Goodable

A five-year-old cancer patient in Nebraska was delighted after hospital staff gifted him a custom-made superhero action figure created by a 3D printer from scans of his face.

Children’s Nebraska pediatric hospital said they made the toy for Grant Lawson, who has B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), “cheering him up amid hospital visits and serving as a symbol of the superhero strength he’s shown in his fight against cancer.”

The hospital said three departments – Children’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Child Life, and 3D Imaging and Advanced Visualization – collaborated to build Lawson the unique toy.

Video released by the hospital shows Grant wearing his own Thor costume as he opens the present. “Look at my head,” he exclaims as he shows his family the toy. “He was so excited to put it on his shelf, in his bedroom,” his mother gushes in the video.

Lawson has graduated to the long-term maintenance phase of treatment, the hospital said, and continues with chemotherapy infusions at Children’s and daily oral chemo medication as he begins kindergarten.

A five-year-old cancer patient in Nebraska was delighted after hospital staff gifted him a custom-made superhero action figure created by a 3D printer from scans of his face.Children’s Nebraska pediatric hospital said they made the toy for Grant Lawson, who has B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), “cheering him up amid hospital visits and serving as a symbol of the superhero strength he’s shown in his fight against cancer.”The hospital said three departments – Children’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Child Life, and 3D Imaging and Advanced Visualization – collaborated to build Lawson the unique toy.Video released by the hospital shows Grant wearing his own Thor costume as he opens the present. “Look at my head,” he exclaims as he shows his family the toy. “He was so excited to put it on his shelf, in his bedroom,” his mother gushes in the video.Lawson has graduated to the long-term maintenance phase of treatment, the hospital said, and continues with chemotherapy infusions at Children’s and daily oral chemo medication as he begins kindergarten.

5-Year-Old Cancer Patient Received a Custom-Made Thor Action Figure With His Own Face on It

In the shadow of collapsing mines and climate-choked supply chains, some entrepreneurs are looking up — literally. Asteroids, rich in metals and minerals, are being eyed as a sustainable solution to Earth’s increasingly destructive mining practices. And one company, TransAstra, believes it’s found a low-cost way to catch them: a giant space bag.

Yes, a bag.

Based in California, TransAstra is designing inflatable Capture Bags that can snare everything from watermelon-sized debris to house-sized asteroids. The bags are made from aerospace-grade materials like Kevlar and aluminum, and they come in six sizes — from one that fits in a coffee cup to a version that could enclose a 10,000-ton asteroid.

The company’s founder, Joel Sercel, an aerospace engineer who once taught at Caltech, says asteroid mining is one of the hardest problems in space — but it’s also one of the most promising.

“To solve the asteroid mining problem, you actually have to solve four other problems: detect, capture, move, and process,” Sercel said. “We have tech in all those areas.”

So far, TransAstra has raised $12 million in private venture capital and secured another $15 million through contracts and grants with NASA and the U.S. Space Force. With more than 20 patents and a new one filed almost monthly, the company has already completed a test of its Capture Bag aboard the International Space Station — minus any asteroid grabbing — and is now building a much larger, flight-ready version with support from NASA.

Why Mine Asteroids?

Asteroids contain precious and industrial metals — platinum, nickel, cobalt, and more — in concentrations often far richer than Earth’s mines. Unlike terrestrial mining, which is tied to ecological damage, political instability, and dwindling reserves, asteroid mining offers the potential for high-yield, off-world extraction — especially if the materials are used directly in space.

Sercel doesn't believe in hauling resources back to Earth. His vision is bolder: mine and manufacture in space, creating the infrastructure to support satellites, spacecraft, and future missions using local materials instead of shipping everything from Earth.

A Giant Bag With Big Ambitions

TransAstra’s Capture Bags are central to this plan. The system is simple in concept: a spacecraft approaches an asteroid, releases the bag, which then inflates around the target, enclosing it safely. The bag is leak-proof and designed to accommodate a range of shapes, sizes, and even tumbling motion — something robotic arms often struggle with.

The largest version could wrap around a small building. Right now, the company is developing a 10-meter Capture Bag — large enough to handle decommissioned satellites or a 100-ton asteroid. The engineering phase is nearly complete, with flight testing expected soon.

Before any asteroid missions, however, the technology will get a test run in a more immediate space hazard: orbital debris. Thousands of defunct satellites, rocket parts, and fragments orbit the Earth at dangerous speeds. Cleaning up this “space junk” is becoming a priority for space agencies — and it’s where TransAstra hopes to prove its tech.

“That 10-meter bag will be big enough to find satellites in graveyard orbits and move them to a safer place,” Sercel said. “It’s a risk mitigator for the full asteroid mining mission.”

The First Space Gold Rush?

TransAstra’s asteroid detection effort is already underway with its Sutter telescope network, named after the California site where gold was first discovered in 1848. The telescopes are scanning the skies from Arizona, California, and Australia, with a fourth site planned in Spain. The focus: small, slow-moving asteroids in Earth-like orbits around the sun.

“These objects drift very slowly by the Earth,” Sercel explained. “We already know where hundreds of them are, and we’re planning on going and getting the first one in 2028.”

That timeline is ambitious. Other private asteroid mining companies, like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries, raised millions but folded before they could get a spacecraft off the ground. To date, only government missions from NASA and JAXA (Japan’s space agency) have successfully returned asteroid samples — and those cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Still, outside observers say TransAstra’s approach shows promise.

Eleonora Botta, an aerospace engineering professor at the University at Buffalo, noted that the flexibility of the bag system is a major strength: “This versatility is valuable for asteroid capture and even more so for managing space debris.” She added that successfully scaling the technology for large missions will be a significant engineering challenge, but one the company seems poised to take on.

John Crassidis, a NASA consultant and space debris expert, also sees potential. “If it works, then it’ll really open the doors for asteroid mining,” he said. “The big question is: can they find enough asteroids to make it cost feasible? We’ll find out — 2028 is pretty ambitious in my opinion, but I hope they make it.”

Mining the Future

While mining the stars might still sound like science fiction, the building blocks are starting to fall into place. With space becoming more congested and climate pressures intensifying here on Earth, ideas like TransAstra’s no longer feel so far-fetched.

As Sercel puts it: “We think that the prospecting of asteroids will lead to the gold rush to space.” If he’s right, the next great mineral boom may not happen underground — but somewhere just beyond Earth’s orbit, tucked inside an inflatable bag.

How This Giant Inflatable Bag Could Catch Asteroids And Space Junk

From transforming vacant lots into flower farms to offering comfort to frontline firefighters, this year’s Top 5 CNN Heroes are redefining what it means to give back. Each of them was nominated by the public and chosen by CNN for their remarkable contributions to their communities — and to the world.

Each Hero will receive $10,000 and support from The Elevate Prize Foundation to expand their efforts. Now, they’re all in the running for the 2025 CNN Hero of the Year — a title that comes with an additional $100,000 grant to help grow their mission. Voting is open now at CNN.com/Heroes
, and the winner will be revealed during the “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” on Saturday, December 6 at 8 p.m. ET, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Laura Coates.

Here’s a closer look at the five inspiring finalists:

Quilen Blackwell: Growing Hope on Chicago’s South Side

After witnessing the challenges facing youth in Englewood, Blackwell didn’t just offer help — he moved in. Through Southside Blooms, he transforms vacant lots into vibrant, sustainable flower farms. The initiative employs at-risk youth and gives them a path to grow, literally and figuratively.

“Our young people are blossoming and blooming every single day.”

Heidi Carman: Bringing Comfort to First Responders

When California’s wildfires raged in 2020, Carman and her golden retriever, Kerith, began visiting exhausted firefighters. The response was so powerful, it sparked a movement. Today, First Responder Therapy Dogs has trained more than 500 dog-and-handler teams, providing emotional support to over 150,000 first responders across 46 states.

“I’m grateful to Kerith for showing me the way.”

Hillary Cohen: Feeding L.A. With Hollywood Leftovers

Hollywood sets often discard untouched gourmet meals — and Cohen couldn’t stand to watch. So she co-founded Every Day Action, a nonprofit that reroutes that food to those in need. Since 2020, the team has rescued over 270,000 meals, addressing hunger and reducing waste at the same time.

“Giving someone that’s hungry, food – is the best thing one can do.”

Debra Des Vignes: Giving a Voice to the Incarcerated

After years as a crime reporter, Des Vignes stepped into a prison classroom — and never looked back. Her nonprofit, Indiana Prison Writers Workshop, helps incarcerated individuals process trauma through writing. More than 250 participants have found healing, self-expression, and a sense of belonging.

“Learning their stories and where they come from puts it all into perspective.”

Tim Woodward: Rescuing Animals from Cruelty

Woodward has spent over a decade saving animals from large-scale abuse cases — puppy mills, hoarding situations, illegal breeders. His group, Animal Rescue Corps, has rescued more than 10,000 animals, giving them a second chance at life.

“My hope is that they forget all about where they came from.”

Each of these Heroes is a reminder that compassion, creativity, and courage can move mountains — and that everyday people really can change the world.

Meet The Top 5 CNN Heroes Of 2025: Changing Lives With Kindness And Courage

BBC News

For Harriet Laws, music wasn’t just a passion — it became a lifeline.

The 26-year-old singer-songwriter, who performs under the name HAZE, has just released a new liquid drum and bass track titled Hope is a Prayer, a deeply personal anthem inspired by her experience living with bipolar disorder.

“Music helped save me in many ways,” she said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Guernsey, HAZE opened up about how songwriting and performance became central to her healing. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19 and spent time in her early twenties on a psychiatric ward. That’s when everything shifted.

“It wasn't until I became sick that I realised music and singing was an outlet for me,” she said. “It wasn't until then that I realised I have a way forward. I have hope here.”

Born and raised in Guernsey, she discovered the liquid drum and bass genre as a teenager, listening to it in nightclubs on the island. She describes it as “very peaceful” — a contrast to the chaos she sometimes felt inside.

Her latest track is more than just a new release; it’s a reflection of survival. “I was reflecting on being in hospital and coming out of it,” she said. “And I believe… there is hope. If you just reach out, you find that one thing that gives you hope, whatever that might be.”

Now living in Brighton, HAZE moved to the UK at 18 and began writing music more seriously in recent years. The transition wasn’t easy. “Moving to the UK has brought about many new struggles for me that I've had to overcome,” she said. “I've overcome this through music, but also by meeting new people in the industry.”

Whenever her mental health dips, she turns to creativity. “Whenever I feel sad or down, I start singing — I put pen to my pad, I start writing poetry, raps,” she said.

Hope is a Prayer is ultimately about trusting yourself and following what you love. And for HAZE, that’s not just music — it’s connection, too. She hopes to maintain strong ties with Guernsey through future projects, including filming music videos back home.

At its core, her message is simple: healing looks different for everyone, but for her, hope began with a beat.

‘Hope is a Prayer’: Singer HAZE on Finding Peace Through Music and Mental Health Struggles

NBC News

When Timeshay Brown went in for a routine ultrasound, she didn’t expect to meet her daughter that day — let alone get married just weeks later. But life had other plans.

“We went to the ultrasound, and the doctor came in and she was like, ‘Well, you’re gonna have this baby today,’” Brown recalled.

Baby Jayla was born at just 25 weeks, a tiny fighter from the start. What followed were long, anxious nights in the NICU at Fairfax Inova, where her parents watched over her, hoping for every small sign of progress.

“She definitely puts things in perspective,” said Parrish, Jayla’s dad. “I get to watch her grow. Her being safe, her getting here the right way, was always the main objective.”

But even amid the beeping monitors and hospital routines, love found its moment.

Brown had been thinking about marrying Parrish for a while — and as they sat by Jayla’s bedside, she had an idea. “I was like, hmm, we could just get married here,” she said. “And my inside thought became an outside thought, and the nurses took it and ran with it.”

The team at Fairfax Inova, who had been caring for Jayla since day one, quickly got to work. With decorations, support, and smiles, they turned a hospital room into a wedding venue.

On Wednesday, surrounded by nurses and doctors who had become like family, Brown and Parrish exchanged vows in front of their daughter — the very person who brought their love into sharper focus.

“Because of you, our daughter will never have to wonder what real love looks like,” Brown told Parrish during the ceremony. “She’ll see it in the way you love me, and the way you protect her.”

Parrish’s vow was just as heartfelt: a promise to always be “a place of comfort and safety that you can rest your heart in completely.”

For the couple, the moment was bigger than a wedding. It was a celebration of survival, of family, and of the strength they’ve found in one another.

“I’m happy,” Parrish said. “I hit the lottery.”

And so, in a NICU filled with monitors, medicine, and miracles, love found its way — not just between two people, but through the daughter they now raise together.

Parents Exchange Vows at Hospital That Saved Their NICU Baby Born at 25 Weeks

The Guardian

Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox has completed an extraordinary five-day, 135-mile running challenge across northern England — all while carrying a Pudsey Bear backpack. The gruelling feat, part of BBC’s annual Children in Need fundraiser, has already raised over £7 million for charity.

The 50-year-old DJ crossed the finish line in Pudsey, Leeds at around 3:30pm on Friday, cheered on by crowds and treated to a performance by former Spice Girl Melanie C. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Cox said, breathless and beaming. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it… hello Yorkshire! I’m an honorary Yorkshirewoman now.”

Starting in Kielder Forest in Northumberland, Cox’s route took her through County Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, running the equivalent of a marathon a day. Along the way, she endured icy rain, punishing hills, and physical pain — but also heartfelt encouragement from strangers, supporters, and even royalty.

“It’s just the hardest thing I’ve ever done – I’ve never known pain like it,” she told fellow BBC presenter Scott Mills. “But then, I’ve never had eye contact with so many amazing women who have just powered me on.”

From farmers pausing their work to wave her on, to lorry drivers honking support, to locals offering bathroom breaks, Cox said it was the public’s warmth that kept her going. “Thanks to everybody who let me stop for a wee at their house – it was a few people,” she added.

The challenge marked the longest physical feat ever attempted by BBC Radio 2 for Children in Need. It generated attention across the country, bolstered by celebrity messages of support, including one from Prince William.

“You’re so nearly there,” the Prince of Wales said in a video aired on Radio 2. “I know the people of Pudsey will all come out and welcome you with huge open arms, big hugs and, hopefully, lots of your favourite crumpets. Keep going – you’ve done fantastically well and the nation’s so proud of you.”

Sporty Spice herself got emotional watching Cox’s final steps. “It’s like we’re taking every step with her,” Melanie C said. “I feel quite emotional already… This is a testament to humans – we are all capable of so much more than we realise and Sara’s our poster girl for that.”

Cox also shared that during the toughest stretch — Thursday’s 30-mile slog from Richmond to Ripley — she happened to pass a telephone box and received a surprise call from her mother and sister, who are currently in India.

The effort comes as part of the BBC’s annual Children in Need campaign, which supports projects across the UK that help children and young people facing disadvantage.

The telethon, airing Friday evening on BBC One and iPlayer, will be hosted by Paddy McGuinness, Big Zuu, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay, and Lenny Rush. The night promises musical performances from Tom Fletcher and Remember Monday, plus sketches from The Apprentice, EastEnders, and Gladiators.

As for Sara Cox, the finish line may have marked the end of the physical challenge, but the emotional high — and national admiration — is sure to carry on.

A Radio DJ Just Finished a 5-day, 135-Mile Run for Charity, Helping Raise Over £7 Million

Scientific American

The same region of the sun that dazzled skywatchers around the world with spectacular auroras earlier this week isn’t done yet.

On Friday morning, the sun let loose a massive X4.0-class solar flare — one of the strongest types of solar eruptions — from the same active region responsible for recent geomagnetic storms. That region, known as AR4274, is now rotating out of view as it swings toward the far side of the sun. But not before delivering one last burst of energy.

X-class flares are the most intense in the solar flare ranking system, and they often come with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are giant clouds of solar plasma and magnetic field hurled into space. If one of those clouds crosses paths with Earth, it can interact with the planet’s magnetic field and trigger auroras — colorful waves of light in the sky, usually seen near the poles.

It’s not yet clear whether this latest CME will reach Earth. These solar blasts vary in speed and can take anywhere from one to several days to make the 150-million-kilometre journey from the sun.

Still, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center say parts of the northern U.S. might catch another auroral show Friday night.

Earlier this week, AR4274’s activity lit up skies with vivid greens, purples, and reds, visible as far south as Mexico. In parts of the U.S., auroras appeared in unlikely places, including Arizona and Texas.

Despite its recent fireworks, AR4274 won’t pose a threat for a while. As it continues its path around the sun’s far side, it won’t be in a position to affect Earth directly. But with the sun completing a full rotation roughly every 27 days, the active region could come back into view in about two weeks — possibly ready to erupt again.

This kind of behavior isn’t surprising. The sun is currently at or near the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, when sunspots and solar storms are most frequent. Scientists typically pinpoint the exact peak months later, using data on sunspot numbers. And even after the peak, strong flares and CMEs can continue for years as the solar cycle gradually winds down.

Solar weather can affect more than just pretty lights in the sky. Strong CMEs can disrupt satellite systems, GPS, and even power grids, depending on their intensity and how directly they hit Earth. So far, though, the recent activity has mostly delivered awe rather than interference.

For now, all eyes remain on the skies — and on the sun — as scientists continue tracking its outbursts and watching for what’s next.

The Sun Just Fired Off Another Powerful Flare — And It Could Light Up Earth’s Skies Again

Upworthy

Move over, Olivia and Noah, there’s a new baby name trend sweeping playgrounds, and it sounds like your grandparents' dinner party guest list.

While traditional names like Emma, Liam, and Ava still top the charts, 2025 has seen a noticeable rise in “old people” names — those once dismissed as too frumpy, fusty, or formal — making a full-blown return among new parents. Think Mildred, Walter, and Agnes. Yes, really.

A recent Reddit thread dove into the resurgence, with users sharing the surprisingly vintage names they’ve spotted on toddlers, classmates, and even newborns. And the list reads like a time capsule.

“There are 1-year-old twins in my neighborhood, Abigail and Eleanor. Their father is a history teacher,” one commenter shared. Another added, “There’s a girl in my grandson’s class named Mildred.”

Some names that once felt solidly geriatric are suddenly fresh again. Margaret, Dorothy, Warren, Horace, Ned, Norman, Harold, Clark, and Martha all made appearances in the thread.

One user admitted to an “inappropriate giggle” when hearing a young girl named Margaret — instantly imagining her middle name was Thatcher. Another noted, “When I was a kid, only old people were called ‘Harry,’ ‘Jack,’ or ‘George,’ but now they’re really popular.”

And it’s not just girls. Boys are getting the vintage treatment too.

“There’s a toddler named Walter down the street, and I love it,” one person wrote. Others mentioned babies named Malcolm, Frederick, Stanley, Winston, and Gary — the latter sounding particularly unexpected in 2025. “I know of a ten-year-old Gary,” someone shared, with no trace of irony.

One commenter said they met a child named Horace at the park and a kindergartener named Bernadette. “I met a Hildegard at the playground the other day,” someone else wrote. “They say they call her Hildy.”

Even Bill — just Bill, not short for William — is apparently back. “He’s a really cool kid!” a user noted.

Part of the charm seems to be in reclaiming these names with fresh eyes. “When I told my mom I was naming my son Frederick, she scrunched her face and said, ‘but that’s an old man name!’” one parent recalled. “I reminded her that every old man named Fred was once a baby named Fred.”

Many parents say they’re drawn to the timelessness and uniqueness of these names, especially as modern options become more repetitive or trend-driven. Others simply find joy in names that carry personality, history, and a bit of quirky charm.

“My best friend named her baby girl Florence and I LOVE IT,” wrote one user. Another added, “Friend has a toddler named Vera.”

Some names never fully went out of style but are now booming with renewed energy — like Hazel. “While I LOVE the name Hazel, I always associate it as an old lady’s name… but I do think it’s beautiful,” one Redditor admitted.

Still, a few picks are genuinely surprising: Terry, Phyllis, Nancy, even Hettie.

But perhaps the best summary came from one parent whose son now answers to Fred: “I can’t imagine him being anything but a Fred.”

Vintage is officially in.

Old-School Baby Names Are Making a Major Comeback in 2025

ABC News

When floodwaters ripped through dozens of remote Alaskan villages last month, they took homes, food stores, and lives. But they didn’t take everything.

Ten-year-old Rayann Martin was one of hundreds of evacuees flown to Anchorage after the remnants of Typhoon Halong devastated coastal communities along the Bering Sea. Her village, like many others, was left unrecognizable. Nearly 700 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. One person died, and two are still missing.

Now living far from home, Martin is holding on to something familiar — her language.

She’s one of 71 new students who’ve enrolled in Anchorage’s Yup’ik immersion program, a school-based initiative aimed at preserving Alaska Native language and culture. For Martin, it’s a way to feel grounded in a time of upheaval.

“I’m learning more Yup’ik,” she said, adding that she now uses it to talk with her mother, teachers, and classmates. “I usually speak more Yup’ik in villages, but mostly more English in cities.”

The program she attends is one of only two Yup’ik immersion programs in Alaska. It began nine years ago with kindergarten students and is now up to eighth grade. The recent influx of evacuees has given it a jolt of new life.

Brandon Locke, the Anchorage School District’s world language director, called it the smallest immersion program in the district — until now. “It’s booming,” he said.

Across the district, more than 100 languages are spoken at home by students. Yup’ik, spoken by around 10,000 people statewide, ranks fifth. For many children who’ve just lost nearly everything, hearing and speaking their language again has been a way to reclaim something deeply personal.

Ellyne Aliralria, 10, came from the village of Kipnuk. When the flood hit, her family’s house was carried upriver by the rising water. Even her sister’s grave was swept away. Now living in a motel in Anchorage, she’s adjusting to the stark change — nearly 800 kilometers from home.

“We’re homesick,” she said.

Still, she likes the program. “I like to do all of them,” she said of the Yup’ik lessons. “But some of them are hard.” The dialect used in class is slightly different from what she’s used to in Kipnuk, but it’s close enough to feel familiar.

The program itself is structured as a dual-language curriculum. Half the day is taught in Yup’ik — covering language, literacy, science, and social studies. The other half is taught in English, with math and English language arts.

Even non-Yup’ik students have joined. Lilly Loewen, also 10, said her parents signed her up because “they thought it was really cool.”

“It is just really amazing to get to talk to people in another language other than just what I speak mostly at home,” she said.

For Darrell Berntsen, the principal at College Gate Elementary, which hosts part of the immersion program, this is more than just an education model. It’s personal. He’s Alaska Native — Sugpiaq from Kodiak Island — and his mother survived the 1964 earthquake and tsunami that wiped out her village of Old Harbor. She and her family were also temporarily relocated to Anchorage before eventually returning.

“I understand what they’ve left behind,” Berntsen said.

When the flood evacuees started arriving in Anchorage, Berntsen met them at a Red Cross shelter and personally invited families to enroll their kids in the immersion program. He listened as parents showed him photos of the moose, seal, duck, and goose they’d hunted and frozen for winter — all of it lost or spoiled in the flood.

“Listening is a big part of our culture — hearing their stories,” he said. “Do everything we can to make them feel comfortable in the most uncomfortable situation that they’ve ever been through.”

Berntsen’s ties to language preservation run deep. His ex-wife’s grandmother, Marie Smith Jones, was the last fluent speaker of Eyak, an Indigenous language from south-central Alaska. His own uncles were punished in school for speaking Alutiiq, another Alaska Native language.

Now he’s trying to reverse that loss.

He plans to host events that blend fun with culture — gym nights, Olympic-style games, and activities like the seal hop, where children imitate the way hunters stealthily approach seals on the ice.

Locke, the language director, said these efforts are helping mend generational breaks. Some of the children’s parents or even grandparents don’t speak Yup’ik, but the students are now able to connect directly with great-grandparents who do.

In many ways, the immersion program is more than a classroom. It’s a cultural bridge — one that’s helping kids like Martin and Aliralria hang on to their identity even as everything around them changes.

“I took this as a great opportunity for us to give back some of what the trauma had taken from our Indigenous people,” Berntsen said.

Evacuated by Floods, Alaska Native Children Reconnect Through Language and Culture

Science Alert

Scientists reverse anxiety symptoms in mice by tweaking one gene in the brain

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the world, affecting an estimated 360 million people. But scientists in Spain say they may have found a way to turn off its symptoms — by resetting a single gene in a specific group of brain cells.

In a study published in iScience, researchers from the Spanish National Research Council and Miguel Hernández University of Elche report that they were able to eliminate anxiety, depression, and social impairments in mice by adjusting one key molecule in the brain’s emotional center.

“This simple adjustment was enough to reverse anxiety-related and social deficit behaviors, which is remarkable,” said neuroscientist Álvaro García.

Targeting the brain’s emotional command center

The work focused on the amygdala, a region of the brain involved in decision-making, emotional responses, and memory — all of which are often affected by anxiety disorders. Scientists zeroed in on a gene called GRIK4, which influences how brain cells communicate by producing a protein called GluK4.

Mice that overproduced GluK4 showed classic signs of anxiety. They avoided open spaces, shied away from social interaction, displayed signs of depression, and had trouble remembering objects they’d previously seen.

But when researchers used gene editing to delete extra copies of the GRIK4 gene, the mice’s behavior changed dramatically. Anxiety symptoms disappeared. So did social difficulties. They were, essentially, restored to a normal state — at least in terms of behavior.

A single population of neurons

The study also pinpointed a specific type of neuron in the amygdala as the driver of those anxious behaviors. When researchers rebalanced activity in those neurons, it was enough to reset the animals’ emotional state, even in mice that hadn’t been genetically engineered.

“We already knew the amygdala was involved in anxiety and fear,” said neuroscientist Juan Lerma. “But now we’ve identified a specific population of neurons whose imbalanced activity alone is sufficient to trigger pathological behaviors.”

That finding matters, because it suggests that targeting just one small part of the brain — rather than using medications that affect the entire brain — might be enough to treat anxiety in a more precise and effective way.

What this means for humans

The study’s results are limited to mice, but they offer clues about how scientists might develop future treatments for humans. Mice are often used in neuroscience research because their brain circuits closely resemble those in humans.

If the findings translate, therapies that reduce GluK4 activity — or rebalance GRIK4 expression in the amygdala — could eventually be developed as targeted treatments for anxiety and depression.

The study also shows how anxiety may not be a diffuse or generalized brain disorder, but one that can stem from specific imbalances in specific neurons. That narrows the field for potential interventions and raises hopes for more refined treatments.

Still, not every effect was reversed. The treated mice still had trouble recognizing objects, suggesting that while the amygdala plays a major role in emotional symptoms, other brain regions affected by anxiety weren’t impacted by this gene adjustment.

Even so, the researchers are optimistic.

“Targeting these specific neural circuits could become an effective and more localized strategy to treat affective disorders,” said Lerma.

For millions living with anxiety, that strategy can’t come soon enough.

Researchers Reverse Anxiety in Mice by Rebalancing Neurons, Offering Hope for Future Human Treatments

Two brothers from England are planning a marathon effort—literally—to fight a disease that may one day claim their own memories.

Jordan and Cian Adams, both of whom carry a gene for early-onset frontotemporal dementia (FTD), will run 32 marathons in 32 days across all 32 counties of Ireland starting next April. The goal: raise £1 million for dementia research and honour their mother, Geraldine, who died from FTD in 2016 at just 52.

And if 32 marathons weren't enough, the brothers will kick off the challenge with the London Marathon the day before flying to Ireland.

“We’re going to fly to Ireland that evening to start 32 marathons in consecutive days,” Jordan said.

The challenge holds deep personal meaning for the Adams brothers. Not only have they both inherited the gene linked to the rare brain condition, but they’ve also seen firsthand what it can do to a loved one.

"We want to take it back to the roots of all the devastation our family has experienced with dementia,” said Jordan. “It’s come from my mum’s side of the family and we want to honour our mum in that way.”

Their route across Ireland is also a nod to Geraldine’s Irish heritage—something she was deeply proud of, Jordan added.

Funds raised will support both their newly launched FTD Brothers Foundation and a dementia charity in Ireland. Their aim is not just financial, but educational. FTD is less well-known than Alzheimer’s, but often hits younger adults and progresses rapidly. The brothers hope their efforts will boost awareness as much as research.

Jordan was diagnosed in 2018, followed by Cian in 2023. Since then, they’ve turned personal grief into public purpose. So far, they’ve raised nearly £300,000, and were recently named winners in the Mind Over Miles category at the JustGiving Awards, beating four other finalists in a public vote.

“To be named a finalist at this year’s awards was amazing in itself—to be named a winner is out of this world,” Jordan said. “We have our sights set on raising £1 million in total and hope this award helps fuel us on this journey.”

The JustGiving Mind Over Miles award recognizes people who’ve gone the distance—literally and figuratively—for a cause that matters most to them. For the Adams brothers, that cause couldn’t be more personal.

Download the world's only news app designed to spread joy and happiness.

What's Good Now!