Not All News is Bad!

A family of seven has anointed their 82-year-old neighbor an honorary grandpa and makes sure he’s invited to every holiday and gathering.

Source: Family of 7 takes in elderly neighbor as honorary grandpa

So cool.

A family in Lowell, Massachusetts, had a close call last Christmas when a family member choking on their dinner was saved by a present sitting under the tree. Now, they are paying it forward by donating more than 200 LifeVac anti-choking devices to local schools. “I knew right away when I handed over the anti-choking device on Christmas, I was…

Source: Family donates hundreds of anti-choking devices after Christmas gift saves man’s life

Had no idea these existed. Cool.

It turns out even short, friendly interactions with canines can be good for our health.

Source: Petting other people’s dogs, even briefly, can boost your health

Heck, I could’a told ya that!

Benny is a 3-month-old kitten with many duties in his new role as library cat at Swanton Public Library.

Source: From the streets to the shelves: Former stray cat finds next life in public library

Doesn’t every library need a cat?

Robots, computers, and algorithms are hunting for potential new therapies in ways humans can’t—by processing huge volumes of data and building previously unimagined molecules.

Source: AI Is Building Highly Effective Antibodies That Humans Can’t Even Imagine

Another example of the up-side of AI.

With wildfires blazing across Canada and blotting out the sun in much of America’s Midwest and Western Europe, not to mention the onset of California’s “wildfire season,” the rush is on to create better early response technology and even ways to precisely predict breakouts and early intervention, which offers the best chance of controlling wildfires. […]

Source: Fight Fire With — AI? Artificial Intelligence Tackles Wildfires

Another cool use of machine learning (aka AI).

More than 73,000 people in Kebbi and Sokoto States have gained access to improved water supply following the construction of 19 new solar-powered boreholes

Source: USAID Provides Clean Water To Over 73,000 In Nigerian States

You had me at “solar powered boreholes”.

Twenty unhoused people in Phoenix are set to move into a new, solar-powered shelter constructed out of shipping containers next week.

Source: See the solar-powered homeless shelter made from shipping containers

Cool idea.

University of Missouri researchers are on the leading-edge of developing sustainable plastic waste road pavement mixtures.

Source: Driving innovative solutions for advancing use of ‘plastic’ roads

Cool idea.

When Everett Kalin was 91 years old, he decided to try skydiving. This year, Kalin, now 93, thought he’d climb Half Dome in Yosemite.

Source: ‘He’s stubborn as a mule’: 93-year-old summits Yosemite’s Half Dome

Inspiring.