✈ Veteran Built Drone Finds Lost Dog

We hope you’re having a great holiday. A veteran-led drone team in New Jersey reunited a lost puppy with its family in record time, showing how technology and community spirit can change lives.

In Spain, a wildfire-stricken town found hope restored as residents won nearly half a billion dollars in the Christmas lottery, turning hardship into joy.

And in New Zealand, an endangered takahē chick hatched to parents once thought infertile, offering a true holiday miracle for conservationists.

—Stephanie S

After a five-month-old puppy named Shade went missing in the freezing New Jersey night, his owner, Gina Manfredi, tried everything to bring him home. Despite neighbors searching and using scent items, Shade remained lost for over 24 hours.

Desperate, Gina contacted the USAR Drone Team, a veteran-founded nonprofit specializing in rescues. Using a drone with a thermal camera, the team scanned the area and spotted Shade just two blocks from home.

In only 41 minutes, the drone team reunited Gina with her beloved dog. The rescue set a new record for USAR and highlighted the power of technology and community kindness.

USAR continues to help families and pets, relying on donations to expand its life-saving work.

After wildfires devastated La Bañeza, Spain, leaving thousands displaced and acres of land scorched, hope seemed distant for this small town.

This Christmas, fortune smiled as the community won nearly half a billion dollars in Spain’s El Gordo lottery. Each resident stands to receive a life-changing sum, offering relief and new beginnings.

The mayor called it “something that has fallen from the heavens,” bringing joy after a year of hardship.

Astronomers have discovered a bizarre exoplanet 2,000 light-years away, shaped like a lemon and orbiting a pulsar at an incredibly close distance. Its intense gravity stretches the planet and pulls material away, creating its unique form.

This world, PSR J2322-2650b, has an atmosphere rich in carbon and helium, with soot clouds drifting above. Deep inside, carbon may condense into diamonds, making for truly dazzling rain.

Scientists are fascinated, as no other known planet shares these features. The discovery challenges our understanding of planetary atmospheres and formation.

A pair of endangered takahē birds in New Zealand, once thought infertile, surprised conservationists by hatching a chick in Zealandia sanctuary. With only about 500 takahē left, every new arrival is a cause for hope.

The chick’s parents, Waitaa and Bendigo, had failed to breed before, making this discovery even more special.

The sanctuary team is monitoring the chick, who will soon be named and checked for health, marking a joyful step for the species’ recovery.

💖 Maryland: After decades of providing free care to Baltimore’s poorest residents, Dr. Michael Zollicoffer’s community raised over $280,000 to cover his cancer treatment.

🦶 UK: An AI-powered at-home foot scanner can detect early warning signs of heart failure, potentially preventing hospitalizations for at-risk patients.

✈️ India: A heroic Air India pilot saved dozens of lives by steering his failing plane away from an apartment building in the final seconds before a crash.

☕ Massachusetts: A Tufts University study found that drinking black coffee or coffee with little sugar and cream is linked to a lower risk of death.

🧬 UK: Scientists at King’s College London have developed nanoneedle patches 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.

95 years ago today, Fred P. Newton became the first person to swim the entire length of the Mississippi River. His 1,826-mile journey began near Minneapolis and ended in New Orleans, taking nearly six months during the depths of the Great Depression. A traveling salesman from Oklahoma, Newton spent an astonishing 742 hours in the water, enduring cold, fatigue, and river hazards along the way.

To survive the frigid temperatures, he coated his body with axle grease and relied on sheer determination to keep going. His feat set a world record for the longest continuous swim and captured public imagination at a time when stories of grit and perseverance were desperately needed.

Other notable December 29 events:

1937: Ireland adopted its Constitution, formally establishing the modern Irish state.

1966: Paul McCartney began studio work on Penny Lane.

2007: The New England Patriots finished the NFL regular season undefeated.

2012: Maine became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote.

— Stanley Horowitz

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:

🏥 Emergency Triage: Triage systems are prioritizing emergency cases more accurately.

🗣️ Language Apps: Language learning apps are enabling millions to acquire new languages at low or no cost.

🎮 Rehab Games: Rehabilitation video games are helping stroke patients regain motor skills faster.

🐝 Bee Programs: Global bee conservation initiatives are boosting pollination and supporting biodiversity.

🤝 Global Mentorship: Online mentorship platforms are connecting students with professionals worldwide.

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