Great News Podcast Por Andrew McGivern arte de portada

Great News

Great News

De: Andrew McGivern
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Tired of all the Doom & Gloom news from mainstream media? You'll get none of that here... Instead, you’ll find Great News, inspiring stories, and developments that are making the world a better place. This is the Great News Podcast.Andrew McGivern Política y Gobierno
Episodios
  • Great News - Medical Care Speed and Cancer Detection

    Great News - Medical Care Speed and Cancer Detection
    Oct 31 2025

    This episode is brought to you by The Daily Quote, a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. Link is in the show notes.
    Today we're diving into breakthroughs in medical care speed, AI decoding life, and global conservation wins. What if doctors could get life-saving genetic diagnoses for critically ill babies in just a few hours? That's our lead story. Plus, supercomputers deciphering the language of proteins, and new blood tests that can spot over 50 types of cancer.
    First up: The New World Record for Fastest Human Whole Genome Sequencing.
    Medicine is entering a new era of speed, and it's saving tiny lives. Boston Children's Hospital, working with Broad Clinical Labs and Roche Sequencing Solutions, has set a Guinness World Record for the fastest human whole genome sequencing. And this isn't just a fun record—it's a massive clinical breakthrough.
    The team successfully sequenced and analyzed human samples, with the fastest taking less than four hours to provide data on genetic variants from extracted DNA.
    Why is this huge? Currently, rapid genomic sequencing can take days, but many critical care decisions in the NICU need to happen in a matter of hours.
    According to Dr. Monica Wojcik, this workflow means they could potentially send out a genome sequencing sample from a baby in the morning and have the diagnosis and report that same afternoon. In the NICU, a few hours could mean the difference between unnecessary procedures and targeted, life-saving treatment.
    This breakthrough brings us one step closer to integrating point-of-care genome sequencing into standard critical care.
    Now, let's talk about artificial intelligence and its war on disease. We have two incredible stories here, both centered on detection and decoding.
    First: an AI-powered supercomputer is decoding the language of proteins.
    Scientists at the University of Glasgow used the Tursa supercomputer—an advanced machine normally reserved for cosmic research—to create a protein language model called PLM-Interact.
    Here's why this matters: proteins are the workhorses of life, essential to cellular structure and all biological processes. Their interactions are crucial, and disruptions in these protein-to-protein interactions often signal the start of diseases like cancer and genetic disorders. Viruses even exploit them to replicate.
    And speaking of crucial detection, let's look at two major advances in cancer identification.
    Google showcased DeepSomatic AI, a tool that accurately identifies cancer-causing genetic mutations. DeepSomatic achieved approximately 98% accuracy on a key benchmark.
    Meanwhile, a massive trial shows great promise for the Galleri blood test, which can detect fragments of cancerous DNA circulating in the blood. Results from a North American trial involving 25,000 adults showed that the Galleri test identified a wide range of cancers.
    Here's what's crucial: three-quarters of the cancers detected were types that currently have no screening program—like ovarian, liver, stomach, bladder, and pancreatic cancer. More than half the cancers were detected at an early stage, when successful treatment or cure is most likely. The test also correctly ruled out cancer in over 99% of those who tested negative.
    Researchers believe this could fundamentally change the approach to cancer screening.
    All right, let's dive into the speed round for even more great news from around the world.

    • Green sea turtles have been reclassified from 'endangered' to 'least concern'
    • The population of rare snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh, India, has surged by 62% in four years
    • Bay scallops are experiencing an unprecedented comeback on Virginia's Eastern Shore
    • China's air quality policies led to a swift reduction in particulate pollution, which declined by 41% between 2013 and 2022


    Until next time, keep looking for the good in the world—because it's not only there, it's everywhere.
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    8 m
  • Doctors rewrite baby’s DNA to save his life

    Doctors rewrite baby’s DNA to save his life
    Jun 23 2025
    The Daily Quote podcast pageThe Great News Podcast pageThe Great News LetterCONTACT MERecorded in my secret underground layer, here are the latest great news stories from greatnewspodcast.com. Brought to you by the Daily Quote - a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way.Tired of all the Doom and Gloom news from Mainstream Media? You'll get none of that here... Instead, you'll find inspiring stories and developments making the world a better place.I'm Andrew McGivern and this is the Great News Podcast.Today... we're diving into some truly groundbreaking advancements in medicine, technology, and even space exploration. What if Doctor's could just rewrite a baby's DNA to save its life from a deadly genetic disorder? That is our lead story today. Plus we have a mask that can detect kidney disease, a startup that plans to mine the moon for Helium-3, and a new concrete that can heal itself!And don't forget to stick around for the speed round where we dive into even more great news.First up, our lead story, a medical first that could change lives:Doctors rewrite baby’s DNA to save his life — a world first.In a groundbreaking medical first, doctors in the U.S. have successfully used gene editing to treat a baby with a rare and deadly genetic disorder.Baby KJ was born with CPS1 deficiency, a condition so rare it affects only 1 in 1.3 million people. It prevents the body from clearing ammonia—a toxic waste product—which can build up quickly and cause severe damage to the brain and organs. Most babies with this condition don’t survive infancy.But thanks to a custom-made gene therapy, KJ now has a fighting chance. A team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania:Designed and tested a personalized DNA repair treatment in just six months.Used a high-precision tool called base editing to change just the right “letter” in KJ’s DNA—without cutting the DNA strand.KJ received his first dose in February, and follow-up treatments in March and April. So far, results are promising: he can now eat more protein, and doctors have reduced the medications that help flush out toxins.While it's still early days, this success shows how gene editing could transform treatment for many genetic diseases—starting right after birth.Now..If you like the great news podcast, you'll love the great news letter. Because the great news podcast is great, but the Great News Letter is Greater.Link is in the show notes.Moving on to a mask that can sniff out Kidney Disease.Face mask that smells disease? It’s real—and it’s 93% accurate.Scientists in Italy have turned a regular face mask into a powerful medical tool. By adding tiny gas sensors to a standard FFP2 mask, they’ve created a wearable device that can detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) just by analyzing your breath—with more than 93% accuracy.Here’s how it works:The mask has four miniature sensors that pick up chemicals in your breath.These include substances like ammonia and acetone, which build up in the body when the kidneys aren’t working properly.Each sensor responds to different compounds, helping the system spot a unique “breathprint” of kidney disease.This is huge because diagnosing CKD normally involves blood and urine tests, which can be invasive, expensive, and hard to access in some parts of the world. This smart mask makes it fast, non-invasive, and portable.Even better? The researchers believe this tech could eventually detect other illnesses—like diabetes, liver disease, or even some cancers—just from your breath.After years of wearing masks, turning them into health monitors might be the next big thing in preventive medicine.And now lets look up at the stars....A U.S. Startup Plans to Mine the Moon for $20 Million-per-Kilo FuelA Seattle-based company called Interlune is aiming to be the first to mine the Moon—and not for gold or water, but for something even rarer: helium-3. This unusual isotope could one day power clean nuclear fusion and revolutionize quantum computing, and the Moon is loaded with it.What’s helium-3?It’s a non-radioactive version of helium.Extremely rare on Earth (mostly made in nuclear reactors).But the Moon, exposed to solar winds for billions of years, has a rich supply.What’s the plan?Interlune has built a robotic excavator that can dig 3 meters into the Moon’s surface and process 100 tons of lunar dust per hour.The helium-3 is extracted on the Moon, not brought back in raw form.The company has already signed deals—including one with the U.S. Department of Energy—and aims to deliver helium-3 to Earth by 2029.Why it matters:Fusion energy using helium-3 could be cleaner and safer—no radioactive waste.It also helps reach ultra-cold temperatures needed for quantum computing.One kilo of helium-3 might be worth $20 million, but the potential to power the future makes it priceless. Interlune’s three-step plan: find it, test it, and ...
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    11 m
  • A New Sodium Ion Battery Might Reshape the EV Industry

    A New Sodium Ion Battery Might Reshape the EV Industry
    Jun 5 2025
    The Daily Quote podcast pageThe Great News Podcast pageThe Great News LetterVoicemail feedback line – 1-877-636-1474CONTACT MERecorded in my secret underground layer, here are the latest great news stories from greatnewspodcast.com. Brought to you by the Daily Quote - a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way.Tired of all the Doom and Gloom news from Mainstream Media? You'll get none of that here... Instead, you'll find inspiring stories and developments making the world a better place.I'm Andrew McGivern and this is the Great News Podcast.Today...What if a new technology could reshape the EV industry. A New Sodium Ion Battery may do just that! That's our lead story today, plus we have iPS Cells showing early promise for Parkinson's treatment and Engineered Brain Cells offer new hope for Alzheimers. And stick around to the end for the speed round where we'll dive into even more great news.Our lead story comes from the world of electric vehicles, where a major player is set to introduce a battery technology that could reshape the industry. Chinese battery giant, Contemporary Ampere Technology (CATL), the world's leading EV battery producer, just unveiled a new sodium-ion battery line called Naxtra—and it could shake up the electric vehicle industry.Unlike lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion tech promises lower costs, better safety, and strong cold-weather performance—a big win for EV drivers in colder climates. The first Naxtra units, expected to roll out this June, will power heavy-duty vehicle starters. But by December, CATL plans to scale up for use in fully electric and hybrid passenger cars, offering a 500 km or 310-mile range per charge.With comparable energy density to current lithium iron phosphate batteries, Naxtra could be a real competitor—especially if it delivers on CATL’s vision to replace half of today’s lithium-based batteries.The only roadblock? U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports might slow down adoption in North America. Still, with CATL batteries already powering over 18 million cars globally, this move could mark a major turning point for the EV future.Now..If you like the great news podcast, you'll love the great news letter. Because the great news podcast is great, but the Great News Letter is Greater.Moving to the health sector, Good news for people with Parkinson’s disease: A new clinical trial in Japan is showing promising results using a breakthrough treatment that involves transplanting lab-grown brain cells.Scientists used special stem cells to create dopamine-producing brain cells—the kind that are lost in Parkinson’s. They then carefully implanted these cells into the brains of seven patients aged 50 to 69. After two years, these new cells were still alive, working properly, and helping improve movement in the patients.Here’s what’s exciting:The treatment appeared safe. No one had any serious side effects like infections, tumors, or hospitalizations.Most side effects were mild, like itching where the treatment was given.And the results showed real benefits:Patients moved better, with a 20% improvement off their meds and nearly 36% improvement when on medication.Brain scans showed a major increase in dopamine—the chemical that helps control movement and is lacking in Parkinson’s.The transplanted cells were carefully chosen to match the patients’ immune systems, reducing the risk of rejection. After 15 months, doctors even stopped giving immune-suppressing drugs, and the cells still worked without causing problems.What’s next? The study was small and didn’t include a placebo group, so more research is needed. But this trial is a major step forward, showing that replacing lost brain cells might one day become a real treatment for Parkinson’s.And while we are on the topic of Neurological Health our next story offers a glimmer of hope for Alzheimers.Scientists may have found a smart new way to treat Alzheimer’s—by turning brain cells into tiny delivery vehicles.Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have engineered special immune cells in the brain, called microglia, to act like couriers that deliver medicine directly to where it’s needed. These lab-made cells are designed to detect early signs of brain disease, like the toxic plaques seen in Alzheimer’s, and respond by releasing proteins that help clean them up.Here’s how it works:Using stem cells and CRISPR gene editing, scientists created microglia that release a plaque-busting enzyme only near problem areas in the brain.In mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, these engineered cells reduced plaque buildup, protected brain cells, and lowered signs of inflammation and damage.This approach offers big advantages:It bypasses the blood-brain barrier, a major hurdle in brain treatment.It only activates where there’s disease, making it precise and safe.It might even work for other conditions like brain cancer and multiple sclerosis, based on early tests.Though...
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    11 m
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