100 Daily Good News Stories

A 71-Year-Old Woman Had Been Sleeping in Her Car for Days. Then Two Deputies Stepped In

Imagining the Mossy Cities of the Future

This story has been co-published by Reasons to be Cheerful and the Outrider Foundation. In 2012, Philip Wallisfurth wanted to save a tree. Citizens in Aachen...

Scotland’s 3 mysterious parallel hillside roads weren’t built by humans. Even Darwin was puzzled.

How did 3 perfectly parallel roads appear in a Scottish glen?  The post Scotland’s 3 mysterious parallel hillside roads weren’t built by humans. Even Darwin ...

A man went looking for a lost hammer. He found over 15,000 Roman coins instead.

A favor for a friend became an extraordinary archaeological discovery. And the hammer made history, too. The post A man went looking for a lost hammer. He fo...

Engineers straightened a Florida river. Bringing back its bends helped bring back its wildlife.

Restoring the Kissimmee meant filling in miles of the canal built to replace its winding course. The post Engineers straightened a Florida river. Bringing ba...

Parents who are estranged from their adult kids are likely to share the same personality trait 

It's no wonder some of these parents don't know why they were cut off. The post Parents who are estranged from their adult kids are likely to share the same ...

Salvador Dalí used a peculiar nap trick to capture ideas. Scientists now think he was onto something.

You might be one “falling key” away from your next big idea. The post Salvador Dalí used a peculiar nap trick to capture ideas. Scientists now think he was o...

After a decade of community pressure, LA bans oil drilling for good

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For more than a decade, residents in some of Los Angeles’s most densely populated neighborhoods have lived alongside oil...

The dermatologist guide to a skin-friendly shower routine

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The morning shower is one of those things most of us have never really questioned. The alarm goes off, the water runs, a...

What did ancient humans do all day before ‘work’ was invented? It wasn’t all about survival.

A viral video offers a peek into our ancestors' uniquely human daily habits. The post What did ancient humans do all day before ‘work’ was invented? It wasn’...

Woman ticketed for driving with phone in her ‘right hand’ has a huge surprise for police officer

Interestingly enough, she doesn't have a right hand. The post Woman ticketed for driving with phone in her ‘right hand’ has a huge surprise for police office...

Oklahoma second-grade teacher’s annual ‘awards show’ on last day of school leaves students treasured

"It’s so sweet to send students off knowing they are seen and loved." The post Oklahoma second-grade teacher’s annual ‘awards show’ on last day of school lea...

After watching how Boomers retired ‘forward,’ Gen X is retiring ‘backward’

Sometimes progress means looking backward. The post After watching how Boomers retired ‘forward,’ Gen X is retiring ‘backward’ appeared first on Upworthy.

Florida dumped half a million oyster shells into the Gulf of Mexico. No one expected the results to be this good.

Dumping trash into the ocean seems like a bad idea, right? Wrong. The post Florida dumped half a million oyster shells into the Gulf of Mexico. No one expec...

100 poets wrote 100 poems about homelessness — then donated book proceeds back to their unhoused neighbors

British poet Andrew Mears lives in North East England, which has some of the highest rates of homelessness in the country.

Chimp Gets Food Delivered by Drone After Floodwaters Leave Him Stranded

What We’re Reading: An 80-Cent Plastic Bag Is Saving Mothers’ Lives

Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at info@reasonstobecheerful.world a...

The Overlooked Benefits of Small Spaces, and Tips for Making the Most of Yours

The year I turned 30, I moved to a peaceful neighborhood on Los Angeles’ Westside. I was 10 minutes from Venice Beach and had an apartment all to myself. The...

Prince Bashangezi turned personal loss into peer tutoring for refugee students

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This article is part of The Optimist Daily’s Local Changemakers 2026 series, spotlighting changemakers 30 and under. In ...

Brazil releases the world’s first fossil fuel phaseout roadmap

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The question hanging over international climate talks for years has not really been whether the world would shift away f...

Zoom In: 12 Standouts From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Shortlist

The best photography makes you slow down and notice something that might otherwise go overlooked — and the finalists for the eighth edition of Close-Up Photo...

She lost her son to bullying. Now she offers to help LGBTQ+ teens around the world as the 'Internet’s Mom'

Aarti Malhotra reminds her viewers: “You never know what someone is going through.”

Italy invests $2.2M in rescuing dogs from fighting rings, adopting them out to families for 'the happiest years of their life'

Dogfighting is a widespread underground practice in Italy, but the Humane World for Animals Italy is hard at work to bring it to an end — and give rescued do...

A Viral Video Changed Everything for This Struggling Family Restaurant

Generous Paternal Leave Policies Improve Maternal and Newborn Health, Family Finances, and Workplace Equality

When our second child was born, my spouse had several weeks of paternity leave under his parental leave policy at work. I’m a certified family life educator,...

Fall activities for you and your dog: a trainer’s guide

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM There’s something about crisp fall air that makes you want to get outside, and if you have a dog, you’ve probably notice...

Electric ferries that fly above water are arriving in the US

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Water has always been part of how many American cities move people, but for most of the country’s history it has been an...

This farm spent $100K a year to keep 10,000 gophers at bay. Then they realized coyotes could do the work for them

The farmers behind the popular documentary, “The Biggest Little Farm,” spent a fortune to keep gophers at bay. Then they let predators step in.

Corrective surgery on intersex infants is legal in 80% of the world. An Australian state is banning it entirely

According to experts, being intersex is a physical characteristic that’s as common as having red hair or green eyes.

Colleges Are Getting Creative to Help Students With Kids

This story was originally published by Open Campus. Walking by New River’s advising office one day, Stephanie Addikis noticed that the coloring books and Leg...

New study shows that 'queer friendships' are good for your health

Researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Kentucky found links between LGTBQ+ peers and their mental well-being.

Two Fishermen Rescue Cruise Ship Pianist Who Spent Nine Hours Treading Water at Sea

These trans and nonbinary candidates just made history

Across six states, these Democratic candidates will be the first transgender and nonbinary people to serve in their state legislatures.

In Minnesota and New Mexico, midterms usher in historic representation for Native women

Democrat Deb Haaland will be the country's first Native woman governor, and Democrat Peggy Flanagan is set to become the first Native woman to secure a U.S. ...

Keisha Lance Bottoms made history as the first Black woman to be elected governor in the US

The race was among the most competitive of the cycle in a state that helped elect President Donald Trump just two years ago.

Gina Hinojosa made history as the first Latina to be elected governor in Texas

Hinojosa, a Democratic state legislator, challenged Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, who was running for a fourth term.

What a historic 'blue wave'' midterm means for climate action

Democrats swept Congress and won in the states. Here are the races that matter most for decarbonization, disasters, and data centers.

Virginia voters enshrined marriage equality into the state's constitution

Virginia’s ban on gay marriage has not been enforceable since 2015, when the Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that establishe...

Missouri voters reject effort to ban abortion in the state

The ballot measure's failure offers a rebuke to efforts by Missouri’s Republican leaders, who largely oppose abortion.

Dermatologists weigh in on the eat-your-skincare TikTok trend

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If your For You Page has been full of people canceling Botox appointments because they started eating more salmon, you’v...

2026 midterms produced a record wave of historic governor firsts

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM History was made in governors’ races across the country on November 3. In ten states, voters chose candidates who had ne...

Real-Life “Babe”: Newborn Piglet Rescued From Roadside Is Now a Beloved Resident at Farm Animal Sanctuary

A piglet saved from a potentially much unkinder fate is now living out the story of Babe after being taken in by a compassionate great-grandmother who owns a...

10 Wellness Traditions From Around the World to Weave Into Your Life

The word “wellness” may conjure images of lavish spa treatments and high-end retreats, but you don’t have to book a luxury getaway to increase your vitality ...

Good News This Week: November 7, 2026 - Forests, Sinks, & Elections

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

Mother of Three Jumps Into Flooded Lake to Save Elderly Man From Drowning

Podcast Transcript November 6th, 2026— 2 coral fragments touched in a Stanford lab: a story of healing (plus 9 more solutions)

Episode Description: Two coral fragments fell over in a Stanford lab tank and happened to touch, and within days the bleached one started absorbing healthy a...

Deputy Carries Baby Through Floodwaters, But Says Viral Photo Tells Only Part of the Story

The Spark: When Communities Own the Land, Housing Stays Affordable

Welcome back to The Spark, our monthly celebration of how people just like you are creating positive change, one meaningful step at a time. The Spark is gene...

Solar kits are changing what disaster relief looks like

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every morning in the camp at Teknaf, Bangladesh, Mohammed Saber climbs to the roof of his family’s bamboo-and-tarpaulin ...

UK’s Pop-Up “Flower Pharmacy” Prescribed Mood-Boosting Bouquets

The U.K.’s first “Flower Pharmacy” opened its doors last month — prescribing bouquets instead of medicine to those in need of a mood boost. The one-off exper...

The Montana Ranch Where Autistic People Are Wranglers and Guides

The staff at Erik’s Ranch & Retreats has a saying: Sheets, towels and lives changed daily.   Erik’s Ranch is a guest retreat where autistic people are concie...

When 911 Couldnand#039;t Reach This Family, Two Teenagers Stepped Up to Save Them

The Election That Transcended Tribalism

Pundits are describing last night as a romp for Democrats, a rebuke of Republicans, a blue tsunami, a rout in the red states. But underneath these headlines ...

New Jersey Students Fill Football Field With More Than 250,000 Pounds of Food for Families in Need

A Few of Our Favorite Things: 20 Products the Nice News Team Loved in 2026

Besides reporting on positive developments and goings-on around the world, one of Nice News’ love languages is sharing products we wish we’d known about soon...

The Counter-Extremism Expert Building Our Capacity for Compassion

A former Los Angeles gang member, a former skinhead and a former radical Islamist walk into a youth center. What sounds like the setup for an uneasy joke is ...

She Was Laughed at for Wanting to Be an Actress. Now Sheand#039;s Starring in a Movie

The Student Movement Addressing Campus Polarization Head On

Just weeks after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a college last September, students gathered in a University of Michiga...

Her Wedding Was Canceled, So She Invited 11 Strangers to Ireland

The 16 good news stories you loved most in October 2026

October 2026’s best good news, ranked by 5 million Instagram views. See the top 16, led by a bill that would ban Flock cameras nationwide.

Good News This Week: October 31, 2026 - Bees, Costumes, & Sea Otters

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

A Q&A With the Road Trips and Revelations Promotion Winner, Sélah Grace

Sélah Grace is InspireMore’s Road Trips and Revelations promotion […]

A Q&A With Songs of Hope Promotion Winner, Katie Rey Sutherland

Katie Rey Sutherland is InspireMore’s Every Songs […]

Rare 'microbat' discovered 400 miles from its last known location: 'The more we know, the better we can protect them'

The creature flies so fast and so high that it has only been recorded a handful of times.

5th Grade Girl Saves Bus Driverand#039;s Life After Recognizing Something Was Wrong

Truth, Elections and the Questionable History of the Club Sandwich

In the early-ish days of Wikipedia, my college friends and I had an ongoing contest to see who could introduce a lie into an entry that would stick the longe...

Bank Employees Refuse to Leave Local Vendor Out in the Storm, and Video Goes Viral

The Student Exchange Program That Never Leaves the U.S.

In 1991, Saskia Sassen published The Global City in which she asserted that London had more in common with New York and Tokyo than it did with other parts of...

Netherlands pledges $500 million to help conserve tropical forests

The Netherlands pledged $500 million over 10 years to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, boosting efforts to conserve tropical forests.

Dolores Huerta, who coined 'Sí se puede,' dies at 96. She spent 70 years fighting for farmworkers

Dolores Huerta, who rose to national prominence as the co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association and was known for her advocacy for women farmworke...

Researchers find honey bee hives have their own 'immune system'

Findings suggest that the ecological complexity of the landscape surrounding a hive may also shape the hive's ability to cope with disease.

Six baby dolphins were born in Cambodia this year, bringing one of the world's rarest dolphins to 118

Irrawaddy dolphins, the Mekong River’s sole cetaceans, are viewed as sacred animals by Mekong communities, and are also an important source of tourism revenue.

Cashier Pays $150 for Homeless Mom and Toddler’s Groceries: “A Miracle,” She Said

New study: Googly-eyed buoys and kites help keep seabirds out of fishing nets

A study off Cornwall, England, found that nets fitted with bird-of-prey kites had 71% lower odds of catching guillemots and razorbills, and nets with spinnin...

15-year-old develops QR codes to help others find vital medical info when someone needs emergency care

Texas high schooler Aanya Mansani created the QR code platform after her friend fainted at school.

Texas School Janitor Who Spent 39 Years Brightening Studentsand#039; Lives Gets an Incredible Honor

Oregon Zoo shares footage of rescued sea otters playing basketball with pumpkins: 'It plays a critical role in their well-being'

Juno, Lincoln, and Uni Sushi are rewarded for their tricks on the “court” with fresh seafood.

Fishermen Rescue Exhausted Kangaroo Found 2 Miles Out at Sea

Wrong Turn Leads Stranger To Save Georgia Family Of 14

Good News This Week: October 24, 2026 - Mangroves, Hornbills, & Nurses

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

Over 600 households have raised $1.2M for pediatric cancer with Halloween displays. This year, they want to break $2M

The fundraiser set an ambitious goal for its seventh year.

Man Jumps Onto Moving School Bus to Save 18 Children

Historic win: Nurses fought to secure the nation's first countywide 12-week paid parental leave policy

After watching parents return to work while their babies were still in intensive care, Pittsburgh nurses gained a historic win for paid parental leave.

In Michigan, 3 tribes are on a mission to bring back a fish that disappeared 100 years ago

Tribal nations across the country are trying to restore culturally important species, like the Arctic grayling, while grappling with climate change.

Teen Gives His Homecoming Crown to Classmate: and#039;Heand#039;ll Talk About It Foreverand#039;

She Was Clinically Dead on a Bench, but Strangers Refused to Give Up

Julia Stiles Pulls Off Incredible Surprise Tribute to Heath Ledger on “DWTS”

Dancing With the Stars’ dedication night always […]

Disney’s Bob Iger Announces Huge Plans for the Future

Bob Iger served as CEO of the […]

Tony Award Winner Glenn Close Shares Promising Health Update

Fans recently became concerned after seeing iconic […]

“DWTS” Tyler Cameron and Fiancée Expecting First Baby

Dancing With the Stars had a very […]

Researchers discover five new frog species in one of the most biologically diverse regions on the planet

Since 2019, the Rainforest Partnership has funded essential research missions in Peru.

Woman Adopts Gas Station Cashierand#039;s Baby, and the Two Women Become Like Sisters

Wildlife vets give rare hornbill 3D-printed beak in world-first: 'It has never been possible before'

Injured birds have seen success with similar prosthetics in the past, but this marks the first replacement of a bird's upper and lower beaks.

Teenagers Invite 7-Year-Old Boy With Autism to Play, Giving His Mom a Moment Sheand#039;ll Never Forget

Good News This Week: October 17, 2026 - Trees, Diapers, & Prosthetic Paws

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

Candace Cameron Bure Shares the Real Reason She Turned Down “The View”

Season 30 of The View promises to […]

Billy Ray Cyrus and Supermodel Elizabeth Hurley are Engaged

When Billy Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley started […]

Hero Dad Put His Own Life on the Line to Stop School Shooter

October 15, 2026, is a day residents […]

Ethan Hawke Shares Hilarious Confession with Drew Barrymore

Hollywood is a much bigger world than […]

New study finds remote work brought teams closer, not further apart

Today, roughly 36% of American workers do at least some of their work from home.