://to.pbs.org/DonateEons ***** Eons is a production of Complexly for PBS Digital Studios. Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible: Rachel G…
• The incredible engineering of Venice - Stephanie H. Smith (YouTube · TED-Ed)
  Explore the history of Venice to find out how the infamous floating city was built and how the republic became a hub for trade. -- To escape Germanic invaders, people fled into the Venetian Lagoon in the 6th century. The settlers set out to tame the mudflats and built a founda…
• Gliding Leaf Frogs Leap from Treetops to Breed | 20 Years of Planet Earth | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  These large tree frogs spend most of their time in the high canopy, and only come down when it's time to breed. Celebrate 20 years of Planet Earth. Head over to the webpage to find out more: https://www.bbcearth.com/shows/planet-earth Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub …
• Graduation ceremony surprises reunite military members and loved ones (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  At high school and college graduation ceremonies across the country, members of the U.S. Armed Forces are reuniting with loved ones in heartwarming surprises. NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas reports. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our da…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-21:edition 2026-05-21T12:00:00Z 2026-05-21T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 21 (Good News Network)

55 years ago today, Marvin Gaye released What’s Going On, a landmark LP in pop music history. The concept album flowed with songs written from the point of view of a Vietnam veteran returning to the US, and seeing only hatred, suffering, and injustice. Regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 20th century, […] The post Good News in History, May 21 appeared first on Good News Network .

Community & Kindness

• Denver records decrease in overall homelessness for first time in 9 years, city reports (denver7.com)
  For the first time in nine years, Denver has recorded a decrease in overall homelessness, the city announced Wednesday morning.
• Free Ice Cream Gift for One Child Prompts Donations to Fund Free Sweets For Kids the Entire Summer (Good News Network)
  A heartwarming, brain-freezing story comes now from the streets of Massachusetts, where a woman who offered free ice cream to a penniless child sparked a McFlurry of giving. Madyson Silvagnoli can be found in her truck—Maddy’s Ice Cream and More—along the streets of Gardner on…
• How to help low-income students attend college and start careers (daytondailynews.com)
  For many area students, going to college can seem unattainable. From navigating financial aid to making decisions about a future career path, the postsecondary process can be overwhelming.
• In flood-prone Bangladesh, tiny homes are built to move with the river (Mongabay)
  In the northeast of Bangladesh, residents living along the Jamuna River face a relentless cycle of environmental upheaval. Every rainy season, severe flooding routinely invades homes and wipes out crops, turning daily life into a struggle for survival. For families in these ar…

Science & Health

• Superhot Rock Holds the Energy of the Future (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  This story has been co-published by Reasons to be Cheerful and the Outrider Foundation. The Newberry Volcano in central Oregon is set among a ravishing landscape of ancient lava flows, lakes and pine forests. Every year droves of tourists come to admire the geological phenomen…
• Massive Genetic Study Reveals Hidden Causes of Pregnancy Sickness (SciTechDaily)
  A major international study has uncovered several new genetic clues tied to hyperemesis gravidarum, a debilitating form of pregnancy sickness once widely misunderstood. The USC team that recently identified the hormone-encoding gene GDF15 as a major driver of pregnancy sicknes…
• Researchers Discover the Body’s Hidden “Off Switch” for Inflammation (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have uncovered a previously underexplored mechanism that may act as one of the body’s natural “off switches” for inflammation. Your body is constantly fighting microscopic battles. The surprising part is not how inflammation starts, but how it knows when to stop. No…
• Tea or Coffee? Your Daily Choice Could Affect Osteoporosis Risk (SciTechDaily)
  A large osteoporosis study found that tea and coffee may affect aging bones differently. Could your daily drink be quietly affecting your bones? A major 10-year study of nearly 10,000 older women suggests the answer may depend on whether your cup contains tea or coffee. Resear…

Culture & Arts

• America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2026 Symbolize Equality for All: See the List (Nice News)
  With the United States’ 250th anniversary just over six weeks away, it’s a landmark time for the nation — and the National Trust for Historic Preservation is honoring the milestone with this year’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Announced today, the 2026…
• The history of Kermit the Frog, an American icon (NPR · Culture)
  A beloved cultural icon who's bright green? Kermit the Frog is also quintessentially American.
• The Candy Shop Where You Can Taste History (Atlas Obscura)
  Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and all major podcast apps. Kelly McEvers: Today we’re going to talk about a candy store in Harpers Ferry , West Virginia . And about how candy stores have always played a big role in the town’s history. Back in the 1840s, a G…
• Philanthropy’s Most Important Metric Is the One It Never Measures (Blog) (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
  We judge philanthropic capital's impact by what it builds while it is building. We should judge by what stands, without it, after the grant has ended.

Environment & Wildlife

• Bangladesh’s energy crunch highlights the promise — and limits — of solar (Mongabay)
  As Bangladesh grapples with fuel shortages, power plant outages and rising energy import costs, the country’s small but growing solar sector is helping cushion the grid against widespread blackouts. According to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), 16 of the 136 powe…
• When Did Crabs Evolve Their Iconic Sideways Scuttle? Scientists Traced It to a Common Ancestor That Lived 200 Million Years Ago (Smithsonian Magazine)
  The findings suggest that their famous lateral movement evolved just once. It may have helped the animals rapidly spread and diversify because moving in two directions meant they could easily escape predators
• Experts celebrate record-breaking start for sea turtle nesting season (Good Good Good)
  A devastating hurricane season in 2024 meant low nest counts for sea turtles across Florida. So far, 2026 is proving to be a banner year for the endangered species.
• Meet Splash, the country's first 'search and recovery' otter, who can find missing people underwater (Good Good Good)
  The otter can hold his breath underwater for five minutes and has brilliant odor-tracking skills.

Video

• 18-Pound Cat Becomes Dad to Teeny Kitten and Never Leaves Her Side | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  He was unsure at first, and now he’s the most devoted little dad 😍 When Jessica took in the kitten to help her shelter, Arnold was unsure at first — but he quickly fell for her, and seeing them adopted together was enough to bring her to tears 🥹❤️ Keep up with @JessAndHerAnima…
• Unbelievable Moments From Nature - Narrated by David Attenborough | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  From the life that flourishes a kilometre beneath the ocean's surface to amazing clownfish teamwork, watch as Sir David Attenborough narrates three hours of wonderful wildlife moments. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, upd…
• Everyone Should Switch To Pet-Friendly Candles | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Smells like a hug 🥹 Dodo producer Mackenzie talks through the non-toxic candles she switched to for her cat with respiratory issues! They’re safer for her lungs and still make her home feel super cozy! She found Companion Candles, and their completely non-toxic coconut-soy wax…
• Billie Jean King earns college degree (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  At 82 years old, the tennis icon received her degree, more than six decades in the making. Tom Llamas has the story. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day, click here: https://www.nbcnews.com » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/Subs…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-20:edition 2026-05-20T12:00:00Z 2026-05-20T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Scientists Turn Wool Into Bone-Healing Material in Medical Breakthrough (SciTechDaily)

Wool-derived keratin membranes helped regenerate organized, stable bone tissue and may offer a promising alternative to collagen in regenerative medicine. A new study found that keratin, a structural protein taken from wool, can support bone regeneration in living animals. The material produced bone tissue that more closely matched healthy natural bone than collagen, which is [...]

Community & Kindness

• A Sacramento ‘food desert’ is getting a transformative, first-of-its-kind public market (Upworthy)
  "We want this to be a place where neighborhood residents, visitors to Sacramento, and anyone who loves food and community feel welcome and connected." The post A Sacramento ‘food desert’ is getting a transformative, first-of-its-kind public market appeared first on U…
• Good News in History, May 20 (Good News Network)
  Happy Birthday to Cher, who turns 80 today. The actress, dancer, and singer has sold over 100 million records. The ‘Goddess of Pop’, with her distinctively resonant contralto voice, reached the top of the charts in 1965 with the Sonny & Cher hit, I Got You Babe, and in her…
• Seneca on Grief and the Key to Resilience in the Face of Loss: An Extraordinary Letter to His Mother (The Marginalian)
  "All your sorrows have been wasted on you if you have not yet learned how to be wretched."
• Union Seeks Ban on ‘Surveillance Pricing’ at Grocery Stores (Civil Eats)
  But critics fear that companies may use customer data—like shopping history, purchase patterns, and age, gender, and income—to tailor prices specifically to them, which could mean two shoppers could see different prices for the same item, or the same shopper might pay more ove…

Science & Health

• How Do You Convince a First Grader to Like Peas? Teach Them. (Civil Eats)
  The first lesson is on classification. A teacher sits in front of the students with illustrations of different kale leaves. These are all cousins, she explains, related but not identical, just like human cousins. Then the students break into groups. One group continues their c…
• Scientists Rewire Donor Stem Cells To Outsmart Aggressive Blood Cancers (SciTechDaily)
  Researchers have tested a gene-edited stem cell transplant designed to shield healthy blood-forming cells from powerful cancer-targeting immunotherapies. For patients with highly aggressive blood cancers, stem cell transplantation can offer a rare chance at a cure — but too of…
• Garage prodigy: 14-year-old boy built a nuclear fusion device in his parents’ garage (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
  At an age when most teenagers are focused on schoolwork and video games, Taylor Wilson was attempting something that even advanced laboratories struggle to achieve. Working from his parents’ garage in Reno, Nevada, the 14-year-old successfully built a functioning nuclear fusio…
• Scientists Discover “Immature” Brain Cells That May Defy Alzheimer’s (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have uncovered new evidence that certain immature brain cells may help some people resist the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, even when the disease is already present. The findings hint at previously unknown mechanisms that could shape how the brain ages. Why do some peopl…

Culture & Arts

• Hand-Colored Photographs from 19th Century Japan: 110 Images Capture the Waning Days of Traditional Japanese Society (Open Culture)
  What we euphemistically refer to as the “Opening of Japan” catalyzed a period of seismic upheaval for the proud formerly closed country. Between the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1853 and the Meiji restoration in 1868, Japanese society changed rapidly due to the sudden for…
• Artist, 87, Turned His Small Town Into a “Safari” With Hundreds of Animal Sculptures (Nice News)
  Residents of Totnes, England, don’t have to go far to experience a safari — they can see an array of exotic “wildlife” just by driving through local streets. That’s thanks to artist Malcolm Curley, who’s installed over 300 handmade animal sculptures in and around town.
• ‘These are artifacts from history’: exhibition celebrates objects of sporting victory (theguardian.com)
  At the American Museum of Natural History, an expansive range of medals, trophies and other keepsakes, showcase nearly 150 years of US sports history
• Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' ends this week. Here are 5 reasons why his satire is some of the best in US history (Good Good Good)
  The best satirists do more than entertain. They influence public discourse and leave lasting marks on political life.

Environment & Wildlife

• In conservative Utah, some communities are ditching fossil fuel power for clean energy (NPR · Climate)
  In conservative Utah, a coalition of cities and towns shows other communities how to bring new renewable energy to the electric grid in a unique way.
• In Malaysia, a bridge helps endangered langurs and humans coexist (Mongabay)
  In Malaysia’s Penang state, conservationists and residents are collaborating to reduce conflict between humans and endangered dusky langurs displaced by urban development and habitat loss. The Langur Project Penang built a canopy bridge to help langurs safely cross a busy road…
• New animals discovered in Cambodian caves (Mongabay)
  Scientists have discovered at least 11 new species in Cambodia’s karst ecosystems — dramatic landscapes of caves and rocks that create isolated habitats. These new species, as well as other endangered animals in the region highlight the importance of protecting these rare ecos…
• Earth Prize 2026 part II: seaweed fabric, hornbill nests, and a healing bandage (The Optimist Daily)
  BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This is part two of our Earth Prize 2026 coverage. Part one covered four regional winners from Ireland, Kenya, Gaza, and India, including Tala and Farah Mousa, whose Build Hope Palestine project we first wrote about earlier this month. Here…

Video

• Did this ancient mole go on an adventure? (YouTube · PBS Eons)
  ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to http://to.pbs.org/DonateEons ***** Eons is a production of Complexly for PBS Digital Studios. Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible: Dennis D…
• How Cows Turn Soil Into a Sponge (YouTube · PBS Terra)
  Overgrazed or industrial land can’t absorb water—but managed grazing can change that. When cows eat plants, it actually helps them regrow, build deeper roots, and create healthier soil that’s more resistant to flooding! Corie Pierce of Bread and Butter Farm is helping to do ju…
• The Mystery of the Missing Deep-Sea Fish (YouTube · PBS Eons)
  Despite starting out in the water, the fossil record suggests that vertebrates conquered both the land and the air before they conquered the depths. So what took them so long? ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to http://to.pb…
• School principal retires, but returns as a handyman: "I'm contributing meaningfully" (YouTube · CBS – On The Road with Steve Hartman)
  58-year-old David White retired after 33 years in education, the last 15 spent as an elementary school principal in Atlanta. But after "just hanging out with the cat," he decided to go back to school as a handyman. Steve Hartman goes "On the Road" with the …

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-19:edition 2026-05-19T12:00:00Z 2026-05-19T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Her Library, Their Future (Stanford Social Innovation Review)

An Indian state's initiative to establish women-run community libraries is giving rural students—especially girls—a safe space to study and access career guidance.

Community & Kindness

• Look: Ducklings rescued from storm drain at Ohio Pizza Hut - UPI.com (upi.com)
  Firefighters and police officers worked together in Ohio to rescue a family of about 11 ducklings stuck in a storm drain near a Pizza Hut.
• On His 49th Birthday, His Sister Saved His Life: and#039;How Can I Ever Repay That?and#039; (Sunny Skyz)
• How Can Schools Best Serve the Common Good? (Blog) (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
  A conversation with two nationally renowned school superintendents about the biggest challenges they face, the relationship between education and democracy, and the tension between innovation and equity.
• Good News in History, May 19 (Good News Network)
  115 years ago today, the world’s first national park department, Parks Canada, was established, 5 years before its counterpart in the US Today they manage the country’s 48 National Parks, 3 National Marine Conservation Areas, 172 National Historic Sites, 1 National Urban Park,…

Science & Health

• To revive an extinct bird, you first need an artificial egg (NPR · Science)
  Colossal Biosciences, a Texas company trying to bring extinct species back to life, reports creating artificial eggs that would be necessary to revive extinct birds such as the dodo.
• Some plants have a genetic superpower that may help them survive a cataclysm (NPR · Science)
  Get ready for a biology lesson. Certain plants have extra sets of chromosomes. And it turns out, it's a useful trait for a species facing a dramatic event like climate change.
• 'De-Extinction' Company Says It Hatched Chicks From Artificial Eggs, Paving the Way for Resurrecting Dodos and Other Bygone Birds (Smithsonian Magazine)
  Colossal Biosciences announced that 26 live baby chickens have emerged from 3D-printed honeycomb structures. But the company does not plan to detail the system in a paper, and its mission has faced criticism
• This Common Houseplant Is Secretly Using Advanced Geometry (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have discovered that the Chinese money plant hides a remarkable geometric system inside its leaves, revealing that nature may solve complex problems using mathematical rules similar to those found in computer science and city planning. People often see meaningful sh…

Culture & Arts

• “Little Prince” Author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on Friendship (The Marginalian)
  "Old friends cannot be created out of hand. Nothing can match the treasure of common memories, of trials endured together, of quarrels and reconciliations and generous emotions."
• Ancient Egyptian Crypt of 22 Singing Priests Unsealed for the First Time in Luxor (Good News Network)
  In Luxor, a large burial chamber has been uncovered in one of the city’s ancient necropolises that has remained undisturbed for at least 2,600 years. Inside was a depository of 22 coffins and 8 mummies that seemed to belong to a special female temple caste who sang sacred song…
• This real-life 'good news' story inspired Pixar animators to make 'Hoppers' (Good Good Good)
  Animation director Daniel Chong found inspiration for “Hoppers” from an unlikely place.
• This is what happened when artists received $1K a month, no strings attached (Good Good Good)
  In New York, 2,400 creatives recently participated in the largest basic income program for artists in U.S. history.

Environment & Wildlife

• Saalumarada Thimmakka’s 400 Trees Roadside Planting in Karnataka (The Daily Good)
  Childless in a society that measured a woman's worth by motherhood, Saalumarada Thimmakka chose to nurture life of a different kind. Beginning in the 1950s, she and her husband planted and tended 385 banyan trees along a barren 4.5-kilometer stretch of highway in Karnatak…
• Over 200 Volunteers Lead Largest-Ever Oyster Reef Restoration Off England’s Portsmouth (Good News Network)
  Last week, volunteers dumped 20,000 oysters into English waters to recreate historic, biodiverse oyster reefs. 260 people came down to Chichester Harbor in Portsmouth to take part in what one of the participating organizations called, “the UK’s largest subtidal oyster reef res…
• ‘We’ve got bats’: The community bringing New Zealand’s pekapeka into the spotlight (Mongabay)
  Billy Mclean knew nothing about bats. As a lifelong Kiwi, there was no reason for him to. Unlike in neighboring Australia and other parts of Oceania whose renowned flying foxes grow meter-long wingspans, Aotearoa New Zealand is famous for its birds, not bats. Mclean worked as …
• How We Saved Our Village’s Forests & Became Carbon-Neutral (The Daily Good)
  A village in Maharashtra that once relied on firewood and witnessed malnutrition has transformed itself into a model of self-sufficiency through a quiet revolution in how people cook, farm, and relate to their forests. With 140 biogas units now running on cattle manure and kit…

Video

• The World of Bears - Giants of the Wild | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  Across forests and the Arctic, bear species are captured in incredible moments of hunting, mating and survival. #Bears #Wildlife #Animals Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, updates and exclusives from BBC Earth https://www.bbcea…
• Mystery Ceiling Noise Ends Up Being Newborn Raccoons! | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  You can't convince us baby raccoons aren't literal puppies 😭 Dodo producer Rebecca walks us through this @gateswildlife rescue — and we’re completely smitten 😍
• The opulence and glamour of chandeliers (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  Mo Rocca sheds light on the traditions of chandeliers, and why these decorative hanging light fixtures can be the star of any room. "CBS News Sunday Morning" features stories on the arts, music, nature, entertainment, sports, history, science and Americana, and highl…
• The distinctly Finnish designs of Marimekko (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  In Finland, bold graphics have become the trademark of Marimekko, the company whose fabrics, housewares and fashions have been adding vibrant colors and design to the world for 75 years. Correspondent Seth Doane reports. "CBS News Sunday Morning" features stories on …

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-18:edition 2026-05-18T12:00:00Z 2026-05-18T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 18 (Good News Network)

25 years ago today, the computer-animated blockbuster Shrek premiered in the US. In the story, a runaway donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) befriends an ogre named Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and urges him to go on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz)—who is hiding a secret that will change his life forever. […] The post Good News in History, May 18 appeared first on Good News Network .

Community & Kindness

• College Commencement Speaker Announces He’s Paying Off Final Year of Loans For Graduates to Honor Father (Good News Network)
  Over 170 students set to graduate from North Carolina State University were about to get the surprise of a lifetime when they filed into the arena in their red caps and gowns. As with all graduation speeches, possibilities seemed palpable; hopes and dreams were waiting on the …
• “A Stranger Saved Me” Rhys Thomas Shares Transplant Journey (The Daily Good)
  After ten years of battling heart failure that ended his rugby career at 29, former international player Rhys Thomas held his old heart in his hands following a successful transplant in Cape Town. The physical struggle -- tethered to batteries, unable to swim or shower normall…
• Hero British Cop ‘Saves Life’ of American Officer While on Holiday in Nashville (Good News Network)
  A British policeman has been hailed as a hero after helping to save the life of an American officer while on holiday in Nashville. Off duty sergeant Taylor Johanson had just arrived in the Tennessee city when he saw local Officer Peter Kinsey being assaulted by a man on the si…
• Why an Indian Village Leader’s Welfare Reels Are Going Viral (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  In December 2025, 20-year-old Gamit Vipul chanced upon something interesting while doing what people his age do across the world: scrolling through reels on Instagram. It was a short video made by someone who lived barely seven miles from his village, detailing a government pe…

Science & Health

• TODAY matters: why Alzheimer's Disease cannot wait for Health Systems to catch up | Euractiv (euractiv.com)
  As scientific breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s disease accelerate and new treatments emerge, Europe stands at a crossroads. The decisions made by policymakers today will determine whether those in need gain access to life-changing innovation
• Physicists Observe Strange Quantum Rotation Effect That Defies Intuition (SciTechDaily)
  Researchers discovered that atomic rotations inside a crystal can unexpectedly flip direction while still obeying the laws of angular momentum conservation. An international team of researchers, including scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the …
• 'Most underrated weed killer' costs just 7p and it's not white vinegar (express.co.uk)
  Love a bargain solution that actually works
• Scientists Discover Surprising Effect of Ultra-Processed Foods Inside Thigh Muscles (SciTechDaily)
  Higher intake of ultra-processed foods was linked to more fat inside thigh muscles, potentially increasing knee osteoarthritis risk. Researchers have found that diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to greater fat buildup inside thigh muscles in people at risk for kne…

Culture & Arts

• Cultures convene at the Mummers Museum for The Festival of Many Colors (6abc.com)
  South Philly community members hit the streets today for The Festival of Many Colors.
• Monet for nothing: the famous artworks cheering up UK high streets (Positive News)
  Reproductions of works by Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh are being hung in town centres to bring art closer to communities The post Monet for nothing: the famous artworks cheering up UK high streets appeared first on Positive News .
• Nick Cave on the Two Pillars of a Meaningful Life (The Marginalian)
  "Cultivating a questioning mind, of which conversation is the chief instrument, enriches our relationship with the world."
• Archaeologists Discover Ancient Egyptian Mummy Buried with Pages from Homer’s Iliad: When Literature Guided Souls Through the Afterlife (Open Culture)
  Renaissance Europe admired ancient Rome, ancient Rome admired ancient Greece, and ancient Greece admired ancient Egypt. But the admiration could actually go both ways in that last case, since the two civilizations’ periods of existence overlapped. The Greeks made no secret of …

Environment & Wildlife

• Jogger’s Call for Help Saves Critically-Endangered Penguin Found Face-Down on the Beach (Good News Network)
  Rescuers raced to save a stranded penguin after a jogger spotted it and called for help. Two weeks ago, wildlife veterinarian Catherine Hauw was alerted that there was an African penguin lying helplessly on a beach with its head buried in the sand. The 35-year-old medic rushed…
• Students Work to Fundraise to Save Habitat Where They Watch Bald Eagle Chicks on Livestream (Good News Network)
  4th grade science teacher Sara Stinson must have known she was doing a great job when her intrepid students began giving themselves extra homework. It didn’t involve studying for an exam, but raising money to help a local wildlife trust buy a parcel of imperiled land in Califo…
• Elephants return to Mount Elgon side of Uganda after four decades (Mongabay)
  According to monitoring with tracking collars by the Mount Elgon Foundation (MEF), last year at least 60 elephants crossed from Kenya into the Ugandan side of Mount Elgon, a vast volcanic mountain that straddles the border, returning to a part of their natural range where they…
• Europe Was Never a Giant Dark Forest, New 20-Million-Year Study Reveals (SciTechDaily)
  A comprehensive new study shows that Europe’s landscapes have been shaped by grasslands and open woodlands for more than 20 million years, suggesting that modern afforestation efforts go against this long-standing ecological pattern. Imagine walking through untouched nature in…

Video

• Good News: Wrong number leads to unlikely friendship (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  When Lauren Stevens was assigned a new work phone number at her job in the San Francisco Bay Area, she kept getting texts for someone named “Verndawg.” But when she researched the number, she discovered “Verndawg” was really Wernher Krutein, a renowned photographer who spent m…
• The art of toppling dominoes (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  Lily Hevesh may be the world's greatest domino artist. She talked with correspondent David Pogue about the patience and perseverance required to set up thousands of dominoes in intricate structures and patterns – and then knock them all down. "CBS News Sunday Morning…
• An adobe renaissance (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  For thousands of years, civilizations around the world have built houses out of earth – whether it be mud brick, wattle and dab or rammed earth. But adobe (the practice of making mudbricks) has now become today's "it" building material, from museums around the w…
• ADUs: A solution to housing in your own backyard (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, are small, fully-functional secondary homes located on the same property as a main home (usually in the backyard) that serve as carriage houses or "granny flats." But as wildfires have displaced residents in the West, ADUs have fill…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-17:edition 2026-05-17T12:00:00Z 2026-05-17T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Scientists Discover Hidden “Switch” That Burns Fat and Could Treat Bone Disease (SciTechDaily)

A newly discovered fat-burning “switch” could pave the way for future treatments that strengthen fragile bones. Scientists have discovered a molecular “switch” in mice that activates a hidden energy-burning system in brown fat, a breakthrough that could eventually lead to new treatments for bone disease. The research, published in Nature, offers new insight into brown [...]

Community & Kindness

• 18 Rescue Workers Toil for 6 Hours to Save Dog Trapped Underground (Watch Her Joyful Release) (Good News Network)
  A dog’s carefree day, bounding over the moors in North Yorkshire, led to a six-hour scramble by dedicated rescuers determined to save her. The Staffordshire bull terrier fell into a narrow crevice last week and became trapped 21 feet underground. Her frantic owner called emerg…
• New York Expands Financial Aid Access With Strong FAFSA Participation (fingerlakesdailynews.com)
  Great news for NY students! Over 163,000 completed FAFSA in April, boosting financial aid access. This means more opportunities for higher education! 📚
• Celebrating 15 Years of Matching Disabled Youth with College Athletes–Over 4,500 Kids Discover the Power of Belonging (Good News Network)
  Since 2011, a Boston-based nonprofit Team IMPACT has matched more than 4,500 children facing serious illness and disability with college teams across the U.S.—transforming lives through the power of belonging, empowerment and resilience. Since pairing its first child with a co…
• Elderly people are asked to define ‘love,’ and their answers are truly raw and heartfelt (Upworthy)
  "Love isn't just something that happens to you. It's something you have to nourish." The post Elderly people are asked to define ‘love,’ and their answers are truly raw and heartfelt appeared first on Upworthy .

Science & Health

• Overactive MYC helps tumors fix DNA breaks and resist chemotherapy, study finds (medicalxpress.com)
  A protein best known for driving cancer growth also helps damaged tumor cells survive by repairing their DNA, according to a new study that could influence how some cancers are treated.
• Researchers Found a Surprisingly Realistic Way To Mine Asteroids for Mars (SciTechDaily)
  Mining asteroids for metals and fuel may enable sustainable Mars colonies by reducing reliance on Earth-based resources and lowering mission costs. Could the rocks floating through space one day help humanity survive on another world? Scientists are beginning to explore whethe…
• Europe Just Unveiled a Serious Rival to SpaceX’s Starship (SciTechDaily)
  A DLR analysis suggests Starship may define the future of heavy launch, but Europe could pursue a smaller, more efficient partially reusable path of its own. In the summer of 2023, SpaceX achieved something that aerospace engineers had discussed for generations, even if many d…
• A surprising solution to cut asphalt's impact on human health (NPR · Science)
  Elham Fini, professor of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University, talks about her work on the health impact of asphalt emissions and a solution that could minimize the harmful effects.

Culture & Arts

• Middle Age and the Art of Self-Renewal: An Extraordinary Letter from Pioneering Education Reformer Elizabeth Peabody (The Marginalian)
  "The perilous time for the most highly gifted is not youth... The perilous season is middle age, when a false wisdom tempts them to doubt the divine origin of the dreams of their youth..."
• Bulgarian banger 'Bangaranga' bags country its 1st Eurovision win (NPR · World)
  Bulgaria was not among the favorites to win. But performer Dara's catchy, banging anthem bested 24 other nations at the 70th edition of the international singing extravaganza.
• The 11 Best Tropical Vacation Spots in the World, From South Caicos to Trancoso (cntraveler.com)
  Whether you’re looking to bike along powdery pink sands or swim amongst one of the world’s largest coral reefs, these are the best tropical vacation spots to visit next.
• Artsy Types May Age Better: Music and Museums Act as Exercise, Slowing Age By 4% Says Study (Good News Network)
  Culture vultures who regularly take part in arts activities—such as listening to music, visiting a museum, or reading—may be slowing the pace of their biological aging, according to a new study. Researchers from University College London looked at blood test data and survey re…

Environment & Wildlife

• Attract birds to the garden all year round with 5 beautiful plants (express.co.uk)
  If you want your garden to teem with life all year round this is what to plant now.
• Honduran authorities seize jaguar kept as pet, put spotlight on local trafficking (Bluesky · Mongabay)
  Authorities in Honduras have seized a jaguar kept as a pet by a businessman, in a high-profile raid that conservationists say should serve as a deterrent for others engaged in wildlife trafficking.…
• Sampling DNA in Seawater Can Reveal the Health of Dolphin Populations, in First for Conservation (Good News Network)
  DNA floating in seawater is now enough to let scientists monitor the health of America’s dolphin populations. Sampling DNA in seawater can show the local presence (or absence) of a species, but until now could give little information about those measures of biodiversity that a…
• Grizzly bears are out unusually early at Yellowstone, and people are stopping to look (NPR · Animals)
  NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Kerry Gunther, the Bear Management Biologist for Yellowstone National Park, about the traffic jams caused by tourists gawking at grizzly bears.

Video

• Mama Dog Leads Rescuer To A Hidden Cave To Save Her Puppies | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  She knew exactly where to go 🥹💛 Our Dodo producer Brielle spoke with Audray from @lucksrescue about trekking through the forest and squeezing into tight spaces — all to make sure every single pup made it out safe 👏
• The Most Unique Creatures of our Hidden Forests | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  While poison dart frogs face the challenge of raising tadpoles in rainforest pools, spiders use extraordinary agility to hunt prey several times their own size. #Animals #Wildlife #Forests Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, upda…
• The Surprising Genius Of Sewing Machines (YouTube · Veritasium)
  How does a sewing machine work? The answer is more genius than you might think.
• Infinity isn’t a number. It's something much weirder. (YouTube · Be Smart)
  Learn more about AnyDesk here: https://anydesk.com/besmart Support us on Patreon / itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Infinity sounds simple. It just means really, really big, right? But something weird happens when you try to do infinite things in a finite a…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-16:edition 2026-05-16T12:00:00Z 2026-05-16T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 16 (Good News Network)

60 years ago today, The Beach Boys released their iconic album Pet Sounds. Widely praised as one of the most influential records ever released, it was ranked No.2 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (behind Sgt. Pepper’s). WATCH a video on the making of Pet Sounds… (1966) The composer, […] The post Good News in History, May 16 appeared first on Good News Network .

Community & Kindness

• 18 Rescue Workers Spend 6 Hours Saving Dog Trapped Underground (YouTube · Good News Network)
  A dog’s carefree day, bounding over the moors in North Yorkshire, led to a six-hour scramble by dedicated rescuers determined to save her after the bull terrier fell down a 21-foot hole. SEE the full story on Good News Network: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ Be sure to SHARE…
• This 277-dog pool party just broke a Guinness World Record. Now all of the pools are being donated to shelters (Good Good Good)
  Chewy hosted the splashy event to kick off summer and help shelter pets stay cool.
• Viral therapy dog gives children a hug every day when they get to school: 'He is life to these kids' (Good Good Good)
  Cole and his human are changing lives for elementary schoolers across the country.
• What if the news reflected what matters most to you? (Positive News)
  A Positive News listening project will explore what people truly value – and how media can support a healthier relationship with the world The post What if the news reflected what matters most to you? appeared first on Positive News .

Science & Health

• Extraordinary Breakthrough for Physics as Scientists Put Building-Size Magnet into the Palm of Your Hand (Good News Network)
  In an extraordinary breakthrough for physics, scientists at ETH Zurich have condensed the power of a superconducting magnet as big as a small building down into a device that fits in the palm of one’s hand. This Tony Stark-like achievement promises unimagined possibilities in …
• NASA’s New AI Processor Is 500x Faster Than Current Space Computers (SciTechDaily)
  NASA’s new AI-ready space chip could give future spacecraft a brain of their own. NASA is developing a powerful new computer chip that could dramatically change how future spacecraft operate in deep space. Created through a commercial partnership, the advanced processor is des…
• A Man Spotted Strange-Looking Rocks Near a Pond in Thailand. They Turned Out to Be the Bones of a Massive New Dinosaur Species (Smithsonian Magazine)
  Paleontologists have dubbed the long-necked, plant-eating creature "Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis." It's the 14th named dinosaur from Thailand, and it might be the biggest one ever found in Southeast Asia
• Is the Unconscious Mind Aware of Its Surroundings? New Research Suggests Anesthetized Brains Can Process Overheard Words (Smithsonian Magazine)
  Seven participants had electrodes temporarily implanted in a brain structure important for learning. While anesthetized, their nerve cells learned to differentiate between distinct sounds—and could even predict upcoming words in phrases

Culture & Arts

• 'From collection to connection': Reimagining museums (dw.com)
  Gone are the days when museums were just places to see art and artifacts. On International Museum Day, DW looks at how museums are becoming unique spaces of community engagement and participation.
• Library of Congress unveils new children's exhibit with interactive stations (NPR · Culture)
  A new exhibit at the Library of Congress brings children face to face with primary sources, introducing a new generation to the slow-burn thrill of researching history.
• Despite All the Likes, Literallys, and Dropped G’s, English Isn’t Decaying Before Our Eyes (Nice News)
  As a linguistics professor, I’m often asked why English is decaying before our eyes, whether it’s “like” being used promiscuously, t’s being dropped deleteriously, or “literally” being deployed nonliterally.
• The Art of Looking: Eleven Ways of Viewing the Multiple Realities of Our Everyday Wonderland (The Marginalian)
  "Attention is an intentional, unapologetic discriminator. It asks what is relevant right now, and gears us up to notice only that."

Environment & Wildlife

• Light pollution reshapes predator-prey dynamics at California’s urban edge, study finds (Mongabay)
  A new study from two California counties finds that artificial light at night is a stronger driver of wildlife behavior at the edge of urban environments than noise. This has ripple effects for predators and prey. Researchers analyzed more than 35,000 camera-trap days from 61 …
• Here’s a wild circular solution. Wine waste could replace antibiotics on chicken farms. (Anthropocene Magazine)
  A new study finds that grape pomace—the slop left over after winemaking—keeps chickens healthy almost as well as conventional antibiotics.
• Magnus the Wandering Walrus, who charmed locals across Scotland, arrives in Norway (NPR · Animals)
  Magnus the Walrus has ended his tour of Scotland and has moved on to Norway.
• China and Norway push to increase krill harvests around Antarctica (Bluesky · Mongabay)
  China and Norway are working to expand the Southern Ocean krill fishery, promoting a new management system for the fishery and continuing to support their fleets politically and financially.…

Video

• Rescue Piglet Follows Her Dog BFF Everywhere He Goes | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Some bonds just stick instantly 😍 Jenny shared how they rescued this piglet after a heavy storm, and how Pepper became her whole world almost instantly — now they’re inseparable 🐷💞🐶 To keep up with Pepper and her friends, follow Jenny's TikTok: https://thedo.do/jennyTT. L…
• Interior Designer Turns Her Home Into A Dream Space For Her Pets | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Just wait until you see their setup in every room 💚🎨 In this episode of Dodo Digs, Isabel Klee visits a Bay Ridge artist who’s designed every corner of her home with her pets in mind — from custom cat ladders to a beautifully styled dog crate. See more of Sydney’s beautifully …
• The CIA's Worst New Tech Idea? (YouTube · Veritasium)
  Is the CIA’s Ghost Murmur technology real? Sponsored by Ground News. Go to https://ground.news/Ve for 40% off the unlimited Vantage plan. If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co…
• How Alpha Particles Can Break Computer Chips (YouTube · Veritasium)
  In the 1970s, Intel couldn't work out what was damaging the DRAM on their microchips. The cause turned out to be the ceramic that the chip was encased in. It was secretly flipping 1s to 0s. But how?

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-15:edition 2026-05-15T12:00:00Z 2026-05-15T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

The Forgotten Moment When Superman Fought Prejudice Instead of Villains (1950) (Open Culture)

It makes sense that Superman would take a tolerant view of immigrants and other minorities, given that he himself arrived on Earth as a refugee from the planet Krypton. The Man of Steel may strike you as an unlikely mouthpiece for progressive ideals, but 1950 found him on a book cover, above, engaged in conversation with […]

Community & Kindness

• Teens’ heroic actions after saving man’s life in Cooper City recognized in ‘GMA’ appearance (wsvn.com)
  Three local teens’ act of kindness is making national headlines with a key appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The South Florida teens were credited...
• Auburn student wins $75,000 by making electronics more accessible for kids (al.com)
  Rusk designed a kit to make circuit breadboards easier for kids to use and understand.
• Good News in History, May 15 (Good News Network)
  85 years ago today, baseball’s Joe DiMaggio began his historic 56-game hitting streak—getting at least one hit in the next 56 consecutive games—a Major League record that still stands today and has been described as unbreakable. During the streak, which ended on July 17, ‘Jolt…
• Polish Influencer Raises $67 Million for Cancer Research During 9-day Livestream (Good News Network)
  It is understood that a recent Polish influencer recently concluded one of the highest-ever fundraisers YouTube has hosted, generating $67 million to support childhood cancer patients and their families. The marathon, 9-day livestreaming event garnered more than 50-times the o…

Science & Health

• AI can take the friction out of life, but some effort can be good (Science News)
  Technologies, including chatbots, promise to make life easier. But removing the friction, or effort involved in thinking, has costs.
• This week in science: Sunscreen from fish, art and aging, and a sustainable marimba (NPR · Science)
  NPR's science podcast Short Wave brings us the stories of how future sunscreens might come from fish, how loving art may impact aging, and a student's quest to build a more sustainable marimba.
• These Simple Plant Foods Are Linked to Lower Blood Pressure (SciTechDaily)
  Higher soy and legume intake may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, with the greatest benefits seen at moderate daily consumption levels. Higher consumption of soy foods and legumes may help lower the risk of high blood pressure, according to a pooled analysis of existing…
• Astrophysicists use ‘space archaeology’ to trace the history of a spiral galaxy (The Conversation — Science)
  Astronomers want to understand how spiral galaxies form and get their massive spiral arms.

Culture & Arts

• May Cause Joy: The Full-Spectrum Health Benefits of Dance (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  When musician David Byrne, the founder of Reasons to be Cheerful, performed at the sold-out Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles last fall, the entire crowd was on its feet for almost the entire show. I danced enthusiastically for nearly two hours straight, feeling a kind of unfiltere…
• No Joke, Ahead of His 100th Birthday, Mel Brooks Donates His Hilarious Archive to the National Comedy Center (Smithsonian Magazine)
  Thousands of notes, storyboards, early scripts and photographs belonging to the “2,000-year-old man” and EGOT winner will join material from Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers and George Carlin
• This new museum is the first of its kind in the world. It wants to give away its entire collection (Good Good Good)
  The interactive museum features 250 looted cultural objects submitted by 46 countries.
• On Children: Poignant Parenting Advice from Kahlil Gibran (The Marginalian)
  "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself... You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of…

Environment & Wildlife

• Study Shows Littering Declined 34% Across America Since 2020 (Good News Network)
  Litter across America has declined 34% since 2020, according to a new report from the Charity Keep America Beautiful. The report reckons that every American’s share of litter along roadways and waterways has fallen over that time from 152 pieces to 96. Decades ago, GNN founder…
• Clouded leopards are 'one of the most elusive cat species' in the world. The Nashville Zoo just celebrated the birth of its 50th cub (Good Good Good)
  Less than 10,000 clouded leopards remain in the wild today.
• College students invent 'enrichment wall' for zoo elephants that plays music only they can hear (Good Good Good)
  Four elephants at Zoo Atlanta have been eager to play with the new wall, which includes treat puzzles and sounds designed to stimulate their brains.
• 3 Teens Win Earth Prize for Asia Inventing Tamarind Powder That Easily Removes Microplastics (Good News Network)
  When an Indian science team set out to try and make a solution to microplastic pollution, it’s fair to say they probably didn’t expect to find that very solution in their kitchen larders. 16-year-olds Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta, used powdered tamarin…

Video

• Dove Comes To Visit The Family That Rescued Her Every Day | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  She’s basically an annoying sibling now 😂❤️ Chelsea and her family raised this baby dove until she could fly on her own… but she still comes back to visit (and keep the dog on edge)! Keep up with Trigger on Instagram: https://thedo.do/triggerthedove. Love Animals? Subscribe: h…
• Exclusive look at Chinese pandas preparing for trip to America (YouTube · NBC – There's Good News Tonight)
  In the latest round of panda diplomacy playing out between the U.S. and China, NBC News’ Janis Mackey Frayer got exclusive access to the two pandas getting ready for their upcoming journey to Zoo Atlanta in America. For more context and news coverage of the most important stor…
• Tennis Ball Cannon vs Human Strength (YouTube · Mark Rober)
• Infinity isn’t a number. It's something much weirder. (YouTube · Be Smart)
  Learn more about AnyDesk here: https://anydesk.com/besmart Support us on Patreon / itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Infinity sounds simple. It just means really, really big, right? But something weird happens when you try to do infinite things in a finite a…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-14:edition 2026-05-14T12:00:00Z 2026-05-14T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

The 3 needs that science says matter more than success and achievement (The Optimist Daily)

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from doing everything right. The career is advancing, the goals are being ticked off, and the productivity is real. And yet something feels off, or hollow, or impossible to name. Modern culture tends to treat this as ingratitude or a failure […] The post The 3 needs that science says matter more than success an

Community & Kindness

• Minnesota just banned the apps that make deepfake nudes (The Optimist Daily)
  BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Two years ago, Molly Kelley found out that a close family friend had used a nudification website to make nonconsensual deepfake images of her and dozens of other women. About 80 women in Minnesota were affected by the same person. When she …
• At Brooklyn Creative Reuse, Art Supplies Get a Second Life (Hyperallergic)
  The sustainable second-hand market for art materials in Industry City might give Blick a run for its money while helping you save some of yours.
• Most people don’t know what they don’t know, but think they do – correcting your metaknowledge can make you a better teacher and learner (The Conversation — Science)
  Do you actually know how a bicycle or a zipper work, or what a penny or a common brand logo look like? Intellectual humility can help reduce overconfidence in what you don’t understand.
• Who are the women sustaining luxury fishing in Brazil’s Pantanal? (Bluesky · Mongabay)
  CORUMBÁ, Brazil — “Lord, go ahead of me and clear my paths, removing every beast, every wild animal, everything that does not come from you; let they be driven away, and may the Lord bless my work. I…

Science & Health

• Scientists Reverse Stroke Damage Using Stem Cells in Breakthrough Study (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have discovered that transplanted stem cell-derived brain cells may do far more than simply survive after a stroke. A stem cell treatment helped mice recover from strokes by rebuilding damaged brain connections, restoring blood vessels, and improving movement, accor…
• Butterfly That Went Extinct in Britain a Century Ago Set for Return to Famous Rewilded Estate Land (Good News Network)
  As GNN has reported before, Britain loves her butterflies, and this black-veined beauty is getting special attention as it prepares to re-establish itself across the island. Extinct in the UK since the early 20th century due to land-use changes and habitat loss, the black-vein…
• See 17 Intricate Microscope Photographs That Make the Miniature World Immense. They Won the Evident Image of the Year Contest (Smithsonian Magazine)
  The sixth annual competition showcases scientific microscopic imaging, illuminating tiny parts of nature, from individual cells to arthropods, diatoms and a zebrafish brain
• Eating One Egg a Day Could Cut Alzheimer’s Risk by 27% (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists tracking more than 40,000 people for over 15 years found an intriguing connection between egg consumption and reduced Alzheimer’s risk. Could something as simple as eating eggs help protect the aging brain? A new long-term study from researchers at Loma Linda Univer…

Culture & Arts

• BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, M.C. Escher (bbc.co.uk)
  The graphic artist's amazing paradoxical world, and the interplay between maths and art.
• How to Keep Criticism from Sinking Your Soul: Walt Whitman and the Discipline of Creative Confidence (The Marginalian)
  "I do not trouble my spirit to vindicate itself or be understood."
• Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera dream together again at Met Opera (NPR · Culture)
  Gabriela Lena Frank's first opera, in its Met debut, sees late Mexican painter Frida Kahlo leaving the underworld on the Day of the Dead to be reunited with her husband and fellow artist Diego Rivera.
• The Most Influential Philosophers Explained in 26 Minutes: From Socrates to Wittgenstein (Open Culture)
  The question of who are the fifteen most influential philosophers of all time may not arise at every conversation down at the pub — not outside the circle of Open Culture readers, in any case. But even among non-specialists, it could spark a livelier debate than you might imag…

Environment & Wildlife

• How the Bird Eye Was Pushed to an Evolutionary Extreme (Quanta Magazine)
  The bird retina is one of the most energetically expensive tissues in the animal kingdom, yet it doesn’t use the energy advantage of oxygen. New research finally explains how this is possible. The post How the Bird Eye Was Pushed to an Evolutionary Extreme first appeared on Qu…
• From mushroom caskets to coral cremations, these eco-friendly burials are gaining popularity (Good Good Good)
  The green burial industry is expected to surpass $1 billion by the end of 2030.
• Shanghai Achieves 98% Industrial Recycling Rates After 2019 Waste Management Plan (Good News Network)
  In 2019, the Chinese megalopolis of Shanghai began a full-steam-ahead approach to reducing solid waste generation in the city. In that year, some 26,000 metric tons of waste was produced every day, but after 6 years of intensive investment, messaging, and habit-forming, the ho…
• How the West Could Turn a Trickle of Water Into an Endless Supply (Reasons to be Cheerful)
  Hotter, drier weather, poor planning and a ballooning population are putting enormous pressure on the American West’s water supply. So, to get more out of every drop, some cities and counties are beginning to recycle their water — collecting what goes down the drain, removing …

Video

• The missing ingredient in how we learn (YouTube · TED-Ed)
  Explore the benefits and challenges of using self-directed play-based learning models in schools. -- Before the last few centuries, children around the world spent most of their time learning through play: observing and mimicking adults, roaming their surroundings, and sharing…
• What color are these dots?! 🤔 (YouTube · Be Smart)
  Another YouTube #shorts from Dr. Joe! Subscribe for more fun science stories. Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/
• Shy Pittie Learns How To Make Eye Contact — And Finally How To “Dog” | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Wait until she starts hopping around like a kangaroo 💞😭 Veronica shared how she knew her foster pup Roo was gonna be OK the moment she finally started playing with her dog, Riot 💜 Keep up with Veronica and her fosters on Instagram: https://thedo.do/wethree Love Animals? Subscr…
• How did detectives solve the case of the bloody motel? - Theodore E. Yeshion (YouTube · TED-Ed)
  Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd -- Scanning the crime scene, Officer Stone sees a disorderly room, visible red-brown stains and a partial shoe track— all hinting at a bloody struggle. After calling in a team to inspect, photograph, sketch, measure, and collect all th…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-13:edition 2026-05-13T12:00:00Z 2026-05-13T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Australia is on track to eliminate a form of cancer entirely (The Optimist Daily)

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For the first time in history, a country is on the verge of eliminating a form of cancer entirely. Australia is on track to reach that milestone by 2035, and possibly sooner, through a combination of widespread HPV vaccination and a screening system that has been rebuilt from scratch. […] The post Australia is on track to eliminate a form of cancer entirely fir

Community & Kindness

• ‘It’s so full of love’, the festival for young carers (Positive News)
  For one weekend a year, the Young Carers Festival helps them swap adult responsibilities for the simple joy of being a child The post ‘It’s so full of love’, the festival for young carers appeared first on Positive News .
• Good News in History, May 13 (Good News Network)
  Happy 70th Birthday to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation. Born in India, he traveled with his teacher Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, giving talks on Vedic science, and setting up Transcendental Meditation and Ayurveda centers. Empha…
• NC State Graduation Speaker Stuns Students By Paying Off Their Loans (Sunny Skyz)
• British 'Knitting Nannas' sent mini sweaters to penguins, toys to monkeys, and baby blankets to a rhino. Now they're knitting for elephants (Good Good Good)
  The Knitting Nannas have been saving animals around the world one stitch at a time.

Science & Health

• Uterus transplants can provide a path to pregnancy and parenthood (Science News)
  Donated uteruses transplanted into women without a womb can allow for successful pregnancy and birth.
• Can MAHA Change the Way Medical Schools Teach Nutrition? (Civil Eats)
  The administration had secured agreements with over 50 medical schools to provide at least 40 hours of nutrition education as part of a medical-school degree, Kennedy said—nearly a third of the roughly 160 accredited medical schools in the United States. Major medical groups l…
• Potatoes Didn't Just Feed Ancient Indigenous Communities in the Andes—the Tasty Tubers Also Reshaped People's DNA (Smithsonian Magazine)
  A new study finds that Indigenous Andeans living in what is now Peru have extra copies of a gene called AMY1, which helps the body digest starch
• Scientists Identify Simple Supplement That Greatly Reduces Alzheimer’s Damage (SciTechDaily)
  A widely available amino acid may offer a new way to target Alzheimer’s disease before major damage occurs. Scientists in Japan say a common amino acid already sold as a dietary supplement may help slow key processes linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In a study published in Neuro…

Culture & Arts

• Bloom: A Touching Animated Short Film about Depression and What It Takes to Recover the Light of Being (The Marginalian)
  How the warm rays of hope and healing enter the dark inner chamber of leaden loneliness through the unexpected cracks of kindness.
• Erin Brockovich is still fighting for clean drinking water 26 years later: 'The hope is when people know better, they do better' (Good Good Good)
  In 2000, Brockovich’s story was adapted for film, with Julia Roberts leading the cast.
• Jazz and classical music have become simpler, a new study finds (Science News)
  Mathematical analysis suggests that melodies and harmonies have become less complex as music evolves and musicians find new ways “to create great music.”
• Archaeologists Discover Mummy Buried With Lines From Homer’s Iliad (Hyperallergic)
  Found in Egypt, the papyrus confirms that Homer was everywhere in the ancient Mediterranean.

Environment & Wildlife

• National park volunteers stand guard between humans and tigers, preventing wildlife conflict (Good Good Good)
  The Bardiya National Park region experiences frequent human-wildlife conflict incidents, mostly involving elephants and tigers, leading to fatalities and injuries among both communities and wildlife.
• Cango Wildlife Ranch Flood Devastation, Staff Save 300 Animals (The Daily Good)
  When historic floods tore through Cango Wildlife Ranch in South Africa, staff worked through darkness and rising water to evacuate over 300 animals to safety -- and somehow, not a single life was lost. The conservation facility, built over four decades by one family and sustai…
• Renewables or carbon removal: which is the better climate bet right now? (Anthropocene Magazine)
  In a rare head-to-head test of returns on investment, renewables bested carbon capture in almost all scenarios across the U.S. through 2050
• 24 hours with 3 teenage birders: Welcome to the World Series of Birding (NPR · Science)
  The three high-school birders, dubbed The Pete Dunnelins, have one day to count as many bird species across the state of New Jersey as physically possible. Here's what it takes.

Video

• Cutest Baby Bear Cubs Rescued From Illegal Wildlife Trade | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  It’s the tiny bear pull-ups for us 😅💛 When Dodo producer Rebecca heard @FreetheBears had just rescued these 2-month-old cubs, she knew she had to tell their story 🫶 Click the link in our bio to learn how to support Free The Bears!
• The Strange World of Troglobites | 20 Years of Planet Earth | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  Troglobites are cave-dwelling species, such as the blind salamander and Belizean white crab that evolved in isolated underground worlds. Celebrate 20 years of Planet Earth. Head over to the webpage to find out more: https://www.bbcearth.com/shows/planet-earth Subscribe: http:/…
• Some science stories are too good to be true… (YouTube · Be Smart)
  Another YouTube #shorts from Dr. Joe! Subscribe for more fun science stories. Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/
• Can we admire human achievement without blindly embracing it? | Ripple (YouTube · Aeon Magazine)
  A dizzying ‘advertisement for Earth’ shows the beauty and scars of our planet. Read more on Aeon: https://aeon.co/videos/a-dizzying-advertisement-for-earth-shows-the-beauty-and-scars-of-our-planet Director: Conner Griffith (https://www.connergriffith.com/) Described by its Ame…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-12:edition 2026-05-12T12:00:00Z 2026-05-12T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Astronomers may have found a record-breaking pair of black holes (Science News)

At some 60 billion times the mass of the sun, this dark void could be home to a pair of black holes that are due for a cosmic collision.

Community & Kindness

• Central Michigan University joins United for Moms initiative | Community | abc12.com (abc12.com)
  United Way works with several local nonprofit organizations to put the donated items directly into the hands of mothers and families who need them ...
• Busload of rescued beagles arrive in Bay Area from Wisconsin research laboratory (abc7news.com)
  A school bus load of rescued dogs has arrived in the Bay Area after a 2000-mile trip from Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin research facility. Rescue groups say the beagles are now experiencing basic comforts they never had, from walking on grass to drinking from bowls.
• Renegotiating the Education Social Contract for the Age of AI (Blog) (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
  Choice, agency, and how to design a learning system where private gain and public good reinforce each other.
• He Kept a Stranger’s Note for 4 Years. Now the Internet Is Helping Him Find Her (Sunny Skyz)

Science & Health

• For 18 Years, Surat’s Dr Bhavin Patel Has Helped Gujarat Fight Blindness With 21000+ Free Surgeries (The Daily Good)
  In Gujarat's rural villages, vision loss often marks the end of independence - a construction worker becomes "like a flower vase" in the corner of his home, a daughter leaves school to support the family, a premature infant faces a lifetime of darkness. Dr. Bhav…
• South Korea deploys new ferry that cleans up oil spills while people ride (Good Good Good)
  A new solar-powered boat created by Korean startup Ecopeace cleans up waterways while commuters are aboard.
• How does your brain decide between the road not taken or the same old route? Resolving conflicting memories is key to navigation (The Conversation — Science)
  Habit helps take the mental load off figuring out how to get somewhere. But relying on the familiar can make it harder to adapt to changes to your route and to find better ones.
• Yawning is contagious — even in the womb (Science News)
  Rather than catching a yawn on sight, muscles squeezing the uterus could be the trigger for a fetus to catch a yawn from its mother.

Culture & Arts

• Let Your Heart Be Broken (The Marginalian)
  "The miracle is that we rise again out of suffering... The miracle is that we create ourselves anew."
• Astounding 2013 study found that ‘expressive writing’ can help heal physical wounds (Upworthy)
  Remarkable things happen when you relieve your psychological stress. The post Astounding 2013 study found that ‘expressive writing’ can help heal physical wounds appeared first on Upworthy .
• At a Powerful Carnegie International, Solidarity Is a Means of Survival (ARTnews)
  Responding obliquely to conflicts across the globe, artists are banding together to find a way to forge on.
• Baseball bards from across the country gather to celebrate the sport with poetry (NPR · Culture)
  America's national pastime is celebrated at a minor league park in Massachusetts... with poetry

Environment & Wildlife

• A passing boat shattered the back of this loggerhead sea turtle's shell. See her incredible four-month recovery (Good Good Good)
  Swim Shady, and fellow loggerhead Paddles, were in critical condition when they were rescued near Juno Beach, Florida.
• When leopard cubs get separated from their mother, these wildlife experts step in with 'overnight boxes.' They've saved over 100 cubs (Good Good Good)
  When leopardesses go off to hunt, their babies can get separated in the process. That’s when Wildlife SOS steps in to help.
• Red-and-Green Macaws Return to Brazilian Forest After 200-Year Absence (people.com)
  Red-and-green macaws are mating in Brazil's Atlantic Forest for the first time in 200 years. Conservation efforts include reintroducing captive macaws, some held in captivity for over 25 years, into regenerated forest areas.
• It Took Millions of Years for Australia's Famous Twelve Apostles Landmark to Rise Out of the Sea (Smithsonian Magazine)
  The iconic tourist destination provides a beautiful view, but also represents a physical record of Earth's climate history

Video

• Rescuer Finds A Box Of Puppies — Then Goes Back For Mama | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  “No mama left behind” 🥺💔 Dodo producer Brielle walks us through returning rescuer Audray’s search for the missing mama dog — and why rescues like @lucksrescue show how important it is to spay your pets! Keep up with Audray on Instagram: https://thedo.do/rescue_with_me_. Learn …
• The Most Unique Creatures of our Hidden Forests | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  While poison dart frogs face the challenge of raising tadpoles in rainforest pools, spiders use extraordinary agility to hunt prey several times their own size. #Animals #Wildlife #Forests Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, upda…
• A sneak peek of Sir David Attenborough working on the narration for the upcoming BLUE PLANET III. (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, updates and exclusives from BBC Earth https://www.bbcearth.com/newsletter Watch more: Best of BBC Earth 🌍 https://bit.ly/BestOfBBCEarth Best Animal Fights 🥊 https://bit.ly/BestAnimalFights Vide…
• Who invented bad guys? | Aeon Video Essay (YouTube · Aeon Magazine)
  Popular stories didn't always revolve around good battling evil. When did that change, and why? Director: Namir Khaliq (https://www.protostellarmedia.com/) Producers: Adam D’Arpino, Tamur Qutab Writer and narrator: Catherine Nichols Today, popular storytelling is dominate…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-11:edition 2026-05-11T12:00:00Z 2026-05-11T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

How to Live a Miraculous Life (The Marginalian)

Suppose we agree that we are here to love anyway — to love even though the work is almost unbearably difficult, even though we know that everything alive is dying, that everything beautiful is perishable, that everything we love will eventually be taken from us by one form of entropy or another, culminating with life itself. Suppose we agree that, as Rilke so passionately insisted, “for one human

Community & Kindness

• My mother is so kind that it annoyed me as a kid. Now I have a different perspective : NPR (The Daily Good)
  Growing up in Kenya, Esther Ndumi Ngumbi resented her mother's insistence that the children prepare tea for every visitor and share their meals with unexpected guests -- especially when it meant less food on their own plates. Decades later, as a professor in Illinois, she…
• Good News in History, May 11 (Good News Network)
  122 years ago today, Salvador Dali was born. Known for his striking and bizarre images, he is one of, if not the most famous surrealist painter in history. Inspired by the Renaissance masters, Dali nevertheless gravitated to the surrealist movements in the early 20th century. …
• Baby twins separated for the first time steal an adorable secret nighttime reunion (Upworthy)
  There's nothing like the bond between twins. The post Baby twins separated for the first time steal an adorable secret nighttime reunion appeared first on Upworthy .
• Grieving Dad Climbs UK’s 3 Highest Mountains While Carrying Weight of Late Toddler Daughter (Nice News)
  A grieving dad ascended the tallest mountains in Scotland, England, and Wales wearing a vest the weight of his late daughter, so he could carry her with him every step of the way.

Science & Health

• Scientists Solve 100-Year-Old Schrödinger Mystery About Color Perception (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists have finally cracked the hidden geometry behind how humans perceive color. New research into how humans perceive color differences is helping resolve questions tied to a theory first proposed nearly 100 years ago by physicist Erwin Schrödinger. A team led by Los Ala…
• Life lessons: Ellie Simmonds on what life so far has taught her (Positive News)
  Paralympic gold medallist and broadcaster Ellie Simmonds OBE reflects on the lessons that have carried her from the pool to life beyond elite sport The post Life lessons: Ellie Simmonds on what life so far has taught her appeared first on Positive News .
• What Hanoi learned by tearing down its park fences and opening up to everyone (The Optimist Daily)
  BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In many cities, entering a park is a deliberate act. You adjust your route, find a gate, and cross from public pavement into a space that operates by its own rules, even if those rules are minimal. Hanoi is dismantling that dynamic. Across …
• Webb Space Telescope Reveals Rare Planet Pair That Shouldn’t Exist (SciTechDaily)
  A bizarre pair of planets 190 light-years away is forcing astronomers to rethink how planetary systems form. A strange and extremely rare pair of planets is orbiting a star about 190 light-years from Earth, and astronomers think they may finally understand how this cosmic odd …

Culture & Arts

• Nearly 50 Years Later, WKRP in Cincinnati Becomes a Real Radio Station (Open Culture)
  It took nearly 50 years. WKRP in Cincinnati is no longer just a TV sitcom. It’s now a real radio station in Cincinnati. A Cincy-area FM station, known as “The Oasis,” has adopted the WKRP call letters after acquiring them from a nonprofit radio station in North Carolina. The R…
• First ever official The Beatles museum to open in London (shortlist.com)
  The Beatles pick London over Liverpool, it's official
• Zadie Smith on the Courage to Be More Than Yourself (The Marginalian)
  Every act of learning is an act of intellectual appropriation, incorporating someone else’s knowledge into your own mental library. Every act of empathy is an act of emotional appropriation, modeling the reality of another into your own in order to fathom it. I have appropriat…
• Why The Founding Fathers Were Obsessed with This Muslim Ruler (Open Culture)
  The writings of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America include many a reference to the likes of Cicero, Montesquieu, and John Locke. That the names Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan never appear may not sound like much of a surprise, even if you happen to know th…

Environment & Wildlife

• Rare Split-Colored Lobster Caught Near Cape Cod is Donated to Aquarium: A One in 50 Million Catch (LOOK) (Good News Network)
  It may not exhibit a split personality, but this lobster is so unique that the chances of catching it are around one in 50 million. The Wellfleet Shellfish Company announced that a split-colored lobster was caught off the coast of Cape Cod by a local fishing crew aboard the Ti…
• Ocean philanthropy: small sums for a vast domain (Mongabay)
  For a realm that covers most of the planet, the ocean attracts a modest share of charitable attention. In philanthropic terms, it remains a niche cause: widely discussed, but thinly financed. That gap has narrowed in recent years, though only slightly and from a low base. Esti…
• Asiatic Wild Ass Returns to Eastern Mongolia After 65-year Isolation from Landscape Fencing (Good News Network)
  The Asiatic wild ass, known locally as the khulan (Equus hemionus), has returned to eastern Mongolia and is showing clear signs of re-establishing a population after more than 65 years of absence from the region. For decades, fencing along the Trans-Mongolian Railway (TMR) has…
• A Mother’s Day lesson from a digger wasp (Mongabay)
  The tiny-brained mothers who remember where every child is buried

Video

• David Attenborough at 100: A Special Birthday Message From King Charles III | BBC Earth (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  A very special delivery for David Attenborough, beloved by people (and animals) everywhere 💚 To honour Sir David’s 100th birthday, His Majesty King Charles is supported by a cast of stars from British nature to relay his handwritten message in time for the celebration at the R…
• A mother's (and daughter's) love (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  Growing up, Ana Duarte and her mother, Anette, went through rough times and were frequently homeless, which Ana blamed on her mom. Their relationship was tested when a bitter Ana left to build her own life. Once Ana finally got her own apartment, she gave her mother a call. St…
• The Surprising Genius of Sewing Machines (YouTube · Veritasium)
  How does a sewing machine work? The answer is more genius than you might think.
• Motherless daughters: Coming together (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  Twenty years ago, Hope Edelman, author of the bestseller "Motherless Daughters," founded a global support network for women who, like her, were young when their mothers died. While those who attend Motherless Daughter retreats experience a fair share of tears, they a…

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-10:edition 2026-05-10T12:00:00Z 2026-05-10T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

Good News in History, May 10 (Good News Network)

Happy 80th Birthday to the Scottish singer, songwriter, and guitarist, known by the single name, Donovan. He recorded a string of hits such as Catch the Wind, Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Mellow Yellow, Atlantis, and Hurdy Gurdy Man, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. He reminisced […] The post Good News in History, May 10 appeared first on Good News Network .

Community & Kindness

• Hope Is at the Core of Every Mother Counts’ Mission to Make Childbirth Safe for All (Nice News)
  This spring, Nice News is partnering with Every Mother Counts for our Cause of the Season — a quarterly fundraising initiative spotlighting nonprofits making the world a better place. Click here to donate, and read on to learn more about the organization. Every day around the …
• They Raised Dozens of Foster Kids. Now the Community Is Giving Back to Them (Sunny Skyz)
• A man who fell from his wheelchair into a lake and his little beagle saved his life (Upworthy)
  He could have drowned. The post A man who fell from his wheelchair into a lake and his little beagle saved his life appeared first on Upworthy .
• Good News This Week: May 9, 2026 - Whales, Fountains, & Livestreams (Good Good Good)
  Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

Science & Health

• The vulnerability of dancing in public (YouTube · Aeon Magazine)
  To make the world more beautiful, Emma embraces the joy and vulnerability of dancing with abandon – on a subway platform. Read more here: https://psyche.co/videos/dancing-in-public-is-deeply-vulnerable-emma-does-it-anyway
• Wombats Poop Cubes (YouTube · Veritasium)
  Wombat feces are surprisingly... cube shaped. They are the only known animal to produce this kind of poop leading scientists to work out this strange phenomenon.
• Scientists Think the Real Fountain of Youth May Be Hiding in Your Gut (SciTechDaily)
  Scientists are uncovering surprising links between aging and the trillions of microbes living in the human gut. Scientists are investigating whether the key to aging well may lie in the gut microbiome. Early findings suggest microbes could affect everything from inflammation t…
• Mom Gets to Touch Daughter’s Hand Again in Emotional Meeting With the Grateful Transplant Recipient (Good News Network)
  A mother shared some moving moments with the transplant recipient who received her daughter’s hand—and was “over the moon” to see how she’s made such a difference in someone’s life. Jackie Kirwan lost her 33-year-old daughter Georgie last year in England following complication…

Culture & Arts

• 55 Most Beautiful Cities in the World: How Many Have You Visited? (theboutiqueadventurer.com)
  Here are a mix of hidden gems and names that you will know well - all of which I have personally visited - that make up my 55 most beautiful cities in the world
• Funny ‘Mr. Brightside’ parody has Gen Xers celebrating the joy of going to bed while it’s still light out (Upworthy)
  "Coming out of the meal, and we are doing just fine. We look at our watch, and it is 7:09..." The post Funny ‘Mr. Brightside’ parody has Gen Xers celebrating the joy of going to bed while it’s still light out appeared first on Upworthy .
• This Italian City Takes Chocolate More Seriously Than Anywhere Else (mypathintheworld.com)
  It's not for nothing that Turin is a chocolate capital, so if you're eager to uncover what it has to offer in the sweet department, here's everything you need to know.
• Of course we look for ourselves in art — but if we stop there, we're missing out (NPR · Culture)
  As I watched the new series, I only cared about Piggy — the thoughtful, smart kid stranded on an island with other boys. That made me think about what we look for in art.

Environment & Wildlife

• Watch this senior beagle experience sunshine for the first time (Upworthy)
  1,500 beagles were freed from a breeder that specializes in dogs for "biomedical research." The post Watch this senior beagle experience sunshine for the first time appeared first on Upworthy .
• Scientists Just Exposed a 300 Million-Year-Old Fossil Mistake (SciTechDaily)
  The “world’s oldest octopus” was actually a 300-million-year-old fossil impostor hiding its secret in tiny teeth. A fossil long celebrated as the world’s oldest octopus has now been revealed to be an entirely different marine animal. The 300-million-year-old specimen, which ev…
• Ravens Don’t Follow Wolves, They Predict Them (SciTechDaily)
  When wolves bring down prey in Yellowstone National Park, ravens often appear almost immediately. Long before the predators finish feeding, the birds gather nearby to grab scraps of meat. Their ability to locate fresh kills so quickly has puzzled observers for years, leading m…
• From Africa to Central Asia, the European roller’s migration builds relationships (Mongabay)
  The European roller is a small, striking migratory bird that breeds in open woodlands — or farms and orchards — across Europe and Central Asia. Coracias garrulus is also well-known to Southern and South Africa’s avid birdwatching communities, including many citizen scientists …

Video

• A message from Sir David Attenborough on the eve of his 100th birthday 💌 #DavidAttenborough100 (YouTube · BBC Earth)
  Join us tomorrow and keep an eye on our stories as we celebrate this remarkable milestone for one of the greatest storytellers of our time. #DavidAttenborough100 #DavidAttenborough Subscribe: http://bit.ly/BBCEarthSub Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news, updates and …
• Why don't elephants have pointy ears? (YouTube · Be Smart)
  Only one wild animal has floppy ears. Why do elephant ears have more in common with domesticated animals than their pointy-eared wild friends? Another YouTube #shorts from Dr. Joe! Subscribe for more fun science stories. Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart…
• Lion Missing For Years Takes His First Steps Of Freedom | The Dodo (YouTube · The Dodo)
  Wait until this majestic boy he sees his sister again 🧡 Kiros’ journey took him far from where he belonged, but thanks to @WildcatSanctuary, he’s finally safe. Dodo Producer Anita shared how the moment she heard his story, she knew how special it was — especially the instant h…
• Caring for the vulnerable opens gateways to our richest brain states (YouTube · Aeon Magazine)
  The psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik explains how the act of caring puts us in touch with our deepest humanity. #shorts #philosophy #evolution

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]]> tag:latelybetter.com,2026-05-09:edition 2026-05-09T12:00:00Z 2026-05-09T12:00:00Z Today's edition of Lately, Better — curated stories of human progress, kindness, inspiration, and creativity.

Lead Story

David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth – live (theguardian.com)

It’s the Royal Albert Hall birthday party for Britain’s most beloved broadcaster. Which big names will do the speeches? What will the orchestra play? And will it all be overshadowed by the great man’s TV clips? Follow along here

Community & Kindness

• Successful Homeless Village in Scotland Offers Residents Independence but Asks Responsibility (Good News Network)
  A small village for homeless residents has opened in the west of Scotland with the aim of empowering tenants with responsibility and time to get their lives back on track. The charity Social Bite has partnered with the Salvation Army for the management of the South Lanarkshire…
• Student tells teacher her ‘secret good news’ and it's delightfully unexpected - Upworthy (The Daily Good)
  A kindergartener pulls her teacher aside to share "secret good news"-that she's just discovered she's African-American. Mrs. Jamieson's response becomes a masterclass in affirming a child's emerging sense of identity: "Baby, I knew!" she…
• Five Indian Mothers Who Are Breaking Generational Cycles of Trauma & Poverty (The Daily Good)
  Five mothers across India - some married as children, others abandoned, all denied the futures they deserved - looked at what they had inherited and made a choice that required more than love: active refusal. From Nijara stitching dresses in Rajasthan's Thar Desert so her…
• St. Pat’s pastor blesses ground for tiny homes project (nptelegraph.com)
  The Rev Jonathan Sorensen blessed the site for Honor Homes at Patty’s Place, marking progress on a veteran tiny home village by The Connection Homeless Shelter.

Science & Health

• Walking an Extra 1,000 Steps a Day After Surgery Helps Patients Recover Quicker (Good News Network)
  Walking an extra 1,000 steps a day after surgery helped patients recover quicker, according to a new study of almost 2,000 adults. The study showed that every extra 1,000 steps made per day after an operation was linked to 18% lower chance of complications, 16% lower odds of r…
• Pregnancy Changes Mothers' Brains. These Recent Discoveries Are Showing Us How (Smithsonian Magazine)
  “Baby brain” isn’t the deficit it’s stereotyped to be, research suggests. Neural adaptations during pregnancy can prime soon-to-be-moms to become more attuned to their children and enhance social cognition
• US Alcohol Consumption Falls to 85-Year Low –Driven by Desire for Better Health (Good News Network)
  Gallop reported in August that since it began tracking the US drinking rate in 1939, it has never been lower than in 2025. Last year, just 54% of Americans polled on average said they consumed alcohol. The question didn’t regard frequency, but basically asked: do you abstain f…
• Winston Churchill battled his depression by staying busy, laying ‘200 bricks’ every day (Upworthy)
  “...200 bricks and 2000 words a day,” Churchill wrote about his antidote to depression. The post Winston Churchill battled his depression by staying busy, laying ‘200 bricks’ every day appeared first on Upworthy .

Culture & Arts

• Poetry: I Too, Dislike It (The Marginalian)
  I was a latecomer to poetry, curling my nose at it in that confounding and rather embarrassing way we have of discounting what we don’t understand, dismissing as useless what we don’t know how to use. And then I met Emily Levine. Across the aisle on a transatlantic flight, acr…
• Gary Snyder on How to Unbreak the World (The Marginalian)
  "What we’d hope for on the planet is creativity and sanity, conviviality, the real work of our hands and minds."
• Flint students honored at 3rd annual Black Achievers Ceremony (abc12.com)
  The Gamma Delta Chapter of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa sponsored the third annual Black Achievers Ceremony Thursday.
• 15 of the best quotes from Sir David Attenborough (Positive News)
  On his 100th birthday, we share some of our favourite quotes from the broadcaster and natural historian The post 15 of the best quotes from Sir David Attenborough appeared first on Positive News .

Environment & Wildlife

• Beachgoer finds sea turtle stranded, so covered in barnacles she couldn't move. See her amazing 9-month recovery (Good Good Good)
  Kalani the green sea turtle was covered in barnacles, algae, and leeches. Experts at the Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue brought her back from the brink.
• Rooted in nature, 'Silent Friend' will change the way you see the trees (NPR · Science)
  A new art-house drama tells three stories that span the century — and connect to one tree. Silent Friend will open your eyes to the beauty of the natural world.
• Nesting Seagull Becomes Unexpected Star of Venice Biennale (Hyperallergic)
  Organizers believe this is the first known instance of the bird nesting in such a prominent area of the exhibition grounds.
• Over 500 billion disposable coffee cups are trashed everywhere. This 'seaweed cup' hopes to change that (Good Good Good)
  Traditional cups contain plastic linings that make them difficult to recycle — so Notpla is using seaweed instead.

Video

• Isolated Nebraska ranchers learn they are not alone (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  In the sandhills of western Nebraska, cattle ranchers Mike and Kayla Wintz were afraid they would lose their livelihood when the largest wildfire in the state's history burned their 11,000 acres of grazing fields. But then, in remarkable examples of empathy, charity and g…
• The fascinating reason you loved peek-a-boo (YouTube · TED-Ed)
  Dig into how the simple game of peek-a-boo contributes to babies developing their cognitive, motor, and social skills. -- In Italy, it’s called il gioco del cucù. Palestinians say ba' 'éno. And in Japan, it’s inaīnaibā! Peek-a-boo is a near universal source of laught…
• What went right this week: the good news that matters (Positive News)
  There were big health wins, Mexico pledged free healthcare for all, and Amsterdam ditched fossil fuel ads, plus more The post What went right this week: the good news that matters appeared first on Positive News .
• Horsepower: How horses are therapeutic (YouTube · CBS Sunday Morning – Inspiring Stories)
  Horses can form powerful bonds with people owing to their ability to sense and feel human emotions. Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship, in Bedford Corners, N.Y., has programs that help people with disabilities, veterans with PTSD, and the incarcerated through interactions with …

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