👶 Baby is Saved by CRISPR

Good morning. Today’s stories are all about unexpected solutions and quiet acts of courage. In Pennsylvania, a baby is thriving after receiving a personalized gene therapy, a first-of-its-kind treatment that’s changing what’s possible for rare diseases.

In Western Australia, a 13-year-old swam for hours to save his family after they were swept out to sea. And on a Wisconsin farm, children brought a newborn calf inside to warm it after a cold night, turning their living room into a makeshift shelter.

👉 P.S. If you enjoy stories like these, consider joining our premium newsletter. Your support helps our small team keep sharing good news with a community that believes it matters.

—Stephanie S

This morning brings a remarkable story of hope from Pennsylvania, where a baby named KJ is thriving after becoming the first person to receive personalized CRISPR gene therapy for a rare metabolic disorder. KJ was born unable to convert ammonia to urea, a condition that put his brain and liver at constant risk.

Doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia designed a custom gene-editing treatment just for him, correcting the faulty gene at the heart of his illness. After three doses, KJ has been able to discontinue his medications and reintroduce protein into his diet.

What makes this story so compelling is not just the science, but the sense of possibility it opens for families facing rare diseases that once had no answers.

It’s a quiet reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary breakthroughs begin with a single child and a team willing to try something new. Where might this lead next?

A 13-year-old in Australia pulled off a jaw-dropping rescue after his family was swept out to sea on paddleboards. When his canoe started sinking, he swam for hours through rough water, even ditching his life jacket halfway to make it to shore faster.

He received help, and rescuers found his mother and siblings seven miles out, clinging to a paddleboard. Everyone made it back safely.

It’s a wild story of grit and quick thinking, definitely worth a read if you need a little inspiration today.

When a Kentucky family found their newborn calf nearly frozen in the winter cold, they did what any animal lover might dream of: they brought her inside to warm up on the couch.

The sweetest part? Their three-year-old son, Gregory, curled up right next to the calf, making for a photo that’s melting hearts online.

The calf, now named Sally, made a full recovery and is back outside with her mom. If you need a little faith in humanity today, this story is worth a look.

Scientists have found a way to zap old electronics with a burst of heat, making it much easier and cheaper to extract precious metals like gold and copper. This new method is not just efficient; it also avoids the toxic issues that typically accompany recycling e-waste.

The process, called flash Joule heating, uses a brief electrical pulse to vaporize valuable metals, leaving less waste and consuming far less energy.

With e-waste piling up and metal prices soaring, this could be a game-changer for recycling. Curious how it works? Check out the full story.

♻️ South Korea: A new electrocatalytic device sucks CO₂ from the air and turns it into useful formic acid in one go – a promising leap for carbon capture and reuse.

🧪 Spain: A 3-pronged drug treatment completely eliminated pancreatic tumors in mice, a remarkable result that could guide new strategies to tackle one of the deadliest cancers.

🐾 South Africa: Scientists can now “read” tiny animal footprints to identify nearly identical small mammal species with 94–96% accuracy.

📚 India: College students launched a campaign that has helped 355 rural girls overcome period stigma through education and free sanitary supplies.

🦟 Ghana: In a major public health victory, Ghana cut its child malaria deaths by 86% since 2018 by deploying new malaria vaccines.

Happy 53rd Birthday to Oscar De La Hoya, nicknamed the “Golden Boy of Boxing,” a multi-division world champion who captured titles at lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight. From 1994 to 1999, he went on a dominant run, winning or defending world titles across 17 championship bouts before suffering the first defeat of his pro career, an era that helped define boxing’s mainstream peak in the 90s.

Born in East Los Angeles into a boxing family, De La Hoya won Olympic gold for the United States at the 1992 Summer Games, fulfilling a dream his mother held before her death from cancer. He turned professional later that year, scored a first-round knockout in his debut, and quickly became one of the sport’s biggest draws. After years of major fights and title swings, he retired in 2009 and went on to build Golden Boy Promotions, staying deeply involved in boxing beyond the ring.

Other notable February 4 events:

362: Roman Emperor Julian declared equal rights for all religions in the empire.

1789: George Washington was elected the first President of the United States.

1968: Wilt Chamberlain recorded the only double-triple-double in pro basketball history (22 points, 25 rebounds, 21 assists).

2004: Facebook was founded.

— Edward Young

Every day brings amazing advances and uplifting moments that remind us just how wonderful the world can be. Here are five reasons why today is the best time ever to be alive:

🐝 Urban Beekeeping: Urban apiaries are boosting pollination in cities and producing local honey for communities.

🔬 Mobile Labs: Mobile science labs are bringing experiments and STEM education to rural classrooms.

🚁 Sample Drones: Remote medical drones are delivering lab samples quickly from rural clinics to urban hospitals.

🚲 Bike Share: Community bike-share programs are reducing emissions and promoting healthier commutes.

🎨 Craft Revival: International art collaborations are reviving traditional crafts and empowering artisans.

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