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 and we just might feature it here. Marketable skills With few jobs available, youth in the U.K. are taking their skills to market — literally. That’s according to a Positive News story shared by Contributing Editor Geetanjali Krishna. Thanks to a scheme that grants them free market stalls, young entrepreneurs are tapping into an old trade while getting to try something new. One young trader compares the market space to a “live R&D lab” — a place where ideas can be easily tested, with real-time feedback — and a great fit for those less suited to formal workplaces. Geetanjali says: I love stories about projects that help young people find creative alternatives when conventional avenues don’t work out. The U.K.’s National Market Traders Association is offering stalls free to people between 16 and 30, and the nation’s markets are turning into vibrant business incubators. I mean, who’d say no to chili sauce with mango and pineapple? Or to duck-shaped candy floss? Green houses This year, Berkeley, California, became the first U.S. city to require emissions-reducing upgrades any time a home is sold. As the Daily Californian reports in a story shared by Executive Editor Will Doig, the new policy is part of the city’s effort to reach net-zero emissions by 2045. Will says: The best opportunity for cities to get involved with housing upgrades is often when a home is flipping to a new buyer, so it’s good to see one city seizing that moment to green its housing stock. What else we’re reading Denver Cut Street Homelessness Nearly in Half — shared by Contributing Editor Michaela Haas from Governing Study finds cash for pregnant women leads to healthier babies — shared by Editorial Director Rebecca Worby from NPR Now (video) More Shelters Make Room for Four-Legged Friends — shared by Michaela Haas from the New York Times U.S. street drug deaths keep dropping, but some Western states see deadly overdose surge — shared by Will Doig from NPR From our readers… Last month, we published RTBC Founder David Byrne’s interview with Mark Gold, former director of water scarcity solutions at the Natural Resources Defense Council, about how places like Orange County and Las Vegas have become leaders in water recycling, an increasingly vital practice in the parched American West.  Reader Rosemary Cairns reached out to let us know that our interview had left out a key innovator in water recycling: Namibia, where a “pioneering facility … has been producing drinking water from wastewater since 1968,” she writes. And, she notes, people from the U.S. and elsewhere have been traveling there for years to learn from the country’s “progress in developing unconventional water sources.” Read more in Rosemary’s Substack post about Namibia’s success in making every drop count. Thanks for sharing this with us, Rosemary! The post What We’re Reading: Why Young Entrepreneurs Are Flocking to Britain’s Old-School Markets appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.

We’re ready for summer, and so are our favorite restaurants. Chick-fil-A is famous for its delicious food and seasonal menu items. They understand that we like to switch things up a bit from time to time, and Chick-fil-A delivers. Just in time for the warmer months, the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, Pineapple Dragonfruit beverages, and delicious Peach treats hit Chick-fil-A restaurants starting on June 8, 2026. But that’s not the only fun planned for this summer. The restaurant will also bring back Cow Appreciation Day on July 14, so fans can earn free food just for dressing up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Snackolator (@snackolator) Chick-fil-A Prides Itself on Crowd-Pleasing Seasonal Items Chick-fil-A understands that the key to staying relevant is mixing things up every season. We can always count on the restaurant for a new twist on a classic or the return of our favorites. “This summer is a celebration of the fun, flavors, and experiences our Guests love the most and ask us to bring back, year after year. That’s what our year of ‘Newstalgia’ is all about – delivering timeless favorites with fresh new twists, allowing a new generation of Guests to experience our 80-year heritage in a way that feels new, yet nostalgic, and unmistakably Chick-fil-A,” Khalilah Cooper, Vice President of Brand Strategy, Advertising & Media for Chick-fil-A, Inc., shared in a news release. Chick-fil-A fans shared their excitement about the summer menu on Instagram. “That pineapple dragonfruit lemonade was a hit all summer. For adults I add dragon berry Bicardi and a little grenadine,” a fan wrote. “The honey pepper chicken pimento sandwich – FINALLY!” Another person added. The new Chick-fil-A seasonal menu drops on June 8, but don’t wait. It’s only for a limited time. This story’s featured image can be found here

When it comes to baby animals, it takes a village. And sometimes that village includes a tattoo and piercing parlor. Help often comes from the most unlikely of sources. Such was the case for a maternal opossum who set up shop in a tree behind the store. She got herself wedged and stuck, and in the process of being helped, she inadvertently dropped a few of her baby opossums along the way. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vishnu Bunny Tattoo & Piercing (@vishnubunnytattoo) Vishnu Bunny Tattoo and Piercing posted photos of it all, alongside a brief explanation of what went down. On their Instagram page, they share, “A momma opossum made her way to a deep window well behind the shop. Animal control helped her out, but in the process, some babies fell from her pouch. We then learned that the mommas don’t know that they dropped babies and therefore they don’t come back for them.” But they had a plan to help. “We contacted Deanna at @keepinitwildwildliferescue, and she changed her route for the day and drove over an hour to come save them. We cannot thank her enough for not only what she did for these babies but for all she does for animals in general.” The woman they’re referring to at Keepin It Wild Wildlife Rescue is Deanna Leach. She states on her social media pages a clear mission of their rescue, located in Jefferson, South Dakota: “To protect and rehabilitate injured, orphaned, and displaced animals, returning them to their natural habitats.” She too posted photos/videos of the baby opossums and asks the community for help with formula, if they feel inclined. “With the overwhelming number of baby opossums currently in our care, we are in desperate need of more formula.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Deanna Leach (@keepinitwildwildliferescue) She shares a photo of a tiny grey, white, and black baby opossum cuddling in a red, white, and blue blanket. “These little ones require around-the-clock feedings, and we are going through supplies incredibly fast. If you would like to help support the babies, this formula would make a huge difference for our rescue.” (Her page lists places in which people can donate.) Christine Manika, a co-host at the KXRB radio station in Sioux Falls, caught wind of the kind story and shared it on her radio station’s socials and that of their sister station KKRC’s Facebook page. She added, “The sad part is it’s not unusual that possum moms don’t come back for their babies once they are out of the pouch. Luckily these babies were in good hands!” On the Opossum Society US official site, they back up the claims that opossum babies (and other small wildlife) can often have a rough go in the wild. “The opossum has an average lifespan of 1 to 2 years. This short lifespan is due in part to the presence of many predators, including dogs, cats, and people. Sometimes the opossum is able to escape death by ‘playing ‘possum’ or feigning death.” On a lighter note, they also share some cuddly fun facts. “Despite its appearance, the opossum is not related to the rat. In fact, the opossum is a marsupial, or ‘pouched’ mammal, and is therefore related to other marsupials such as the kangaroo and the koala. Like kangaroos and koalas, infant opossums stay inside the mother’s pouch to nurse and develop. The opossum holds the distinction of being North America’s only marsupial.” (They are referred to as possums in Australia and are genetically different.) Baby opossums. Video Credit Deanna Leach, Keepin’ It wild Wildlife Rescue Upworthy had the chance to chat with Leach, whose rescue is full of tiny possums and raccoons. She sent a video of the tiniest opossum peering behind a “blanket tent” set up for him and his fellow opossum siblings. He adorably yawns as he decides whether to burrow or have a little snack. Ultimately, he opts for the snack, gently lapping up liquid in a bowl. “Pretty soon the ten tinies are gonna join you,” Leach tells him. She then pans over to three in a corner and shares, “These are the three from the tattoo place in Sioux Falls. Aren’t they adorable? They’re doing really good!” The post People at Sioux Falls tattoo parlor help save baby opossums after they ‘fell out of their mom’s pouch’ appeared first on Upworthy.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a 500-patient trial at American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago, a daily pill called daraxonrasib doubled average survival time in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Those on the drug lived for an average of 13.2 months. Those on standard chemotherapy lived for 6.6 to 6.7 months. Side effects were fewer, too. Oncologists at the conference called it a grand slam. It’s also what four decades of failing to crack one specific gene looks like when it finally works. Why KRAS proved so hard to target Pancreatic cancer kills more people than almost any other cancer. More than half of patients are only identified after the disease has spread, and treatments have barely changed in decades. The five-year survival rate for advanced cases is around three percent. One gene is behind most of it. Over 90 percent of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common form, carry a mutation in KRAS — one that keeps sending growth signals to cells that should stop dividing. Block it, and you could stop the cancer. Researchers have been trying since the 1980s. The problem: KRAS has no obvious pocket where drug molecules can latch on. For decades, the field wrote it off as undruggable. How daraxonrasib switches off the signal Daraxonrasib is a Ras(On) multi-selective inhibitor. It works by gluing molecules together to grip and shut down the KRAS protein, cutting off the growth signal entirely. It does this regardless of which KRAS variant a patient carries, and even when no variant is present. Earlier drugs in this space only worked against specific mutations. This one doesn’t have that restriction. “The idea of targeting Kras has always been the holy grail in most malignancies, but specifically in pancreas cancer, because it is nearly ubiquitous and it is an early driver of pancreas cancer growth,” said Dr. Rachna Shroff, chief of oncology at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. “The Ras revolution is here, and this study is proof of principle that targeting Kras in pancreatic cancer is feasible and effective.” Trial results: 13.2 months versus 6.6 The trial was led by researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. All 500 participants had pancreatic cancer that had spread. Those on daraxonrasib lived for an average of 13.2 months; those on chemotherapy, 6.6 to 6.7 months. Shroff, who had no involvement in the study, said she wept reading those numbers. “Having treated pancreatic cancer for 16 years, I actually started crying in clinic. This is such an incredibly impactful study for our patients.” Dr. Julie Gralow, ASCO’s chief medical officer, called the results a gamechanger. Others at the conference called it a home run. “I would actually say it’s a grand slam,” Gralow said. Paula Hanford, chief executive of UK-based Pancreatic Cancer Action, called it one of the most significant treatment developments she had seen. “For far too long, people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have had incredibly limited treatment options and survival rates that have remained devastatingly low. To see a trial showing the potential to nearly double survival time in advanced pancreatic cancer is hugely encouraging.” What comes next for patients and other cancers Half of all people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within three months. Having a drug that works doesn’t solve that; getting it to patients does. Anna Jewell, director of services, research and innovation at Pancreatic Cancer UK, put it simply: “More time with those we love most is truly priceless. We must do everything possible to ensure the most promising new treatments are available.” KRAS mutations show up in roughly a third of all human tumors, not just pancreatic ones. Similar drugs are already in trials for lung and colon cancers. Researchers in Chicago said daraxonrasib’s results give the broader Ras-targeting approach something it hasn’t had before: proof that it works.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post A daily pill just doubled survival time for advanced pancreatic cancer first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Zebra striping, the practice of alternating each alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one, is catching on: 34 percent of UK adults reported trying it in 2025. The strategy does help. Just not quite in the way people think it does. The actual mechanism: total consumption The body processes alcohol at a relatively fixed rate, roughly one standard drink per hour. In the US, a standard drink is about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which works out to a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce beer, or 1.5 ounces of spirits. Drink faster than that, and blood alcohol concentration rises, driving intoxication and putting physiological stress on the body. Zebra striping slows things down. Inserting a non-alcoholic drink into every other round extends the gaps between drinks and often means fewer drinks overall. Both outcomes lower peak BAC. That matters beyond the next morning. Heavy drinking in a single session impairs decision-making, disrupts memory, and reduces inhibitory control. Research from Liverpool John Moores University on binge drinking found impairments in verbal fluency and attention-switching among heavy social drinkers. Zebra striping works as a brake, and there’s a social dimension too: holding a drink makes it easier to turn down the next round when everyone else is still going. Why hydration isn’t the main story The common version of the zebra striping pitch goes: alternating with water keeps you hydrated, which prevents hangovers. It’s more complicated than that. Alcohol is a diuretic, so it does cause fluid loss, and drinking water alongside alcohol offsets some of that. This can ease symptoms like thirst, headaches, and dizziness. But dehydration and hangovers aren’t the same thing. Fixing your fluid balance doesn’t reliably prevent one. Hangovers come from several directions at once: acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism; inflammation; disrupted sleep; and changes to immune response. How bad a hangover gets tracks closely with total alcohol consumed and how fast the body can clear it. Staying hydrated addresses one piece of a messier picture. The carbonation detail most people miss The choice of non-alcoholic drink matters more than most people realize. Carbonated mixers, sodas, sparkling water, speed up how quickly alcohol enters the bloodstream. The bubbles increase pressure in the stomach, pushing alcohol into the small intestine faster, which means a quicker rise in BAC. Fizzy drinks won’t make you more drunk overall, but they can front-load the intoxication. When it works and when it doesn’t Zebra striping only helps if you actually drink less. If the slower pace just means a longer night, or if lighter early drinks give way to stronger ones later, the benefit evaporates. The other complication: the self-control required to stick to the pattern tends to fade in exactly the conditions where it matters most. After decades of research, there is still no reliable hangover cure. The evidence consistently shows the same thing: drink less, feel better the next day. Zebra striping is a useful tool if it gets you there. Whether it does depends on what you actually do with the slower pace.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post Zebra striping can cut hangovers, with one important catch first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.