For millions of people suffering with knee pain, a new, non-surgical procedure offers the promise of easing it away for at least 12 months with a single injection. Genicular artery embolization, or GAE, is an emerging, minimally invasive treatment that targets abnormal blood vessels in osteoarthritis patients. In an osteoarthritic knee, abnormal vessels build up […] The post Knee Pain Suffered by Millions Can Be Eased Using New Non-Surgical Procedure appeared first on Good News Network.

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. Networking Sixty-eight quadrillion miles: That unfathomable number represents the estimated extent of the network of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi weaving through soil around the world. These filaments form what the New York Times calls the planet’s “hidden circulatory system,” which transports nutrients and stores carbon.  According to the story, which Executive Editor Will Doig shared this week, a new study used machine learning to measure the network and see how it varies from place to place. In particular, the study points to the dense fungal networks found beneath grasslands as an indication of the global importance of these ecosystems as carbon sinks. Will says: If you were a fan of our Fungi Week, you’ll appreciate just how central these vast underground filament networks are to the sustainability of our planet, as this fascinating new study reveals. Good energy Earlier this month, Europe’s largest residential complex got a lot greener, as Le Monde reports (in French, subscription required) in a story shared by Contributing Editor Peter Yeung. In a first for France, the Parly 2 estate outside Paris switched from natural gas heating to a system in which 70 percent of its heating and hot water is provided by carbon-free geothermal energy. This is happening as new technological developments are making geothermal more promising than ever, as Peter recently reported for RTBC. Peter says: The estate comprises 237 buildings with 7,500 flats and is home to 15,000 residents. While the prospect of saving money convinced the co-owners, the impact on their CO₂ emissions is also significant. What else we’re reading Opinion: One City Might Have Just Cracked the Housing Crisis — shared by Contributing Editor Michaela Haas from the New York Times Could Massachusetts Get Rent Control Back After a 32-Year Ban? — shared by Will Doig from Shelterforce Kansas City, a Car Town, Spends Millions on World Cup Transit — shared by Editorial Director Rebecca Worby from the New York Times In other news… Back in 2023, Contributing Editor Michaela Haas wrote for us about the beginning of an unusual series of musical performances, where audience members lounge on floor mats and participate in mindfulness exercises. As Michaela reported at the time, Carnegie Hall’s Well-Being concerts were inspired by a 2019 World Health Organization report that found that making and listening to music is associated with reduced stress, anxiety and loneliness. Now, Carnegie Hall has announced its 2026-27 season of Well-Being Concerts starting in October. Read Michaela’s story to learn more and then go see what’s on tap for this season. The post What We’re Reading: Mapping the World of Fungi Beneath Our Feet appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.

Vincent Serritella was only a little concerned about the flashing bright spots in his lower-left vision field; he wasn’t expecting anything serious. The former Pixar animator and San Francisco Bay area artist was in for a surprise—going from waking up with the bright spots to making a decision to go into open-brain surgery. At Sutter […] The post Artist Beats Brain Cancer And Paints Amazing Portraits of Hospital Staff as Thank-you Gifts (LOOK) appeared first on Good News Network.

Adam Sandbeck and Mike Gravalin took off for an ATV ride in Minnesota on June 6, 2026, expecting it to be an average Saturday afternoon. But as their ATV began to run low on fuel, they decided to take a shortcut to get back, hoping they wouldn’t find themselves stranded and out of gas, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Adam and Mike noticed a minivan that appeared abandoned on the side of the road. At first, the van’s location gave Mike, a retired deputy US marshal, pause. He feared an Ambush, but what happened was nothing as he expected. Adam Sandbeck and Mike Gravalin Found a Missing Woman Adam Sandbeck recalled the moment to the Star Tribune, “I just remember saying to myself, ‘Oh my God, please don’t be a dead person.’ She was completely submerged,” he said. She was very much alive but clinging to the hope that someone would find her. Kathryn Woessner was trapped in the quicksand for three days before Adam and Mike found her. Mike told the Star Tribune that Kathryn’s inner strength and faith truly impressed him. “I mean, this has got to be one of the strongest women there is … You think about her just watching the sunset, the sunup and burning every day in the sun, and she still had the will to live,” he said. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office shared the good news on Facebook. Many people cheered Adam Sandbeck and Mike Gravalin on. “What an amazing story! Bless God for directions them to her and getting her rescued. She had incredible strength during this. I’m sure her family was so concerned. Wonderful outcome,” someone wrote. Adam used the day as a teaching moment for himself and others. “Never be annoyed at your situation, because everything happens for a reason,” he said. This story’s featured image can be found here

If you ask the average person if they think they are good at remembering names, they’ll probably say no. People are generally bad at remembering names because, when we meet someone new, the only connection we are likely to make to their name is their appearance. The problem is that the connection between someone’s looks and their name is rather arbitrary. In short, it’s tough to make a logical connection between the two.  Is there a special look that a Michelle, Claudia, or Ryan may have? Probably not enough to attach their name ot their face next time you see them. This leads to the uncomfortable moment when you leave the party and can’t remember their name, or you see them again in a few weeks and draw a blank.  A woman telling her name. Credit: Canva The fact that people aren’t very good at remembering names works both ways; it’s bad when you forget theirs and they can’t remember yours. What if someone meets you at a party and they want to ask you out afterward, but don’t remember your name? What if you meet a great connection at a networking event, and they can’t remember your name to find you on LinkedIn? It’s hard to make a name for ourselves in this world if no one remembers us. The good news is that there are ways to make it a lot easier for people to remember. A woman forgetting a name. Credit: Canva How to make sure people remember your name Psychologists and communication experts often say that the key to remembering other people’s names is to make associations. Let’s say a woman’s name is Lisa: then you make an association with their appearance, “Lisa with the lip gloss,” or if they liked reading, “Lisa the Librarian.” The association doesn’t have to be factually accurate, as long as you create a connection. To get people to remember your name, the key is to create a strong association or hook in their minds. The great thing is that you only need to come up with one clever hook, and you can use it every time you meet someone new. Let’s say your name is Olivia:  “Hello, I’m Olivia. Just like olives.” “Hello, I’m Olivia. Like the actress from Grease, Olivia Newton-John.” “Hello, I’m Olivia. When I was a kid I thought my name was ‘Livia, because whenever I spilled something, it sounded like mom said, ‘Oh! Livia.'” A woman introducing herself. Credit: Canva It’s all about associations Nick Morgan, Ph.D., says that the best way to remember someone’s name is to make associations. Therefore, it’s the best way to help others remember your name, too. There’s nothing wrong with doing the work for them.  “Here, you should hook other phrases, thoughts, words, and ideas that you are already familiar with to the new name. So the word association game – picturing a blacksmith when introduced to someone named Smith, for example, is still a good way to go,” Morgan writes at Psychology Today.  Ultimately, there’s a lot to be gained when people remember your name. Whether it’s the good-looking gal or guy you met at the bar, the HR director at a networking event, or the people who just moved across the street, being remembered goes a long way. People are bad at names, but you can make them good at remembering yours by creating a memorable hook that makes you unforgettable.  The post Most people are bad with names. Here’s the trick to make sure they remember yours. appeared first on Upworthy.