Doctors rewrite baby’s DNA to save his life

The Daily Quote podcast page The Great News Podcast page The Great News Letter CONTACT ME Recorded in my secret underground layer, here are the latest great news stories from greatnewspodcast.com. Brought to you by the Daily Quote - a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. Tired of all the Doom and Gloom news from Mainstream Media? You'll get none of that here... Instead, you'll find inspiring stories and developments making the world a better place. I'm Andrew McGivern and this is the Great News Podcast. Today... we're diving into some truly groundbreaking advancements in medicine, technology, and even space exploration. What if Doctor's could just rewrite a baby's DNA to save its life from a deadly genetic disorder? That is our lead story today. Plus we have a mask that can detect kidney disease, a startup that plans to mine the moon for Helium-3, and a new concrete that can heal itself! And don't forget to stick around for the speed round where we dive into even more great news. First up, our lead story, a medical first that could change lives: Doctors rewrite baby’s DNA to save his life — a world first. In a groundbreaking medical first, doctors in the U.S. have successfully used gene editing to treat a baby with a rare and deadly genetic disorder. Baby KJ was born with CPS1 deficiency, a condition so rare it affects only 1 in 1.3 million people. It prevents the body from clearing ammonia—a toxic waste product—which can build up quickly and cause severe damage to the brain and organs. Most babies with this condition don’t survive infancy. But thanks to a custom-made gene therapy, KJ now has a fighting chance. A team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania: Designed and tested a personalized DNA repair treatment in just six months. Used a high-precision tool called base editing to change just the right “letter” in KJ’s DNA—without cutting the DNA strand. KJ received his first dose in February, and follow-up treatments in March and April. So far, results are promising: he can now eat more protein, and doctors have reduced the medications that help flush out toxins. While it's still early days, this success shows how gene editing could transform treatment for many genetic diseases—starting right after birth. Now.. If you like the great news podcast, you'll love the great news letter. Because the great news podcast is great, but the Great News Letter is Greater. Link is in the show notes. Moving on to a mask that can sniff out Kidney Disease. Face mask that smells disease? It’s real—and it’s 93% accurate. Scientists in Italy have turned a regular face mask into a powerful medical tool. By adding tiny gas sensors to a standard FFP2 mask, they’ve created a wearable device that can detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) just by analyzing your breath—with more than 93% accuracy. Here’s how it works: The mask has four miniature sensors that pick up chemicals in your breath. These include substances like ammonia and acetone, which build up in the body when the kidneys aren’t working properly. Each sensor responds to different compounds, helping the system spot a unique “breathprint” of kidney disease. This is huge because diagnosing CKD normally involves blood and urine tests, which can be invasive, expensive, and hard to access in some parts of the world. This smart mask makes it fast, non-invasive, and portable. Even better? The researchers believe this tech could eventually detect other illnesses—like diabetes, liver disease, or even some cancers—just from your breath. After years of wearing masks, turning them into health monitors might be the next big thing in preventive medicine. And now lets look up at the stars.... A U.S. Startup Plans to Mine the Moon for $20 Million-per-Kilo Fuel A Seattle-based company called Interlune is aiming to be the first to mine the Moon—and not for gold or water, but for something even rarer: helium-3. This unusual isotope could one day power clean nuclear fusion and revolutionize quantum computing, and the Moon is loaded with it. What’s helium-3? It’s a non-radioactive version of helium. Extremely rare on Earth (mostly made in nuclear reactors). But the Moon, exposed to solar winds for billions of years, has a rich supply. What’s the plan? Interlune has built a robotic excavator that can dig 3 meters into the Moon’s surface and process 100 tons of lunar dust per hour. The helium-3 is extracted on the Moon, not brought back in raw form. The company has already signed deals—including one with the U.S. Department of Energy—and aims to deliver helium-3 to Earth by 2029. Why it matters: Fusion energy using helium-3 could be cleaner and safer—no radioactive waste. It also helps reach ultra-cold temperatures needed for quantum computing. One kilo of helium-3 might be worth $20 million, but the potential to power the future makes it priceless. Interlune’s three-step plan: find it, test it, and mine it—could mark the start of a lunar economy. And this isn't science fiction - this plan is already set in motion! Now back to earth... Concrete That Heals Itself—With Microbes and Sunlight Concrete is everywhere—second only to water in global use—but it has one major flaw: it cracks, letting in water and gases that can corrode structures. Repairs cost the U.S. tens of billions every year. Now, scientists at Texas A&M University have developed a self-healing concrete that repairs its own cracks using microbes, inspired by lichen—the hardy organisms found growing on rocks in harsh environments. How it works: Cyanobacteria inside the concrete use sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow. Filamentous fungi partner with them to produce minerals that seal cracks. All it needs is light, air, and water—no added nutrients or chemicals. Unlike older self-healing concretes that required external feeding, this new system is fully autonomous and works even in the tough conditions inside concrete. Why it matters: Could cut infrastructure repair costs dramatically. Boosts the durability and safety of buildings, bridges, and roads. May even work in extreme environments—think disaster zones, deserts, or even outer space. Nature-inspired and low-maintenance, this concrete could literally build a better, smarter world—one crack at a time. Alright, let's dive into the speed round for even more great news! 3D-Printed Bone Grafts Tailored to You: Scientists created a printable material that mimics real bone and can be custom-shaped from CT scans—offering personalized implants that might replace metal hardware and even help pets avoid amputations. Leak-Proof, Eco-Friendly AC Tech: A startup’s new solid “barocaloric” materials could replace harmful AC gases, cutting emissions by 75% with a suitcase-sized, leak-proof cooling system — first for big buildings, then homes. Cheap, Super-Efficient Uranium From Seawater: Chinese scientists invented a low-energy, low-cost electrochemical method that captures 100% of uranium from seawater in 40 minutes — slashing costs and boosting nuclear fuel supply. And finally... RSV Hospitalizations in Babies Plummet: New maternal vaccine and antibody treatments cut RSV hospital stays by over half in infants this season — a major win against a top cause of baby hospitalizations. And my favourite quote of the day from the Daily Quote podcast this week is from Robert Louis Stevenson, who once said, Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. To listen to an inspiring quote every day follow the Daily Quote in your podcast app of choice - link in the show notes. That's it for today's episode of Great News! From life-saving gene editing and innovative health tech to harnessing lunar resources and building smarter infrastructure, science and innovation are moving faster than ever, solving problems we once thought were unsolvable. These aren't distant possibilities; we're seeing them happen right now. If you loved this content, be sure to follow, subscribe, share, and send it to someone who needs a little positivity in their day! Until next time, keep looking for the good in the world, because it's not only there, it's everywhere.