Optimist World | Good News

Medical researchers find that happiness is catching

Happiness is contagious, researchers say. The more happy people you know, the more likely you are yourself to be happy and getting connected to happy people improves a person's own happiness, they report in the British Medical Journal.

Lebanese farmer's delight at finding what may be the world's heaviest potato

It could make a few helpings of chips that's for sure. And the Lebanese farmer who found what may be the world's heaviest potato can barely conceal his excitement at his discovery.

Prince Harry honours brave youngsters at Woman's Own Children Of Courage Awards

He may be royalty, but for once Prince Harry had to take a back seat as he honoured the real stars of the show at the Woman's Own Children Of Courage Awards.

Australian study reveals that smaller spiders make better lovers

Bigger isn't necessarily better when it comes to sex. An Australian university study has found, would you believe, that smaller spiders make more successful lovers than their larger rivals.

The Independent On Sunday?s Happy List reveals what makes Britain feel good

We've seen them all in our newspapers and magazines - The Wealth List, Power List, Influence List, Celebrity List. But a national newspaper has revealed the list of the people who make us happiest in the UK.

The 'Miracle' Of A Transplant Patient Who Changed Blood Groups

It's been hailed by doctors as a 'one-in-six-billion chance miracle.' An Australian teenage girl has become the world's first known transplant patient to change blood groups...

'Five-A-Day' Could Boost Your Pay

Few of us can have escaped the advice of experts that we should we eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day to ensure good health.

Multi-Million Pound Tobacco Research Aims To Stub Out Cancer Deaths

Awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco and the need to limit our exposure to it has really grown in recent years ? and there could be no better sign that we're taking it seriously than the change in the law which has banned smoking from pubs and restaurants

Apprenticeships Could Boost Britain's Workforce

There can be no better way to learn a profession than getting stuck into the job itself.

Scientists go in search of the world's rarest frogs, the golden toad

Some of the rarest frogs in the world could be re-discovered as scientists embark on a fascinating trip to Costa Rica.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Continue To Fall

If you've been doing your bit to help the environment, then give yourself a small pat on the back.

How Flat-Pack Homes Could Make Owning Your Home A Reality

We hear so often now about how tough it is for people to launch themselves onto the property ladder ? so the introduction of the first flat-pack homes for people on lower-incomes sounds like a positive solution.

Pensioners' Playground Shows Fun Isn't Just Child's Play

Now, if you have ever feared that reaching old age means being stuck indoors, confined to your armchair and watching younger people have all the fun then think again. You're never too old to play it seems, as a group of senior citizens in the North of England are discovering to their delight.

How Chimpanzees Could Hold The Key To Fighting Malaria

It?s one of the world's deadliest killers, claiming the lives of over a million people each year. But now the most deadly form of malaria, prevalent in Africa and SE Africa, could meet its match thanks to a new vaccine which uses a virus found in chimpanzees to boost its efficiency.

Why Snails Could Give Posties A Run For Their Money?

It's not often that snails come out on top as the fastest guys on the block ? but a disgruntled Polish IT worker has come up with a theory which he says proves they're quicker than his postal service.

Take That named as mums' favourite music for helping their babies to sleep

They've enjoyed a comeback other pop acts can only dream about. And as they celebrate the success of their new album, Circus,Take That are enjoying another accolade - being praised for helping calm distressed babies to sleep.

East German town of Dresden enjoys a giant Christmas cake in aid of charity

Christmas is well truly and coming - and around the world it's already being celebrated with unusual festivities, guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Take, the people of Dresden in East Germany, who have been tucking into a giant Christmas cake for charity.

Jessica Cox, a woman born with no arms, becomes first pilot to fly a plane using only her feet

She was born without any arms - but that hasn't stopped her making the most of life. Jessica Cox is a former dancer, a psychology graduate, has a double black belt in Tai Kwon-Do and can write, drive a car, brush her hair and talk on her phone - using her feet.

Good News - Simon Cowell says Dannii Minogue will be back as an X Factor judge

After eighteen long weeks of searching for a new pop act, The X Factor draws to a close this weekend. But the big question isn't so much who will win but will Dannii Minogue return as a judge next year. Simon Cowell says she will.

Leona Lewis is named PETA's Person Of The Year for her compassion for animals

She's won The X factor, she's sold millions upons millions of records around the world and picked up four BRIT awards. Now Leona Lewis has picked up perhaps her most impressive accolade, honoured for her commitment to animal welfare.

Office worker wins Heat magazine's Torso of the Year after being nominated by colleagues

In the famous Diet Coke TV advert, the women in the office fall for a hunky workman they spy through the window, accompanied by the Etta James classic I just Want To Make Love To You.

Firemen in Buckinghamshire save six cats by giving them the kiss of life

Six cats have been saved after firemen rescued them from a burning house and gave them the kiss of life.

BBC reaching out with Corporate Responsibility

Wireless technology has always been a social and cultural phenomenon. In the early 1920s, the founder of the BBC, John Reith, had a vision of "an independent British broadcaster able to educate, inform and entertain the whole nation, free from political pressure and commercial pressure," according the corporation's online site.

Amy's Winning Game As The Grammys Recognise True Talent

For all the speculation which surrounded Amy Winehouse's appearance at the Grammy Awards this year, one thing was certain. Talent, like truth, will always win out ? and Amy was destined to scoop the honours.

Baby Pigeons Rescue - Scottish SPCA's Wildlife Centre taking care

An animal welfare charity has come to the rescue of a box full of baby pigeons found on a doorstep in Scotland.

Woolworths opens doors as an online retail website - Good news!

Its demise was seen, perhaps, as the biggest sign of the times- a towering High Street icon felled by an extraordinary economic downturn. Now Woolworths is back - not on the high street, but online.

Pensioner, 84, survives four days trapped in well shaft in Canada

It just goes to prove how far the will to survive will sustain you. A pensioner is recovering after four days trapped in a well shaft on Canada's Pacific Coast.

Police use bubbles to fight crime in Greater Manchester

It may not sound like the most obvious weapon against violent crime but, believe it or not, bubbles - yes bubbles - will be used by police in Greater Manchester to calm town centre revellers.

Good news for honest worker as he can keep ?10,000 he found in a bin

A refuse collector who handed over around ten thousand pounds in cut-up notes he found in a bin, will enjoy a particularly happy Christmas after being rewarded for his honesty. Police have told him he can keep the money and exchange it for new notes.

Inspiring Seb Green who caused a ?20,000 rescue repays his debt with a sponsored walk around Britain for charity

He sparked a land and air rescue operation costing ?20,000 after stealing a boat - but a Dorset teenager has re-paid his debt by completing a sponsored walk around the UK.

Cigarette sales fall in France as the French stop smoking and stub out

Cigarette sales in France dropped to a record low in 2008, research by British American Tobacco (BAT) shows, challenging old cliches of Parisians hooked to their Gitanes in smoke-filled cafes.

'Social butterflies produce better pupils'

Parents who are socially active may have a positive impact on their children's exam results, according to latest research. Intriguingly, the new study suggests that mums and dads who belong to organisations such as sports clubs, charities, political parties or religious groups may raise the test scores of their children.

Inspiring how American zoo turns reindeer droppings into Christmas ornaments

It may not seem the most festive item but, believe it or not, a resourceful American zoo is using reindeer droppings to manufacture decorative items for its gift shop.

Italian craftsmen say Barack Obama is a popular addition to their nativity scenes

President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are appearing in Italian nativity scenes this year, alongside the baby Jesus and wise men, according to craftsmen in Naples, Italy, who are selling figurines in the run-up to Christmas.

Man achieves his dream of fitting a 35ft Christmas tree into his Bournemouth home

It's often said that where there's a will there's a way and that's certainly true of Greig Howe from Bournemouth, who's come up with an ingenious solution for fitting a 35ft Christmas tree into his home.

Why taking the stairs at work could boost your life

If you want to get a step - or two - ahead in life, make sure you use the staircase. Swiss researchers suggest taking the stairs instead of the lift at work could prolong your life.

Teenage night curfew experiment transforms life on Cornish estate

An experiment to crackdown on neighbourhood misery has been credited with transforming life on an estate in Cornwall.Residents say that a voluntary curfew on under 16s has made a dramatic impact on levels of under age drinking, noise and rowdy behaviour.

Locust study could lead to safer cars - and save lives

Engineers trying to develop safer cars are studying the African locust to try to make vehicles mimic the insect's uncanny ability to avoid crashing into each other as they swarm.

Lucky woman in Lebanon finds 26 pearls in a single oyster

A Lebanese woman is hoping for a place in the Guinness Book of Records after she found an astonishing 26 pearls in an oyster she was preparing for lunch.

Dog rescues an abandoned baby in Argentina and places him safely with her puppies

She did what any good mother would do - ensuring that a baby was safe from harm. But the heroine of this extraordinary tale from Argentina was a dog and the child she rescued and placed alongside her puppies, a baby boy abandoned shortly after birth.

Powys in Wales tops the list of UK's happiest places

If you want to live in the UK's happiest place - then pack your bags and head for the county of Powys in Wales, a new study suggests.

Graphic tobacco warnings will encourage people to stop smoking

The UK will be the first country in the EU to introduce graphic picture warnings on all tobacco products. The warnings illustrate the devastating effects that tobacco can have on health.

Fergie's fight against British obesity

She's had her own very public battle with her weight, but now Sarah, Duchess of York, is returning to the UK to tackle the nation's growing problem with obesity.

Madonna goes to the aid of poor pupils in Malawi

Madonna plans to build a multi-million-dollar girls' school in Malawi for underprivileged children this year.

How farm life can reduce the chances of asthma for an unborn child

Fascinating new research suggests that pregnant women who live on a farm during pregnancy may reduce the chance of their child developing asthma, eczema and even hayfever.

Animal rights group wins talks over guards bearskin hats

They've long been been a familiar sight at Buckingham Palace, but the days of the bearskin hats worn by guards in front of The Queen's home could be numbered.

Volunteering helps others and benefits your health too

Volunteering has a range of health benefits and can even prolong the lives of volunteers, according to a new study.

New hope for endangered elephants and tigers in Sumatra

Sumatra's endangered elephants and tigers should get a boost from an Indonesian government move to expand one of their last havens, a four-year-old national park on the island, according to conservation body WWF.

A record-breaking quarter of a million ducks line up for The Great British Duck Race

It's already an established fundraising event, but now it's spreading its wings, with a record-breaking quarter of a million plastic ducks due to take place in The Great British Duck Race on the River Thames.

Hopeful UK leukaemia patient is the world's first to try 'lifesaving' treatment

A London patient has become the first in the world to undergo a treatment for leukaemia which she and her doctors hope will save her life.

Smile UKs first inflatable dental surgery offers cut price treatment

If you've ever been frustrated by the prices charged by dentists then you may now have something to smile about. A team of Hungarian dentists is to tour the UK in Britain's first inflatable dental surgery, offering treatments at a third of the price.

Taxi! How cab drivers' true brain power guides them around London

They have long prided themselves on having what they call 'The Knowledge' - an almost photographic recall of London's streets. And now there's scientific proof that taxi drivers are indeed blessed with impressive brain power.

Paul McCartney finally brings his friendship to Israel with a special concert

Forty three years after being banned by its government, Paul McCartney is to play a concert of friendship in Israel.

Jude Law calls for Peace One Day in Afghanistan

Militants, foreign forces and the government in Afghanistan should give up their arms for one day as the first step towards peace, Hollywood superstar Jude Law has urged.

Owner's delight after cat survives being hidden in a wall for seven weeks

A four-year-old cat in Germany called Bonny has survived after being walled in beneath a bathtub for seven weeks.

New optimism in the understanding of depression

Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others. They say it could ultimately lead to new approaches to finding fresh treatments and prevention.

Porter in Nepal finds happiness after 24 marriages

After 24 failed marriages, a forty-nine-year-old porter in eastern Nepal says that he has finally found happiness.

Asian elephant Motala receives prosthetic leg ten years after landmine injury

She lost a leg ten years ago after stepping on a landmine. Now a female Asian elephant is facing a brighter future after being fitted with a prosthetic replacement.

Young carers reclaim their childhood with summer adventure respite holiday

They spend their lives supporting their families and taking on a responsibility beyond their years, but fifty five young carers in Devon have had a chance to reclaim their childhood with a summer breakaway.

Sweet dreams Research shows good smells boost our dreaming

The benefits of sweet music to aid good sleep have long been known, but scientists now believe that sweet smells could make for sweet dreams.

?1.6 billion boost to malaria fight

The fight against malaria has been given a huge boost with world leaders and philanthropists pledging nearly ?1.6 billion at a summit in New York.

Heroin addicted elephant goes home after detox

An Asian elephant that developed an addiction to heroin after being fed bananas spiked with the drug is returning home after a detox programme.

Weekly diabetes jabs could replace daily shots

Scientists at the University of Toronto have produced encouraging research which suggests it may be possible to replace twice a day jabs to control type 2 diabetes with a shot given just once a week.

Missing cat is reunited with owners after nine years

A couple have been reunited with their missing cat after nine years, the RSPCA has confirmed.

Couple to marry forty years after their teenage pregnancy parted them

They were banned from being together after she fell pregnant as a teenager, but now more than forty years on two childhood sweethearts will finally be married.

JK Rowling is honoured by the city where Harry Potter was born

She's sold millions upon millions of books around the world and now author JK Rowling has notched up a very personal achievement. Ms Rowling has been honoured by the city where she created Harry Potter.

Bald is beautiful as Air New Zealand seeks baldies for campaign

Good news for men with thinning hair - New Zealand's national airline is seeking bald passengers to star in a new off beat advertising campaign.

New hope for cystic fibrosis treatment

A new drug therapy could represent a tremendous step forward in the treatment of some 70,000 cystic fibrosis patients worldwide.

Dental patients' fears could be eased by lavender

Lavender scent could be an effective means of reducing dental anxiety in patients, new research suggests.

Good luck Rise in popularity of chimney sweeps could be lucky for brides

If the old saying is true that it's lucky for a bride to see a chimney sweep on her wedding day, then a great many more brides could be blessed.

Video games help teenage social skills

A major American study into teenagers and video games suggests that far from being bad for them, the games can help improve their social interaction.

Pride Of Britain celebrates the most inspiring people

It's the night when more than 100 of the country's biggest stars unite to honour the most inspiring people of the year - the nation's unsung heroes.

Happiness is family life for women and for men surfing the Internet

For men, bliss is often just a mouse-click away while quality time with family is guaranteed to put a smile on women's faces, according to an Australian study of what makes people happy.

How worms could help treat arthritis

Glasgow scientists are aiming to harness a substance secreted by parasitic tropical worms to help them find a more effective treatment for inflammatory types of arthritis.

Health advice for women halves risk of early death

Women who heed common sense health messages about smoking, diet and exercise can cut their risk of premature death in half, U.S. researchers have found.

Sky-divers achieve the first parachute jump over Mount Everest

Their achievement captures the true spirit of human adventure. And certainly a group of sky-divers, who have completed the first parachute jump over the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, can be justly proud of themselves.

Jonathan Chase Its a rap Student uses street music to popularise science

A postgraduate student at the University of Glamorgan is making it his mission to make science more accessible to the public in his own special way.

Extinct Galapagos tortoise could live again

It's news that could leave animal lovers shell-shocked. Scientists say an extinct Galapagos tortoise species, which played an important part of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, could be revived.

Five year old Jakob Seviour praised by ambulance service for saving his mum

He's just five years old but a tiny hero has been praised by his local ambulance service after he reported his mother had collapsed and was unconscious in their home.

Traces Of Hope - British Red Cross highlights Ugandan plight with interactive computer game

The British Red Cross is launching a new interactive online game in which players help a fictional teenager caught up in the Ugandan Civil War to find his family - to raise public awareness of the plight of the people living there.

Want to get pregnant Nicole Kidman recommends taking a waterfall dip

It may not have much of a scientific basis, but if you're trying to have a baby Nicole Kidman has a top tip. She's credited a waterfall on the set of one of her films with bringing about a flurry of pregnancies - including her own.

New coral and marine species discovered on the Great Barrier Reef

Australian scientists have discovered hundreds of new coral and marine species on the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef which they say will improve monitoring

Boost in numbers of Small Tortoiseshell butterfly heartens conservationists

Conservationists are excited by an unexpected boost in the numbers of a rapidly disappearing butterfly, the Small Tortoiseshell.

Safer test developed to test Downs syndrome in the unborn child

Good news for pregnant women - scientists have developed what they say is a safer blood test to tell if an unborn baby has Down's syndrome.

Airbags adapated to protect Japanese pensioners from falls

Airbags, found mainly behind the wheel, are now cushioning Japan's growing elderly population from accidents off the road as well.

Abducted European tourists released safe and well in Egyptian desert

Eleven European tourists and eight Egyptians abducted in a remote desert corner of Egypt have been freed unharmed

I do Worlds heaviest man is to marry his girlfriend after successful diet

The world's heaviest man has announced his engagement after losing nearly half his original body weight.

Volcano research could help forecast future eruptions

Scientists have recreated conditions found in an erupting volcano in the laboratory, offering a new way to understand and forecast future damaging eruptions.

Lifesaving first aid skills to be taught to parents in Babysafe scheme

Parents and child carers could benefit from a national child-safety campaign which will offer them free lessons in first aid skills.

Fuel Britannia British use of biofuels exceeds target

Environmentalists will be inspired by news that Britain is exceeding its 2.5 per cent target for biofuels use in motor fuel, according to latest government figures.

Top Euro soccer stars inspire children with Eat for Goals recipe book

Europe's top footballers are putting their names to a new cookbook for children aimed at encouraging them eat healthily by being inspired by their role models.

Writers give voice to India's AIDS population AIDS Sutra: Untold Stories from India

What better way to give a voice to the 2.7 million people in India living with HIV/AIDS than to enlist the country's top authors to tell their stories?

Ten thousand women have successful IVF treatment

It's a true cause for celebration in the 30th year of IVF pregnancies - the number of women having successful IVF treatment in the UK has topped 10,000 for the first time.

Loving your work The Happiness Institute helps workers enjoy their jobs

Hate your job? At The Happiness Institute, you can learn to love what you do.

Wedding couple pay for their honeymoon by recycling

In these credit-crunching times, it's good to hear how one couple spent three months collecting and recycling litter to pay for their honeymoon flights - doing something positive for the planet at the same time.

Good news for the hard of hearing - protein helps sound distinction

A protein in the inner ear helps people differentiate between sounds and understand speech, French researchers reported in a finding that could help treat the hard of hearing.

Smashing The plate shattering business enabling US credit crunch victims to vent their anger

In sunny San Diego, one new business is booming - because of frustration from the worst financial crisis to hit the United States in decades.

St Johns Wort is effective treatment for depression

The herbal remedy St. John's Wort effectively treats symptoms of major depression, evidence suggests.

Yes dear Lost species of deer rediscovered in Western Sumatra

Here's some very encouraging news from the animal world... A lost species of deer has been re-discovered in the remote mountains of western Sumatra, Indonesia, almost a century after it was last definitely recorded by scientists.

Hot stuff! Why a cup of coffee gives you emotional warmth

It may seem unlikely, but simply clutching a warm cup of coffee can bring on a flood of warm feelings, U.S. researchers say in a finding that suggests a strong link between physical and emotional warmth.