Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Five real advances in science, medicine, technology, and the environment, each verified against the original reporting. In this episode: The FDA approved Moderna's mFlusiva, the first mRNA flu vaccine in the US, for adults 50+, and it; Solar eclipsed all other electricity sources in Utah for the first time in May 2026, generating nearly 1; CJ Biomaterials has developed sugar-based bioplastic pellets that break down in home composting without; A common-ground curriculum focusing on universal human values reduced discriminatory attitudes and boosted; A material made from DNA coated with glass is 5x stronger than steel and 4x lighter.
Five Things Going Right is a daily five-minute podcast covering real, verifiable progress in science, medicine, technology, and the environment. Every weekday, hosts Grace and Josh walk through five stories that actually happened, each checked against the original reporting from sources like the WHO, the IEA, Nature, and university research. A calm, fact-grounded start to your day. New episodes every weekday morning.
Welcome. This is 5 Things Going Right, the news that's actually good. Five stories, five minutes, all of them true. Hi everyone. I'm Grace, and today is Tuesday, August 11th, 2026. And I'm Josh. Let's get started with today's stories. The FDA has just approved Moderna's mFluciva, marking it as the first mRNA flu vaccine cleared in the United States. That's right, Grace. It's approved for adults aged 50 and older. In a randomized trial, it outperformed a standard-dose flu vaccine. Although it's interesting to hear it outperformed, the report doesn't specify what outperformed means in terms of efficacy or other numerical measures. Global energy, solar power, became the largest source of electricity in Utah for the first time in May 2026. According to Ember, a global energy think tank, solar panels produce nearly one terawatt-hour half-month, which accounted for about a third of all electricity generated. That's a significant shift, considering a decade ago, coal provided as much as 78% of Utah's power. However, this one-third share reflects just a single month, so it might not hold throughout the year. In sustainability news, CJ Biomaterials has developed sugar-based bioplastic pellets that can break down in home composting without leaving microplastics. These pellets, made in Woburn, Massachusetts, can be formed into forks and films. However, there are tradeoffs, like forks being too bendy for cutting steak. And while it's a promising development, it's still unclear if this material can be produced at scale cost-effectively, or how its environmental impact compares to conventional plastics. Researchers have reported that a Common Ground curriculum focusing on universal human values reduced discriminatory attitudes in a pilot study. This study, involving the University of Konstanz, included over 8,600 participants across 644 school classes in India. The curriculum emphasizes shared values over social differences. But it's important to note that this study was only conducted in India. It's uncertain if the results would be the same in different cultural or educational settings. Lastly, researchers have developed a new material made from DNA coated with glass, which is reportedly five times stronger than steel and four times lighter. Ordinary glass is usually brittle, but when applied as a coating over a DNA structure, it behaves differently. However, this material is still in the experimental stage. We'll catch you next time. That's it for today. That was 5 Things Going Right. Come back tomorrow for 5 more. Thanks for watching.