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New CRISPR-based cancer therapy have shown to destroy certain repeating DNA sequences only present in cancer cells in lab study. Researchers believe the new data may open avenue to treating glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer.

Do you believe we’ll ever live in a cancer free world? I think we are headed that direction!

World News

Trapped Construction Workers Rescued

All 41 construction workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand, India, have been successfully rescued after a landslide on November 12th caused a portion of the 2.2-mile tunnel to collapse. The workers, who were trapped for 17 days, survived on food and oxygen sent through narrow steel pipes. The rescue operation, coordinated by multiple agencies, was one of the most significant in recent years.

The workers managed to escape through steel pipes that were inserted into tunnels drilled within the debris. After the drilling machine malfunctioned, rescue teams were forced to drill the tunnels manually. They worked continuously, penetrating over 100 feet of rubble by Tuesday. The tunnel was originally constructed to link Hindu pilgrimage sites throughout the Himalayas

Upon emerging from the tunnel, the workers were greeted by their families and loved ones in a small tent community. Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami announced financial assistance of one lakh rupees (about $1,200) for each worker, and their hospital bills will be covered by the local government.

Innovation

Man With Parkinson's Walks Again

A 63-year-old man from Bordeaux, France, diagnosed with advanced Parkinson's Disease 20 years ago, has regained significant motor functions, including the ability to walk unaided for miles, thanks to an experimental spinal implant.

Developed through collaboration between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital, the technology involves mapping the patient's spinal cord, implanting electrodes at key locations, and using sensors to send information to a stimulator that then corrects abnormal signals. The patient, Marc, no longer fears stairs and walks around 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) regularly. The technology is considered a major breakthrough, with plans to test it on six more patients before potential public availability in the future.

Culture

Brazil's Ancient Amazon Reel

On the evening of November 22, the Brazilian Cinémathèque in Sao Paulo buzzed with anticipation as a black-and-white, silent documentary from 1918 took center stage.

Despite its unassuming appearance, the film, "Amazonas, o Maior Rio do Mundo" ("Amazon, the Greatest River in the World"), captured exceptional scenes from the Amazon. Forgotten for decades, this 66-minute feature directed by Silvino Santos showcased the labor of nut pickers, rubber tappers, Indigenous rock sculptures, and close-up shots of jaguars, monkeys, and crocodiles. Thought to be lost, the film miraculously resurfaced this year!

Aside from offering a rare and special glimpse into a bygone Era of Amazonian exploration the film holds immense artistic value because of his use of "modern" film making techniques featuring dynamic editing, zooms, movement, and a mix of lyrical, comic, and contemplative perspectives.

Environment

Endangered Rhino Calf Born in Daylight

Chester Zoo keepers are excited about the recent arrival of a new eastern black rhino calf. The eastern black rhino is critically endangered, with fewer than 600 remaining in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Emma Evison, the zoo's rhino team manager, expressed the team's excitement, stating that witnessing the calf's birth in daylight was a unique privilege. The birth is a positive step in the endangered species breeding program, with some black rhinos born in the program already relocated to protected areas in Africa.

Chester Zoo has been actively contributing to rhino conservation, including the development of a unique method to pair rhinos for mating. The zoo houses the UK's only zoo-based animal endocrine lab, using precise hormone tracking techniques to improve the chances of successful mating. This technology is now being integrated to a specialized lab in Kenya to support conservation efforts in the wild.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.

Mind Stretchers
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I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
She’s bald 😁