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Five real advances in science, medicine, technology, and the environment, each verified against the original reporting. In this episode: CAR T-cell therapy sent five lupus patients into remission in a UK trial; A 14-year-old diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer and given 8 months to live is now cancer-free 4 years later; A bird-derived gene tool inserts plant DNA 30 times more efficiently than CRISPR; Antarctic ice loss may be reliably projected over the next 30 to 50 years, a period scientists say is crucial; Scientists discovered an 84-meter-tall tree called 'The Heaven Sword' in Taiwan after a decade-long search.
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. 5 stories, 5 minutes, all of them true. Hi everyone, I'm Grace. And I'm Josh. Let's dive into today's roundup of progress, 5 Things Going Right, for Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026. Let's start with some promising news for lupus patients. A trial of CAR T-cell therapy recently concluded in the UK. And it resulted in remission for 5 patients. Right. CAR T-cell therapy is a genetic treatment already used in cancer care. Now it's being explored for lupus, which is an autoimmune disorder affecting about 1.5 million Americans. It's important to note that remission in these 5 patients doesn't mean it's a cure. We still need to understand the long-term durability, relapse rates, and safety in larger populations. Moving on to an inspiring story. A boy named Dylan was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer at 14 and given about 8 months to live. He underwent 52 weeks of chemotherapy under the care of Dr. Mary Austin, who encouraged him to persevere. Now, 4 years later, Dylan is cancer-free and has graduated. It's a remarkable journey and a testament to the power of perseverance and medical care. In the realm of gene editing, researchers at Caltech, led by Ghosda Demerier, have developed a new tool derived from the zebra finch. This tool is said to insert plant DNA about 30 times more efficiently than CRISPR. The goal is to enhance crop resilience against rising temperatures, drought, and disease. That's a significant advancement, especially considering the challenges posed by climate change. Shifting to environmental news, a new study published in Nature and led by Monash University suggests that Antarctic ice loss can now be reliably projected over the next 30 to 50 years. Scientists say this period is crucial for understanding and preparing for the impact of ice loss on sea level rise. However, the study doesn't specify what previous projections missed. So the exact benefits of this added predictability are still unclear. Lastly, after a decade-long search, scientists have discovered East Asia's tallest known tree in Taiwan, an 84-meter conifer named the Heaven Sword. This search also documented hundreds of other towering trees hidden in the region's steep mountains and dense old-growth forests. It's fascinating to see such natural wonders being uncovered. That's all for today's Roundup. Thanks for joining us. Thanks for listening, everyone. Until next time! That's it for today. That was 5 Things Going Right. Come back tomorrow for 5 more.