The Uplift Brief — Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Working Together

A Group of Passionate Volunteers Is Slowly Bringing Giant Tortoises Back to India Good News Network

Volunteers Are Racing to Decode Cursive Writing Before the Last People Who Can Read It Are Gone Good Good Good

For 15 Years, This Program Has Been Matching Disabled Youth With College Athletes — 4,500 Kids Later Good News Network

Women Are Turning an Old Convent Into an All-Women Housing Community Good Good Good

Medical Breakthroughs

There's a Surprisingly Simple Way to Remove Microplastics From Your Drinking Water Science Alert

Scientists Found a Gene That Lowers Alzheimer's Risk — and May Finally Know Why Science Alert

Doctors Can Now Detect a Rare Form of Dementia Before a Single Symptom Appears Knowridge

Sleep Protects You From Work Stress Better Than Exercise Does, a 10-Year Study Found Science Alert

Speaking Two Languages Protects the Brain From Dementia — But Differently for Men and Women Science Alert

Around the World

Dozens of Gates Were Removed and Salt Water Did the Rest — Australia's Ecosystems Are Recovering Good News Network

Jaguars Were Wiped Out in Argentina 70 Years Ago. They Just Came Back. Good Good Good

Mexico Now Has Universal Healthcare. Here's What Else Went Right This Week Around the World. Positive News

In Denmark, Rainy Days Are the Best Days — Especially If You're in Preschool r/MadeMeSmile

Iraq Is Restoring a 5,000-Year-Old Ziggurat Using Bricks Made From the Same Original Material Good News Network

Science

The Real-Life Story That Moved Pixar Animators to Make Their Next Film Good Good Good

Chornobyl Has Been Empty of Humans for Decades. The Animals Are Thriving Science Alert

Scientists Just Found a Remarkable Way to Help Kids Actually Like Vegetables Science Alert

Scientists Discovered Over 1,700 Hidden Proteins Inside Human Cells That Nobody Knew Existed Science Alert

Scientists Just Gave People Virtual Wings in VR — and It Changed Their Brains Science Alert

Community Wins

2,400 NYC Artists Were Given $1,000 a Month With No Strings Attached. Here's What Happened. Good Good Good

For 4 Years He Had No Home. Now He Grows His Favorite Flowers at a Cabin on a Lake. r/MadeMeSmile

Dance Is One of the Best Medicines for the Aging Brain — and Doctors Are Finally Prescribing It Reasons to Be Cheerful

A Father and Son Are Identical — and the Photo Is Making People Do a Double-Take r/BeAmazed

Japan's Skeletonics creates a 9 foot exoskeleton suit with zero motors or hydraulics r/BeAmazed

Kids Making a Difference

He's 10 Years Old. He Saved Up, Bought a 3D Printer, and Built a Business — So He Can Buy His Mom a House. Sunny Skyz

Students Are Fundraising to Save the Habitat Where They Watch Bald Eagle Chicks on Livestream Good News Network

A Dad Taught His Daughter to Ride a Bike. The Way He Did It Is Being Shared Everywhere. r/HumansBeingBros

A Young Cancer Survivor Got a Make-A-Wish. His One Request Said Everything About Him. InspireMore

A 12-Year-Old Swam 6 Hours Alone in the Ocean. Then She Found Help. r/BeAmazed

Animals & Pets

A Loggerhead Sea Turtle Needed His Flipper Amputated. Now He's Finally on the Road to Recovery. Good Good Good

A Disabled Parrot Became the Alpha Male of His Entire Flock' Good Good Good

A Parrot Just Set a World Record by Identifying 10 Colors Faster Than Anyone Thought Possible r/BeAmazed

Acts of Kindness

A Passenger Spent 42 Days in Quarantine on a Cruise Ship. A Stranger's Kindness Got Him Through It. Good Good Good

A Jogger Spotted Something on the Beach. The Call She Made Saved a Critically Endangered Penguin. Good News Network

A Whole Southwest Airlines Flight Just Did Something Unforgettable for a 2-Year-Old Cancer Survivor InspireMore

She Posted That It Was Her Birthday and Anyone Was Welcome at Her Picnic. Dozens of Strangers Showed Up r/MadeMeSmile

Uplifting Videos

A Haunted House. A Scooby-Doo Tactic. And the Best Reaction You'll See All Week. youtube

Grandma Peggy's Breakfast Club youtube

Fifth-grade substitute teacher intentionally calls out all the wrong names during roll call to see the kids reaction youtube/shorts

Environmental Victories

Las Vegas Figured Out How to Drink Its Own Wastewater. The Rest of the West Is Following. Reasons to Be Cheerful

Connecticut Just Moved to Ban Balloon Releases to Protect Wildlife r/UpliftingNews

Colorado's River Otters Are Back — 50 Years After Almost Disappearing for Good Reasons to Be Cheerful

Heroes Among Us

One Year After She Graduated Medical School With Twins in Her Arms, Her Husband Walked the Same Stage r/MadeMeSmile

She Set Off on a 254-Mile Race. She Finished 3 Hours Ahead of the Men's Record. r/BeAmazed

She Put Everything on the Line. Then Won $240,150. InspireMore