Science
July 19, 2026 – July 26, 2026
Good news this week.
The most-read positive news, uplifting stories, and science breakthroughs from the past seven days on The Good Press.
Most-read this week
News
Great Apes Hug Before Conflict — 7-Million-Year-Old Habit
A Durham University study finds great apes use hugging and touch before stressful events—a trust ritual scientists trace back 7 million years.
Science
First Atmosphere Found on Habitable-Zone World LHS 1140b
Scientists detected helium escaping from rocky exoplanet LHS 1140b—48 light-years away in its star's habitable zone—making it a prime candidate for life.
More good news from this week
Technology
AI Designs CRISPR Proteins That Outperform Nature
Jennifer Doudna's UC Berkeley team used AI to engineer synthetic CRISPR nucleases that edit DNA more efficiently than any protein evolution has produced.
Technology
Limiting Social Media Helps Teens Sleep, Focus, and Connect
A UK government trial of 309 households found that every form of social media restriction — from daily limits to outright bans — improved teen sleep, concentration, and family connection.
Technology
Elephant-Inspired Robot Gripper Can Now Feel What It Touches
JAIST engineers built EleTac, a soft robotic gripper inspired by elephant trunks that uses a tiny internal camera and AI to sense shape, texture, and force — giving robots a true sense of touch.
Human Achievements
Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, Breaks 38-Year Chess Record
The Harrow schoolgirl defeated a 2628-rated grandmaster in France — becoming the youngest girl ever to beat a 2600+ GM, eclipsing Judit Polgar's record from 1988.
Human Achievements
Wanyonyi Shatters 1,000m World Record in Monaco
Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Olympic 800m champion, ran 2:11.83 in Monaco to break a world record held by Noah Ngeny since 1999—shaving 0.13 seconds off the mark.
Technology
Brain Bypass Lets Paralyzed Man Feed Himself Again
Keith Thomas broke his neck in 2020; now electrodes in his brain and fingertips let him scratch his nose, hold a cup, and pet his dog — even when the computer is switched off.
Human Achievements
NASA Awards $600M for 4 Commercial Moon Landings in 2028
NASA is funding four commercial lunar landers set to touch down in 2028, each carrying the same trio of science instruments — marking a new era of regular, frequent access to the Moon.
News
New Zealand Creates 5 Marine Reserves for Dolphins and Kelp
308 square miles of protected ocean near Otago will safeguard Hector's dolphins, yellow-eyed penguins, and ancient kelp forests — New Zealand's biggest marine protection step in a decade.
Science
32 Wild Avocado Varieties Found in Nicaragua's Rainforest
Researchers from Texas A&M found 32 genetically distinct avocado landraces in Nicaragua, some immune to the root rot disease threatening the global Hass crop.
Science
Lost Coral Reef Found Teeming With Life Off West Africa
A reef off the Benin coast — noted in 1960s surveys and then forgotten — has been rediscovered alive, with 8 coral types and 8 fish species thriving on the seabed.
Technology
Sand Dampers Will Make Skyscrapers Safer and Cheaper
New research shows pressurized sand-based building dampers outperform traditional hydraulic systems at extreme temperatures — and can be repaired in hours by any machinist.
News
El Salvador Eliminates Trachoma, WHO Confirms
El Salvador has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, the WHO confirms — part of a remarkable 94% global decline in cases since 2002.
Human Achievements
Mexico's 6-Year Drought Nears End With 94% Recovery
Steady rains have reversed nearly all of Mexico's six-year drought — as of mid-June, 97.6% of the country is drought-free, offering relief to millions of farmers and city residents.
News
Amazon Deforestation Falls 38% to a 10-Year Low in 2026
Brazil's national space agency confirms just 500 sq miles of Amazon was cleared in H1 2026 — down 38% from 2025 and the lowest in a decade.
Science
Scientists Find 8 Universal Building Blocks in Birdsong
A study analyzing 116,000 songs from 3,000+ species reveals all birdsong is built from just 8 fundamental sound types — a hidden acoustic grammar linking every songbird on Earth.
News
World-First Koala Vaccine Implant Cuts Infection by 75%
An 18-month-old koala named Bamse has become the first wild animal to receive a revolutionary two-in-one vaccine implant for chlamydia, cutting infection rates in her Queensland community.
Human Achievements
Josh Kerr Shatters 27-Year Mile World Record With 3:42.66
The Scottish middle-distance star ran the fastest mile in human history at the London Diamond League, breaking a record that had stood since 1999.