Snake and Spider Venom Produce Hundreds of ‘Promising’ Potential Antibiotics

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Jul 22, 2025

A dwarf sand adder snake - credit Arno Moller, Unsplash

Hundreds of potential antibiotics have been discovered in snake and spider venom thanks to AI.

A screening of global venom libraries, powered by artificial intelligence uncovered dozens of “promising” new drug candidates.

AI has already been used to complete screenings of plant compounds and existing drugs in search of potential new antibiotics, and snake, scorpion, and spider venoms have proven a fruitful hunting ground as well.

Antibiotic resistance contributes to more than one million deaths worldwide every year. Finding alternative compounds that can eliminate these pathogens is one of medicine’s great ongoing missions.

To that end, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States used a deep-learning system called APEX to sift through a database of more than 40 million venom encrypted peptides (VEPs), tiny proteins evolved by animals to ravage the nervous system, blood cells, and organs of their prey and/or attackers.

The algorithm flagged 386 compounds within a matter of hours with the molecular hallmarks of next-generation antibiotics.

“Venoms are evolutionary masterpieces, yet their antimicrobial potential has barely been explored,” said senior study author Professor César de la Fuente. “APEX lets us scan an immense chemical space in just hours and identify peptides with exceptional potential to fight the world’s most stubborn pathogens.”

From the AI-selected shortlist, the team synthesized 58 venom peptides for lab testing.

AI IN MEDICINE: In 10 Seconds, an AI Model Detects Cancerous Brain Tumors Often Missed During Surgery

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that 53 killed drug-resistant strains of bacteria, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus at doses that were harmless to human red blood cells.

“By pairing computational triage with traditional lab experimentation, we delivered one of the most comprehensive investigations of venom derived antibiotics to date,” said co-author Dr. Marcelo Torres in a release from his university.

MORE OF THIS GOOD WORK: Antibiotic That Destroys One of World’s Deadliest Superbugs Discovered by AI Supercomputer

The platform mapped more than 2,000 entirely new antibacterial “motifs”—short, specific sequences of amino acids within a protein or peptide responsible for their ability to kill or inhibit bacterial growth.

The team is now taking the top peptide candidates, which could lead to new antibiotics, and improving them through medicinal-chemistry tweaks.

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“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.” – Henry Ward Beecher

Quote of the Day

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Jul 22, 2025

Quote of the Day: “Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.” – Henry Ward Beecher

Photo by: Mitchell Griest

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Good News in History, July 22

This Day In History

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Jul 22, 2025

The Bluewater Bridge at night - credit, Optionbooter CC 3.0. BY-SA

28 years ago today, the second span in the twin-span cantilever truss bridge crossing the St. Clair River was finished, completing the entirety of the Bluewater Bridge connecting Ontario with Michigan. The 2nd busiest crossing point along the US-Canada border, it was designed and built by Ralph Modjeski, a Polish-American who was called the nation’s “greatest bridge builder.” READ more about this iconic crossing point… (1997)

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Cat Walks Boy to School Daily and Unites a Scottish Community–Vote for Him for UK National Cat Award

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Nathan Frederick

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Jul 21, 2025

Kiki walks to school with Sonny – Credit: Cats Protection

An affectionate cat named Kiki never misses a day of school.

Every morning, even if she’s sleeping or only half awake, the Scottish cat can sense when her housemate, 10-year-old Sonny, is getting ready for school.

Then, the spotted white cat will walk with Sonny and his classmates to school in Glasgow, Scotland, wait on the playground during the day, and then walk the students home once school concludes.

Kiki’s daily devotion has made her an unofficial mascot for the school. A head teacher recognized the feline for her “100% attendance record.” And now, Kiki has been nominated for a UK National Cat Award.

“She’s brought a lot of joy to the children, staff and school community,” Kiki’s owner, 51-year-old Michelle Scott told reporters. “She’s given the teachers an opportunity to teach children how to treat cats and respect them.”

Sonny chose Kiki from among a litter of cats for his eighth birthday gift—and the bond between the boy and his cat became a love-fest.

Before long, it extended to his friends, then his classmates, and soon the entire school community in the south of Glasgow.

Sonny’s mom continued, “I’ve always had cats but Kiki is like no cat I’ve known. She’s really sociable. Whenever Sonny had friends round, she would sit with them as if she was one of them.”

Kiki’s social connections and community impact have made her one of three finalists in the National Cat Awards in the category called Connected Cats. The contest organizer is the UK’s largest cat welfare charity, Cats Protection.

Last year, a black and white cat named Marley won the National Cat Award for his work as a support animal in a safe haven shelter for crime victims.

BELOVED CAT RETURNS AFTER DECADE: Man is ‘Overwhelmed’ as His Bengal Cat is Returned From 16-year Absence After a Phone Call

The public can vote for Kiki—and all the categories—on the website until July 31. Winners of each category will be announced on September 24, when a panel of judges will select one winner as the National Cat of the Year 2025.

Perhaps, the winner will be the cat that never misses a day of school.

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Walking Slightly Faster Can Help Seniors Stay Active Longer – Plus an Easy Way to Measure Steps Per Minute

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Good News Network

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Jul 21, 2025

Walking just slightly faster helps older people stay active for longer, and stave off frailty.

Taking just 14 steps per minute more than their usual pace led to “meaningful” improvements in physical well-being for seniors who were frail or at risk of becoming frail, according to new findings.

The research team explained that frailty is a medically defined condition in older people that increases vulnerability to everyday stresses, leading to a higher risk of falls, hospitalization, and loss of independence.

Warning signs of frailty include 1) unintentional weight loss, 2) moving slowly, 3) feeling weak, 4) persistent tiredness and 5) low levels of physical activity.

Because most of these signs have a direct link to how active someone is, scientists say walking is a particularly effective way for older people to improve their overall health and quality of life, and maintain their independence longer.

But the question had remained until now: how fast do they need to walk to see real benefits.

Traditionally, the “talk test” has been used to guide walking intensity where people are encouraged to walk at a pace that makes it difficult to sing but still allows for comfortable conversation. But this method is subjective and difficult to apply consistently.

The new study, led by scientists at the University of Chicago Medicine, found that cadence—the number of steps per minute—may be the key, and the researchers developed a smartphone app designed to accurately measure walking pace, making it easier to integrate the beneficial practice into daily life.

WALK FOR YOUR BACK: Millions Who Suffer Back Pain Can Ease Symptoms Simply by Walking More–For ‘Huge Benefits’

Anesthesiologist Dr. Daniel Rubin became interested in walking cadence during his clinical experience evaluating older patients preparing for surgery, because they have a higher risk of complications associated with surgery.

“Traditionally, surgical teams have relied on physical function questionnaires to risk-stratify patients, but I thought there must be a way to develop more objective metrics,” he said in a media release.

Dr. Rubin and his colleagues studied older adults classified as either frail or pre-frail. The participants with an average age of 69 were enrolled in structured walking programs within their retirement communities, guided and assessed by clinical research staff. Cadence was measured by a device fitted to their thigh.

One group was encouraged to walk “as fast as safely possible” while another group walked at their usual comfortable pace. The results, published in the journal PLOS One, showed “clear” benefits.

Shoot for 100 steps per minute

Those who increased their cadence to around 100 steps per minute—14 steps per minute above their usual pace—experienced “substantial” improvements in their functional capacity (demonstrated by their ability to walk longer distances in a standardized test).

EXTRAORDINARY: 2 Years of Exercise Reversed 20 Years of Aging in the Heart, Says Longest-Ever Randomized Trial on Exercise

“People who haven’t experienced frailty can’t imagine how big a difference it makes to be able to not get tired going to the grocery store or not need to sit down while they’re out,” Rubin said.

Building on those findings, Rubin’s team created a smartphone app, called Walk Test, which they designed specifically for measuring walking cadence accurately because they didn’t necessarily trust the built-in trackers in smartphones.

The app, which is not yet available publicly, uses a novel open-source method to analyze the data measured by the phone. Validation testing showed the app counts steps-per-minute with “exceptional” accuracy, closely matching specialized, research-grade accelerometers.

LUCKY OR SMART? 94-Year-old Has No Health Issues–Thanks to Zumba Classes 3 Times a Week

But right now, people can easily maintain the beneficial cadence of 100 steps per minute by using a metronome app—or simply play an audio of a metronome at 100 beats per minute.

“Even casual walking had positive effects on our study participants, but for those who are able, increasing their walking pace judiciously can yield even greater results.”

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Dogs Are Being Trained to Track Elusive Spotted Lanternfly and Save Crops from Devastation

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Andy Corbley

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Jul 21, 2025

A real-world trial at Virginia Tech has shown that ordinary dogs and their owners can help combat a major invasive insect species from taking hold in their communities.

The spotted lanternfly, native to Asia, was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, it’s spread rapidly to 18 states, laying its eggs on trees, stone, lumber, and even cars and trailers, where it can hitch a ride to a new home.

Catching the bug early is key—but finding its egg masses is no easy task. That’s where your dog comes in.

With a sense of smell that’s tens of thousands of times more acute than a human’s, dogs can be trained to sniff out spotted lanternfly egg masses without disturbing the environment.

“They often resemble mud smears or lichens and are tucked into bark crevices, cracks, or hidden undersides,” said Mizuho Nita, a plant pathologist at Virginia Tech who co-authored the results of the field study. “Finding them is like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

Previous research has shown that professional conservation detection dogs can find them quite often. But professional dogs are expensive, and there aren’t nearly enough of them to cover the growing threat.

That’s where Sally Dickinson, the lead author on the study who recently obtained her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, thought that they might be able to enlist the help of citizen scientists.

(Left) A spotted lanternfly egg mass hides in plain sight – credit, courtesy of Sally Dickinson (Right) A mature spotted lanternfly – credit, Theresa Dellinger for Virginia Tech

“With proper training, dog owners can turn their pets into powerful partners for conservation,” Dickinson said.

Many dog owners participate in sporting scent games—teaching their dogs to track different scents and having sort of scavenger hunts to enrich their companions’ lives. Even if the breed isn’t bred specifically for following scent trails, most dogs can do it.

182 human-dog teams from across the US were selected and given devitalized, that is, non-hatching lanternfly egg masses, as training aids. Participants trained their dogs at home or in small groups, with oversight from a designated local trainer.

After several months of training, the dogs were put to the test in two environments—one indoor and one outdoor. In the controlled indoor environment, dogs had to complete an odor recognition test, identifying the box with the spotted lanternfly egg mass from among multiple boxes with other items and scents.

GREAT STUDIES FROM VA TECH: Plastic Waste Can Now be Turned into Soap Thanks to Eureka Moment from Virginia Tech

Those that passed the odor recognition test advanced to a field test, where they had to find the scent in an outdoor environment with competing smells.

The participant dogs correctly identified the egg masses 82% of the time in the controlled test and 61% in the real-world test. This was still better than rates of success for human-only searches. Of the dogs that passed both tests, 92% were successful in finding live egg masses with minimal extra training.

MORE NEWS LIKE THIS: High School Student Invents an A.I. Powered Trap That Zaps Invasive Lanternflies

“These teams demonstrated that citizen scientists and their dogs can play a meaningful role in protecting agriculture and the environment from invasive species,” said Sally Dickinson, the study’s lead author.

In vineyards, orchard—arable acreage of all sorts—the lanternfly is devastating crops and yields. Any resistance is better than no resistance, and if that means keeping your dog alert and ready to sniff out the invader on a walk through the park or forest, it could make the difference between your local farmer making a profit or making a loss this harvest season.

SHARE This Brilliant Citizen Science Initiative To Help Defend Our Farms…

Key Yangtze Sturgeon Habitat Restored Following Removal of 600 Dams and Hydrostations

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Andy Corbley

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Jul 21, 2025

The Chishui He, or 'Red River' runs under Luding Bridge in Sichuan Province - credit CC 3.0. Rolf Müller

On an upper tributary of the mighty Yangtze River, the rolling back of 100 years of industrialization has allowed room for rare fish to reach ancestral spawning grounds.

The longest-river in Asia, the Yangtze is dotted with literally thousands of dams and hydroelectric stations which prevent wildlife like the Yangtze sturgeon and Chinese paddlefish from migrating upriver to spawn.

Trapped between the dams and the heavy shipping, sand mining, and fishing industries along the river, these animals died out, and were declared extinct in the wild by the IUCN in 2022.

But now, 300 dams and hydropower plants have been demolished along a 250-mile tributary of the upper Yangtze called the Red River, leading to reintroduction efforts that have seen adult Yangtze sturgeon migrate and spawn in their historic habitat for potentially the first time this century, as a survey in the year 2000 turned up zero sturgeon or paddlefish fry.

There are 357 dams and 373 small hydropower stations on the Chishui He, or Red River. Despite this massive burden of industry, ecologists consider the tributary, running through Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, as the last refuge of Yangtze aquatic wildlife.

The state-run daily Xinhua reported that 300 dams and another 300 power stations have been decommissioned or demolished, freeing up hundreds of miles of river to flow as they had for millennia.

With the river open, riverine biologists released thousands of Yangtze small fry into the river, while later releasing a squadron of 20, precious, fully-grown sturgeon last April in the hopes that they would recall their ancestral spawning route back up the Yangtze and into the Chishui He.

MORE RIVER RESTORATION: Yurok Tribe Celebrates Again as Ancestral Homelands are Returned–in Wake of Historic Dam Removal

Much the way that salmon in the Klamath River in Washington state almost immediately recolonized the upper reaches of the watershed last year following the historic removal of four dams along the river’s path, the month hadn’t even concluded by the time the scientists observed the adult sturgeon displaying spawning behavior.

“This achievement indicates that the current ecological environment of the Red River can now meet the habitat and reproductive needs of Yangtze sturgeon,” Liu Fei, a researcher at the institute in Wuhan involved in releasing the adult sturgeon, told Xinhua.

MORE NEWS LIKE THIS: Reintroduction of Two Yangtze Finless Porpoises A Rare Success in Captive Breeding of Endangered Species

Roughly one-third of China’s population live along the Yangtze, and in 2020 they were subjected to a 10-year fishing ban to allow many depopulated species to recover. Hundreds more dams and power stations were shut down beyond the stretch of the Red River, and sand mining has also been banned.

It’s all part of a recent emphasis that the Chinese government has had on recovering the river’s ecosystem to former glories. In June, Chinese scientists completed a survey of national freshwater bodies and found that over 2,500 now enjoyed “excellent water quality” the Yangtze included.

SHARE How China Is Making Room For Nature Along Its Biggest River…

“You are broadcasting all the time. The question is not whether you are creating, it’s what you are creating.” – Neville Goddard

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Jul 21, 2025

Quote of the Day: “You are broadcasting all the time. The question is not whether you are creating, it’s what you are creating.” – Neville Goddard

Photo by: © GWC (Fiesta party in Santa Barbara)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, July 21

This Day In History

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Jul 21, 2025

15 years ago today, Turkish-American Erden Eruç became the first person to perform a human-powered circumnavigation of the world, in a journey of 41,000 miles and over 5 years. The trip crossed the equator twice and all lines of longitude, and passed over twelve pairs of antipodal points, meeting all the requirements for a true circumnavigation of the globe according to Guinness World Records, the title for which Eruç holds. READ more about this incredible feat… (2012)

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Targeting an Enzyme Could Rewire Cancer Cells to Suppress Growth by up to 77% for Melanoma and Colorectal Tumors

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Jul 20, 2025

tissue sample with cancer pathology pubdomain National Cancer Institute-NbZQYileaOI-unsplash — Credit: National Cancer Institute via Unsplash

Eleven years of cancer research has proven fruitful for a scientist at Johns Hopkins who uncovered a new tumor-suppressive response that could lead to novel therapies targeting hard-to-treat cancers.

The new study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, showed that targeting a key process of how cells make proteins can inhibit cancer cells—and resolves what makes them so sensitive.

The findings, published in the June 18, 2025 Cell Chemical Biology, open the door to potential new treatments for cancers with common genetic mutations.

The researchers found that using a drug to inhibit the enzyme responsible for human RNA (rRNA) transcription—called RNA Polymerase 1, or Pol 1—triggered a unique stress response that rewires splicing, or the way cancer cells produce forms of proteins, to ultimately suppress tumor growth.

“Ribosome biogenesis has long been known as a hallmark of cancer,” says study leader Marikki Laiho, M.D., Ph.D., a Johns Hopkins professor of radiation oncology in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences.

In 2014, she and her team identified that Pol 1 is a meaningful therapeutic target in cancers. She began laboratory studies using human cell lines to study a small molecule, BMH-21, developed together with Johns Hopkins pharmacology and molecular sciences expert James Barrow, Ph.D., to inhibit the Pol 1 enzyme.

In the latest study, the team analyzed more than 300 cancer cell lines and found that tumors with certain mutations were especially sensitive to Pol 1 inhibitors, such as BMH-21—and a new drug, called BOB-42.

These alterations are common in cancers with mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd)—including colorectal, stomach and uterine cancers—which results in copying errors going uncorrected when DNA replicates and cells divide, causing high rates of additional mutations and cancer risk.

The team tested the new drug in animal models, and patient-derived tumors containing the same key genetic markers and recorded a significantly reduced tumor growth—by up to 77%—in melanoma and colorectal cancers.

DID YOU SEE THIS? A Deadly Tomb Fungus May Have Yielded a Killer Leukemia Treatment

“These findings highlight a promising new path for targeting cancers, especially for patients with mismatch repair-deficient cancers that are resistant to existing therapies,” says the study’s first author, Wenjun Fan, Ph.D., research associate.

The study also suggests that changing how cancer cells splice RNA, or produce different forms of proteins, could affect how the immune system recognizes tumors. Combining immunotherapies with Pol 1 inhibitors may improve the effectiveness of immunotherapies.

“This is an entirely new conceptual framework for understanding how rRNA synthesis influences cancer cell behavior,” says Dr. Laiho, who holds patents on Pol 1 inhibitors that are managed by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies.

BEAR-Y GOOD CANCER NEWS: Bear Shocks Vets By Going into Remission From Terminal Cancer After Taking Meds in Honey–a Rare Treat That Delights Her

“Our study reveals that the ribosomal protein RPL22, typically a structural component of the ribosome, plays an unexpected dual role as a critical regulator of RNA splicing.”

“Targeting this pathway could not only suppress tumor growth but also modulate tumor antigenicity and enhance responsiveness to immunotherapies.”

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Teens Learn the Lost Arts of Sewing and Ironing at New Summer Camp Taught By Local Grandmas Staving off Loneliness

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Jul 20, 2025

Seniors teaching teens to sew Islamic family The Golden Connections at Club Olive Community Services-submitted — The Golden Connections Club / Olive Community Services

Haqiqa Abdul-Rahim teaches 14-year-old Leena how to sew on a button during The Golden Connections Club – Courtesy of Olive Community Services

In a sunny room in Fullerton, California, something magical is happening this summer: a group of high school girls is spending four weeks learning some new skills—not from YouTube, but from real grandmas.

Every Tuesday and Thursday in July, the Golden Connections Club, a student-led group from nearby Garden Grove, gathers at Olive Community Services for a one-of-a-kind intergenerational summer camp.

The concept is simple: seniors teach kids practical skills that once filled every household; sewing, ironing, cooking, embroidery, and more.

For Leena Albinali, a rising high school sophomore and the club’s founder, this isn’t just a summer activity. It’s a mission to bridge the gap between generations, while giving her peers a chance to connect with elders in a meaningful, hands-on way.

“There’s so much wisdom that lives in our older generation,” she says. “We want to learn from them—not just about skills, but about life.”

The program was sparked by the community center’s mission to help seniors stay active and by Leena’s own experience growing up close to her grandmother.

When she realized many teens had never learned how to sew on a button or iron a shirt, she saw an opportunity: what if seniors could teach them? And so she recruited some peers to join the new group.

Shameem Syed teaches cooking basics to teens during a hands-on kitchen session at the Intergenerational Summer Camp, a collaboration between Olive Community Services and the Golden Connections High School Club

Every week involves both a craft and cooking session. One week, kids learn how to fold spring rolls. Another day, they practice stitching.

SOME ‘OLD WAYS’ ARE THE BEST WAYS: Boy Struggling at School is Now a Math Genius After His Mom Taught Him to Use An ABACUS–May Help Today’s Kids

There’s laughter and the occasional crooked seam, but it’s not about perfection. It’s about connection—where generations meet in the simple joy of creating something with their hands.

The camp is part of Olive Community Services’ ongoing effort to reduce senior loneliness—with a strong focus on those from underserved and immigrant populations. And now they’re also empowering youth.

By bringing the two groups together, they’re not just passing down traditions—they’re creating new ones.

INTER-GENERATIONAL GENIUS:
• More Young Adults are Renting Next Door to Retired Folks – With Intergenerational Benefits
• When a Preschool Was Opened Inside a Dementia Care Home, All Heaven Broke Loose

As one camper said, “I thought it was just going to be cooking. But I didn’t expect to make a new friend who’s 80.”

Some lessons aren’t found in textbooks or tutorials. They’re passed down hand to hand, story by story, from one generation to the next.

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For 57 Million Seniors who are Video Gamers in the US, Aging Is Just Another Level to Beat

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Andy Corbley

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Jul 20, 2025

Kids these days, right? They spend too much time playing video games and not enough time outside.

Tell that to grandmother Michelle Statham, and you’d expect her to agree with you. But in reality, her response would probably be something like “Which game?”

From behind a techno-nest of screens in her home in Washington state, the 60-year-old is known to many of her friends as ‘TacticalGramma,’ the moniker she uses whilst playing her favorite video game: Call of Duty.

Marketed to young men primarily, Statham doesn’t let that get in her way, and says she enjoys “sniping” the virtual soldiers controlled by those young men from long range. “That’s pretty fun,” she remarks, free of concern over judgement.

And she has every reason to be, with over 110,000 followers on a livestreaming platform used by gamers called Twitch, TacticalGramma is a source of wonder and smiles, and she’s even used her video gaming popularity to raise thousands for charity.

When she logs off Call of Duty, she likes to hit the gym with her daughter to ensure she doesn’t go stiff from sitting in a chair for an hour or more.

Statham is just one of an estimated 57 million Americans over the age of 50 who play video games. Although, when one considers that video gaming took off in earnest during the eighties, it adds up that many of those who played the original arcade Mario Bros. would still be playing Super Mario Odyssey all these years later.

A predecessor to Super Mario Odyssey has been linked in studies with increases in grey matter in the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for learning and short-term memory. With a massive 3D world to explore, other games of a similar style, like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, are linked to similar physiological effects.

Recent data from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), shows that nearly half of Americans in their 60s and 70s play some form of PC, mobile, or console video game every week, as do 36% of people in their 80s.

“People always say: ‘I love you, Gramps. Keep on doing what you’re doing’… things like that, that really tug at your heart,” says Will, a 72-year-old retired Naval veteran who games.

MORE GAMING STORIES: The Nex Game Console Is Perfect for Kids Whose Parents Have Concerns About Traditional Gaming

Statham and Will, who decided to withhold his last name, both spoke to the Guardian about their habits. Will said seniors can and should keep up with technology, and he likes to game with simulators like Hunter: Call of the Wild.

The Guardian also spoke with several medical researchers who specialize in analyzing the effects of gaming. In many cases, there are positive health outcomes associated with gaming, particularly from social interactions, memorization, required reaction speed, and cooperative activities.

SENIORS BEING AWESOME: Powerlifting to Debut at US Senior Games Where 82-Year-old Grandmother Tops the Age Ranking

Regarding the negative outcomes, it seems a mixed bag; with a study linking Call of Duty to reductions, rather than increases, in grey matter, as one example. The lead author noted however that it didn’t look at older adults in particular, and probably the seniors who decide to buy, set up, learn, and achieve proficiency in the game are probably not at undue risk for neurological harm.

Despite a cranial injury preventing him from sitting down comfortably for more than half an hour, Will maintains a chipper attitude about his hobby, saying “you’re never too old to respawn.”

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Trafficking in the Amazon Targeted in Historic 5-Country Police Raid Seizing $64 Million in Materials

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Andy Corbley

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Jul 20, 2025

Screenshot 2025-07-20 091324 — Operation Green Shield in action - Credit: Minister of Interior UAE, screengrab via X

Operation Green Shield in action – credit, Minister of Interior UAE, screengrab via X

From the Amazon Basin comes the story of a remarkable collaborative effort between 5 countries to break up criminal exploitation of the forest and its peoples.

Thousands of live animals and tens of thousands of board-feet of illegally harvested timber were confiscated from trafficking operations across Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil as part of Operation Green Shield.

Organized by the UAE, Green Shield involved over 350 police raids coordinated in real time through data sharing and geolocation tracking. Two significant criminal enterprises are believed to have been disrupted, while the value of all the seizures totals $64 million.

“Environmental crime displaces communities, fuels violence against women and children, and erodes cultural heritage. These are not just crimes against nature—they are crimes against people,” Lt. Col. Dana Humaid, Director-General of the International Affairs Bureau at the UAE Ministry of Interior and Coordinator, told AP.

She added that the scale and speed of the results reflect not only the strength of regional cooperation, but also the growing resolve of governments to treat environmental crime as a top-tier security issue.

In the Amazon Basin, governments may have knowledge of illegal activities like logging and mining, but because of the remoteness of the territory, are unable to summon the force and will to go investigate.

In the case of Green Shield, it was an initiated by the UAE as part of the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (IILEC), an international platform launched 2 years ago to aid in multilateral policing on climate-related criminal activity.

1,500 officers were mobilized for the raids, which occurred in Brazil’s Mato Grasso and Ampaya states, Peru’s Amazonas Department, a dozen regions in Ecuador, and 22 in Colombia, including many of the most ecologically sensitive locations, such as Guaviare.

FIGHTING WILDLIFE CRIME: 1,000 Endangered Animals Set to Return Home to Madagascar in Anti-Trafficking Victory

94 arrests were made, over 500 vehicles were confiscated relating to logging, mining, and smuggling, 39,000 gallons of fuel, 2,100 live animals, including 1,600 in a single bust in Peru, over 6,000 poached animals, and 3,800 cubic meters of illegally-harvested hardwoods.

Busts are believed to have affected the operations of two major criminal syndicates, including Los Depredatores del Oriente, involved in trafficking wild animals in Peru, and Clan del Golfo, in Colombia.

ANTI-TRAFFICKING WINS: Nigerian Authorities Seize 2 Tons of Pangolin Scales and Arrest Key Broker in Major Wildlife Trafficking Bust

The UAE had experience in operations like this, having previously overseen a similar effort under IILEC in the Congo Basin, where they said miners and traffickers’ operations were degrading world heritage, as well as the livelihoods of indigenous peoples.

Col. Jorge Andres Bernal Granada, director of environmental protection at Colombia’s National Police said the raids “achieved real progress against illegal mining, fuel theft, and wildlife trafficking.”

BREAK The News About This Giant Amazon-Wide Criminal Bust On Social Media…

“The pen is the tongue of the mind.” – Horace

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Jul 20, 2025

Quote of the Day: “The pen is the tongue of the mind.” – Horace

Photo by: Aaron Burden

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, July 20

This Day In History

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Good News Network

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Jul 20, 2025

40 years ago today, treasure hunter Mel Fisher and his crew discovered part of the 1622 Spanish galleon wreck, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, 40 miles off Key West, including an estimated $450 million motherlode that included 40 tons of gold and silver, 114,000 Spanish silver coins known as “pieces of eight”, Colombian emeralds, gold and silver artifacts, and 1000 silver ingots. READ more from on this day… (1985)

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Senior Dogs Given New Life With $1.5 Million in Grants to Fuel New Beginnings for Aging Pups

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Good News Network

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Jul 19, 2025

Senior dogs, including Maya (center) – Submitted by The Grey Muzzle Organization

Last week, the nation’s largest nonprofit focused exclusively on senior dogs announced it is awarding a record-breaking $1.57 million in grants to 119 animal welfare groups in United States.

“If 50 is the new 30 for humans, why not for our older best friends?” asked the director of the Grey Muzzle Organization.

“Senior dogs have so much life to live, and love to give, yet they’re often the last to be adopted and the first at risk when shelters run out of space,” said Denise Fleck.

The grant recipients in 33 states can now fund medical and dental care, adoptions, foster and hospice programs, and the resources that keep senior dogs in the homes they love.

Most senior dogs entering animal shelters are in need of medical attention. Now, dogs like Maya will find love and a soft landing, thanks to Grey Muzzle.

For 10 years, Maya (pictured, above) was bred repeatedly, and confined in a cramped pen. Finally rescued, but at risk of euthanasia due to overcrowded shelters, she was saved by a pet sanctuary in Arizona, thanks to this nonprofit’s funding for aging dogs.

“I am so excited that her story is getting out there to help raise awareness about senior dogs,” says Caroline Mirtich, Maya’s new mom.

Since 2008, The Grey Muzzle has provided $7.3 million in grants to support senior dogs across the U.S.

Credit: Golden Bark – submitted by The Grey Muzzle

Two of the grant recipients this year are The Golden Bark Foundation that rescues senior dogs in Utah, and Czar’s Promise, founded in honor of a Great Pyrenees, to help families facing a pet cancer diagnosis.

Founded in 2022 and run entirely by volunteers, The Golden Bark provides safe, loving foster homes where dogs can heal and enjoy comfort in their final chapter. Their grant from The Grey Muzzle will support its dental care program—their largest medical expense—because 80% of their elder dogs suffer from painful dental disease.

The new funding will enable the group to place more senior dogs into loving retirement homes.

DOGGIE HEROES:
• Missing Toddler Who Walked 7 Miles Alone Through Wilderness Led to Safety by Rancher’s Dog
• How Valerie the Weiner Dog Survived 18 Months in the Australian Bush to Make it Home

In another example, Czar’s Promise has funded care for hundreds of dogs with cancer that reside in Wisconsin and nearby states. The Grey Muzzle is funding chemotherapy and radiation for these dogs aged 7 and older, helping to extend precious time with the families they cherish.

See a complete list of Grey Muzzle’s 2025-26 grantees on their website.

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Courageous Hero Climbs to 6th Floor Ledge to Save Children and Mom Trapped By Flames in Paris (WATCH)

By

Nathan Frederick

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Jul 19, 2025

Fousseynou Cissé rescuing family from fire – Credit: @diya.pcsso on social media

The video is harrowing.

Smoke was billowing outside a Paris apartment window. Fire was raging inside. Two adults and four children were trapped.

Fousseynou Cissé never hesitated once he saw them —even though the only escape route was a narrow ledge 65 feet in the air. (Watch the video below…)

The 39-year-old who works as a receptionist at a secondary school, stepped out onto the ledge from an adjacent apartment, moving within an arm’s length of the blazing apartment window.

From there, a mother passed a tiny baby in a diaper to Mr. Cisse on the ledge, who then handed the baby to a friend inside the neighboring apartment, safely away from the fire.

A similar scene repeated as Cisse helped five more people move across the ledge before he himself climbed to safety.

A spectator recorded the whole thing and posted it online. And it didn’t take long for Cisse’s heroism to go viral on French TV and social media…

French President Emmanuel Macron invited Mr. Cissé to be a guest of honor at France’s Bastille Day parade last week, and Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez made plans to award the hero with a ceremonial medal for his courage and devotion.

MORE NEWS FROM FRANCE: Archaeologists Stumble Onto Sprawling Ancient Roman Villa During Construction of a Road in France

The entire city declared him a hero – and yet Cisse still found room for humility.

“I went on instinct,” he said in an article by the Washington Post. “It’s the heart telling you, ‘No, you have to go.’”

Once the smoke subsided and the facts emerged, Cisse’s brave deed became even more clear. According to news reports, Cisse is an immigrant who has not yet earned French citizenship, but owns a residency permit that allows him to work. The baby he rescued was reportedly just a month old. Another child was only one.

In all, six lives were saved (four children and two adults) thanks to the courage that sent Cisse out onto the ledge 65-feet above ground, with fire raging just next door.

ALSO WATCH THIS: Hero Tells Mom on Burning 3rd Floor: ‘Drop the baby, I am going to catch her’

“I was facing a void from the sixth floor where I could fall,” Cisse told the Washington Post. “It wasn’t easy, so afterward, given the seriousness [of the situation], I felt happy. Saving a life, even if it’s just one person, but especially several people at the same time, is something magnificent.”

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New AI-Designed Paint for Roofs Could Cool Buildings by Up to 36°F – Slashing AC Use and Carbon Emissions

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Good News Network

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Jul 19, 2025

Credit: The University of Texas at Austin / Getty Images for Unsplash+

In a development that could reduce the emissions that exacerbate humanity’s climate crisis, an international team of engineers may have created the whitest coating yet—with the help of artificial intelligence.

Their new thermal coating could reduce energy bills significantly by keeping buildings cooler, according to research from the University of Texas-Austin, National University of Singapore, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Umea University in Sweden.

Their AI approach for creating complex materials that are ‘three-dimensional thermal meta-emitters’ resulted in 1,500 different materials that can selectively emit heat at various levels and in different manners—making them ideal for energy efficiency through more precise cooling and heating.

“Our machine learning framework represents a significant leap forward in the design of thermal meta-emitters,” said Professor Yuebing Zheng, in the Texas school’s mechanical engineering department, and co-leader of the study published in Nature.

“By automating the process, we can create materials with superior performance that were previously unimaginable.”

The team fabricated four materials and verified the effectiveness of one of the materials by applying it to a model house, and comparing its cooling effect to commercial paints.

After a four-hour midday exposure to direct sunlight, the meta-emitter-coated building roof came in between 5 and 20 degrees Celsius cooler, on average, (between 9° and 36° Fahrenheit cooler) than the ones with white and gray paints, respectively.

The researchers estimated that this level of cooling could save the equivalent of 15,800 kilowatts per year in an apartment building in a hot climate like Rio de Janeiro or Bangkok. A typical air conditioning unit uses about 1,500 kilowatts annually.

A RACE TO COOL THE WORLD:
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However, the applications go beyond improving energy efficiency in homes and offices. Using the machine learning framework, the researchers developed seven classes of meta-emitters, each with different strengths and applications.

Thermal meta-emitters could be deployed to mitigate the urban heat island effect—which is due to a lack of vegetation and high levels of concrete—by reflecting sunlight and emitting heat in specific wavelengths.

In outer space, these materials could be useful in space to manage a spacecraft’s temperature by reflecting solar radiation and emitting heat efficiently.

ASPHALT ANSWER: Innovative Paint Cools Down the School Playground By 12 Degrees: ‘I don’t feel like I’m in an oven’

Beyond the applications in this research, thermal meta-emitters could become a part of many things we use daily. Integrating them into textiles and fabrics could improve cooling technology in clothing and outdoor equipment. Wrapping cars with them and embedding them into interior materials could reduce the heat that builds up when they sit in the sun.

The painstaking traditional process of designing these materials has held them back from mainstream adoption, due to their three-dimensional complexity, limiting the outcomes to simple geometries such as thin-film stacks—with the performance coming in short on some measures.

“Traditionally, designing these materials has been slow and labor-intensive, relying on trial-and-error methods,” said Zheng in a media release. “This approach often leads to suboptimal designs and limits the ability to create materials with the necessary properties to be effective.”

“Machine learning may not be the solution to everything, but the unique spectral requirements of thermal management make it particularly suitable for designing high-performance thermal emitters,” said Kan Yao, a co-author of this work and a research fellow in Zheng’s group.

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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny

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Good News Network

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Jul 19, 2025

Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of July 19, 2025
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Ancient beekeepers in Anatolia carved hives directly into rock faces, coaxing honey from the cliffs. This practice was designed to protect bees from harsh weather and predators while maximizing honey production. The bees adapted well to their unusual homes. I suspect, Cancerian, that in the coming weeks, your sweetness and bounty may also thrive in unlikely structures. It could take a minute or two for you to adjust, but that won’t be a problem. Your nectar-making instincts will guide you. So I advise you not to wait for the perfect container before beginning your work. Make honey in the best available setting.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
I laughed until I sobbed as you earnestly played the game of love even after the rules had changed. I sighed till I panted as you dredged up a new problem to avoid fixing an overripe hassle. I rolled my eyes until I got dizzy as you tried to figure out the differences between stifling self-control and emancipating self-control. But all that’s in the past, right, Leo? Now I’m preparing to cheer until my voice is raspy as you trade in a dried-up old obsession in favor of a sweet, fresh, productive passion—and outgrow all the fruitless nuisances.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
The ancient scribes of Mesopotamia etched records onto clay tablets with styluses, pressing wedge-shaped marks into wet earth. Once baked, these tablets endured for thousands of years. Some are still readable today. In my astrological assessment, Virgo, you are undergoing a metaphorically comparable process. Messages and expressions that are forming within you are meant to last. They may not win you immediate attention and applause. But you already suspect how crucial they will be to both your own future and the destinies of those you care for. Be bold, decisive, and precise as you choose your words.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Is there any aspect of your life or character that is still unripe even though it is critical to your life-long journey? Have you held on to your amateur status or remained a bit dilettantish beyond the time when you might have progressed to the next highest level? Are you still a casual dabbler in a field where you could ultimately become masterful? If you answered yes to these queries, now is a perfect moment to kick yourself in the butt and leap to the next level. Waiting around for fate to kick your butt would be a mistake.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Many astrologers rightfully say that Virgo is the most detail-oriented, meticulous sign. I think you Scorpios may be the most methodical and thorough of all the signs, which means that you, too, can be meticulous and detail-oriented. A prime example is the Scorpio sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840–1917). Eventually, his work became world-renowned, but his career developed gradually because of his painstaking patience and scrupulous devotion to excellence. I propose we make him your role model for now. Inspired by him, resist pressure for immediate results. Trust in the slow, steady refinement process.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Here are half of your words of power for the coming days: windfall, godsend, and boon. The other half are potion, remedy, and healing agent. If you’re lucky, and I think you will be, those terms will blend and overlap. The blessings that come your way will be in the form of cures and fixes. I’m being understated here so as to not sound too wildly excited about your immediate future. But I suspect you will wrangle at least one amazing victory over hardship. Your chances of a semi-miraculous visitation by a benevolent intervention are as high as they have ever been.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
The ancient Chinese character for “listening” contains symbols for ears, eyes, and heart. I interpret this to signify that it’s not enough to seek the truth with just one of your faculties. They must all be engaged and working together to get the full story. You are wise to survey the world with your whole being. Keep these meditations in mind during the coming weeks, Capricorn. Your natural inclination is to be practical, take action, and get things done. But for now, your main superpower will be listening to everything. So my advice is to listen with your skin. Listen with your breath. Listen with your gut. Let your attention be so complete that the world softens and speaks to you about what you really need to know.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
If you would like to glide into rapt alignment with astrological rhythms, give gifts to your two closest allies. These offerings should inspire their ambitions, not indulge their cravings to be comfortable. They shouldn’t be practical necessities or consumer fetishes, but rather provocative tools or adult toys. Ideally, they will be imaginative boons that your beloved companions have been shy about asking for or intriguing prods that will help beautify their self-image. Show them you love both the person they are now and the person they are becoming.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Piscean photographer Ansel Adams is so renowned that he’s in the International Photography Hall of Fame. We know the moment that his lifelong passion erupted. At age 14, his family gave him a simple camera and took him to Yosemite National Park in California. “The splendor of Yosemite burst upon us, and it was glorious,” he wrote later. “One wonder after another descended upon us. A new era began for me.” In the coming months, I foresee you encountering a comparable turning point, Pisces—a magical interlude awakening you to a marvel that will become an enduring presence in your life. Be alert for it. Better yet, declare your intention to shape events to ensure it happens and you’re ready for it.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
For the Dagara people of Burkina Faso, the element of fire has profound cultural meanings. It’s a symbol of innovation and inspiration. It’s a mediator between the physical and spiritual worlds and a conduit for communication with the ancestors. Through rituals, fire is a purifying and renewing force that helps people reconnect with their purpose, heal relationships, and catalyze positive change in the community. In the coming weeks, Aries, I hope you will be deeply aligned with all these symbolic meanings. What are you ready to ignite for the sake of nurturing and care? What truths need light and heat? What future visions would benefit from surges of luminosity?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
In the Nahuatl language spoken by Indigenous Mexicans, the word nepantla describes an in-between space. It’s a liminal threshold where a transition is in process. The old ways have fallen away, but the new ways are not yet fully formed. It’s unsettling and perhaps confusing, yet seeded with the potential for creative change. I suspect you are now in a state resembling nepantla, Taurus. Please understand that this isn’t a crisis. It’s a chrysalis. Any discomfort you feel is not a sign of failure, but a harbinger of the wisdom and power that will come by molting the identity you have outgrown. I hope you will honor the rawness and speak tenderly to yourself. You are not lost; you are mid-ritual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
The sea slug Elysia chlorotica is a small, unassuming creature that performs a remarkable feat: It eats algae and steals its chloroplasts, then incorporates them into its own body. For weeks afterward, the slug photosynthesizes sunlight like a plant. I believe, Gemini, that you are doing a metaphorical version of this biological borrowing. Some useful influence or presence you have absorbed from another is integrating into your deeper systems. You’re making it your own now. This isn’t theft, but creative borrowing. You’re not copying; you’re synthesizing and synergizing.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.” – James Baldwin

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Jul 19, 2025

Quote of the Day: “People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.” – James Baldwin

Photo by: kevin turcios

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?