Do you need an escape from 2016 election coverage or a break from controversial stories, tragedy, and heartbreaking news? Compiled below are inspirational, uplifting, encouraging, and compassionate news events that may have been recently overlooked or quickly passed over by the media and news consumers. Stay positive!
1. Money raised from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge helped researchers identify a gene that causes ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)
The "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge" overtook social media and challenged people to either donate money to the ALS Association or record themselves dumping ice water on themselves, and then challenging their friends and family to complete the challenge as well. Many who completed the challenge donated money and dumped water on themselves. The ALS association then received large amounts of donations and was able to use the quantities of money raised to find the gene that is linked to ALS, NEK1, through Project MinE. The project's
"Thankfully, The ALS Association brought Project MinE to the United States. This transatlantic collaboration supports our global gene hunt to identify the genetic drivers of ALS. I’m incredibly pleased with the discovery of the NEK1 gene adding another step towards our ultimate goal, eradicating this disease from the face of the earth," said Bernard Muller, Founder of Project MinE.
2. A plane flew around the world using no fuel, only solar power
“It is a very, very special moment – it has been 15 years that I am working on this goal...I hope people will understand that it is not just a first in the history of aviation, but also a first in the history of energy,” Piccard said.
3. There are more wild tigers in the world than there have been in the last century
In 2010, countries that have tigers on their soil took a pledge to double wild tiger numbers by 2022 after a 97 percent decrease in the world's tiger population. Six years later, wild tiger numbers are higher than they have been in one hundred years, with 3,890 total tigers. This is a higher number than the 3,200 tigers that were estimated to be in the world in 2010.
Senior vice president of wildlife convervation at the World Wildlife Foundation Ginette Hemley says that while this is an improvement, there is much more action to be taken to protect the world's tiger population.
“Together with governments, local communities, philanthropists, and other NGOs, we’ve begun to reverse the trend in the century-long decline of tigers. But much more work and investment is needed if we are to reach our goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022," said Hemley.
4. Donations allowed a four-year-old to get a new prosthetic leg after his was stolen
Four-year-old Liam Brenes prosthetic leg was stolen from a beach while he was swimming with his family. A GoFundMe started for the boy raised over $19,000 in donations in just four days. Palmdale, California's Essential Orthotics and Prosthetics also offered to donate prosthetics to Brenes, who was born without a fibula bone.
Robert Herjavec from ABC's Shark Tank says he wants to pay for Liam and his family to visit Disney with VIP treatment. Herjavec told ABC7 he saw the negative event as an opportunity to make a difference.
"I mean, to think about what the little boy has gone through. And with everything that's happening in the world and so much negativity, I just thought if I had the opportunity to make him grow up in an environment where he thinks there are some good people in the world, why not?" said Herjavec.
5. Mobile bathrooms are giving the homeless a place to shower
Over two hundred showers every week are given to homeless men and women in the San Fransisco area thanks to Lava Mae, a mobile hygiene company. Each Lava Mae bus features one regular bathroom and one handicap accessible bathroom. Each of the private bathroom areas are also equipped with hair dryers, sky lights, and digital water controls.
Lava Mae creator Doniece Sandoval remodeled the cities old diesel buses to become the "hygiene pods". In a video that shows the remodeling of the buses, Sandoval said that the buses are more than just mobile bathrooms and showers.
"Even though you're only going to be on the bus for 20 minutes or so, it's 20 minutes of complete privacy and respite to hopefully recharge yourself in a lot of ways," said Sandoval.
Even in stressful and hard times, there are always good, uplifting, and happy things happening in the world. Faith in humanity restored!
