New Enzyme Breakthrough Slashes Melanoma and Colorectal Tumor Growth by 77%

Good morning. Off the bat, our hearts are with all Black Sabbath fans, as Ozzy Osborne passed away yesterday just days after his final concert. The godfather of heavy metal left a legacy that will live on forever.

Meanwhile, scientists have uncovered a new way to suppress tumor growth in hard-to-treat cancers, offering hope for patients facing melanoma and colorectal tumors. In Alberta, two quick-thinking students saved a drowning foal, reuniting him with his mother and reminding us of the power of compassion.

🎧 P.S. Don’t miss today’s new episode of Good News To Go – your 5-minute boost of joy on the move.

—Stephanie S

A Johns Hopkins team has discovered a new way to suppress tumor growth by targeting an enzyme called RNA Polymerase 1. By inhibiting this enzyme, researchers found that they could rewire how cancer cells process proteins, resulting in a dramatic reduction in tumor growth.

The study focused on cancers with mismatch repair deficiency, such as melanoma and colorectal tumors. In animal models and patient-derived tumors, the new drug reduced tumor growth by up to 77 percent.

This breakthrough could offer hope for patients whose cancers are resistant to current treatments. The findings also suggest that combining this approach with immunotherapy may further improve outcomes.

Researchers believe this strategy could open new doors in cancer therapy, especially for hard-to-treat cases.

Two University of Calgary students were canoeing on Alberta’s Kananaskis River when they spotted a foal struggling in deep water. Acting quickly, they rescued the exhausted animal and brought it safely to shore.

When the foal’s mother didn’t return, the students placed the foal in their canoe and paddled on, eventually finding help from a local First Nations community.

Thanks to their compassion and teamwork, the foal was soon reunited with its mother, safe and sound.

Researchers have used AI to discover hundreds of potential antibiotics in snake and spider venom. By screening over 40 million venom peptides, the team identified 386 promising compounds in just hours.

Lab tests showed that many of these peptides can kill drug-resistant bacteria without harming human cells. This breakthrough could help combat antibiotic resistance, which causes over a million deaths annually.

The next step is to refine these candidates for future medicines.

After the removal of 600 dams and hydropower stations along the Yangtze’s Red River tributary, rare Yangtze sturgeon have returned to their ancestral spawning grounds for the first time in decades.

This restoration effort has opened hundreds of miles of river, allowing scientists to reintroduce thousands of sturgeon fry and adult fish.

The project is part of a broader push to revive the river’s ecosystem and protect endangered species.

Twenty-five years ago today, Tiger Woods, at just 24, became the youngest golfer to complete a career Grand Slam, and the only one to hold all four modern majors at once. His victory at the British Open at St. Andrews, with a record‑breaking 19‑under par, added to his Masters, U.S. Open, and PGA titles, a feat soon dubbed the “Tiger Slam.”

Just a year earlier, Woods had laser eye surgery, then returned to win six straight PGA events, including a record‑shattering U.S. Open. His father, Earl, first lost to him when Tiger was only 11, foreshadowing his dominance. After setbacks and surgeries, Woods proved his staying power with a stunning comeback at the 2019 Masters.

Other notable July 23 events:

1904: The ice cream cone was invented at the St. Louis World’s Fair by Charles E. Menches.

1967: Dr. Thomas Starzl performed the first successful liver transplant on 19‑month‑old Julie Rodriguez, extending her life by 400 days.

1982: More than 25 countries joined to end commercial whaling, a landmark victory for conservation.

1983: An Air Canada jet famously ran out of fuel mid‑flight but landed safely in Gimli, Manitoba, in what became known as The Gimli Glider.

🐶 USA: Ordinary dogs are being trained by citizen scientists to sniff out invasive spotted lanternfly egg masses, helping protect crops from devastation across the country.

🦜 Tuvalu: Invasive rats and yellow crazy ants have been eradicated from six islands, leading to a rapid recovery of native birds, crabs, and turtles.

🧵 USA: California teens are learning traditional skills like sewing and cooking from seniors at a unique summer camp, preserving "grandma's lost arts."

🐾 UK: A friendly cat named Ziggy walks a boy to school every day, bringing the community together and earning a nomination for a national cat award.

🚶‍♂️ USA: Walking just 14 steps per minute faster can help seniors stay active longer and stave off frailty, according to new research from the University of Chicago Medicine.

— E. M. Forster

Amazing things are happening all around us; innovations, discoveries, and moments of pure good that remind us how incredible life is right now. Here are five reasons today might be the best time to be alive:

📦 Global Small Business Boom: Platforms like Shopify and Etsy empower anyone to launch a business and reach a worldwide audience.

👩‍🚀 Space Exploration for All: Private space companies are making space travel and research more accessible than ever before.

🏙️ Urban Green Spaces: Cities are transforming rooftops, old railways, and vacant lots into parks, gardens, and vibrant public spaces.

🍀 Regenerative Agriculture: Farmers are utilizing techniques that restore soil health and biodiversity while nourishing their communities.

🎮 Games That Teach: Video games now help people learn languages, develop skills, and even improve mental health, all while having fun.

Spread a little good news, and good things come back your way.

When you share your unique link, you’re not just passing along uplifting stories; you’re earning a few surprises from us, too. Brighten someone’s day, grow the circle, and enjoy some goodies while you’re at it. You’re currently at {{rp_num_referrals}} referrals.

Click the button below, then copy and paste the link to share.

If that button doesn’t work, you can copy and share your referral link with your friends: {{rp_refer_url}}

Manage your referrals here