CNN 5 Good Things
How about a break — for your ears? At CNN, we know the news can be a lot to take in. So each week, 5 Good Things offers you a respite from the heavy headlines and intense news cycle. Treat yourself to something fun and uplifting every Saturday as we share the bright side of life from all over the globe.
Episodes
October 18, 2025 • 14 mins
What started as a dad’s epic Halloween display turned into a nationwide movement that raised spirits – and nearly $1 million – for kids with cancer. Meet the fish with mysterious markings that have anglers and scientists hooked. This cheese expert from Philadelphia made history at the Cheese Olympics. High school students in New York City got to chef for the country’s largest school district. Plus, Italy's oldest barista on how she...
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October 11, 2025 • 13 mins
Chemistry that works like Hermione Granger’s magical handbag won a Nobel Prize this week. How an Indigenous inventor is working to preserve her tribe’s language. A wildlife photographer is making sure hermit crabs in Japan have proper homes. A man was dead for five minutes at a comedy show – what happened next was really special. Plus, a surprising call leads to a heartwarming reunion.
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October 4, 2025 • 13 mins
This therapy is helping first responders deal with chronic stress. A group of nurses on strike dropped everything to help mass shooting victims. This Hollywood actor and advocate threw herself the quinceañera she never had – at 60. Inside Washington DC’s first phone-free bar. Plus, this school offers a type of detention that might make you wish you got in more trouble.
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September 27, 2025 • 14 mins
The last time the Chicago River Swim happened was when Calvin Coolidge was president. These bears in Alaska bulk up for the winter – and for internet glory. A rare surgery brought one man’s world back into focus. New space technology might help fight wildfires. Plus, the 100+ year long streak is over for a family in Texas family.
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September 20, 2025 • 13 mins
A superstar takes the stage one last time tonight, marking the end of a historic residency in Puerto Rico. How a free travel program for high school seniors aims to connect a divided US. A 9-year-old sets up a front-yard stand designed to make people smile. A stranger’s kindness turns a homeless teen into a devoted foster dad. Plus, meet the TIME’s Kid of the Year.
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September 13, 2025 • 15 mins
A new generation is falling in love with a centuries-old game. These women 65 and older clean local ponds by diving for trash (and have a blast doing it). She lost her dad in the Twin Towers – but the FDNY made sure he was still part of her wedding day. A doctor was told he would die, but he found a treatment for his disease everyone else had missed. Plus, the music program that teaches kids jazz and so much more.
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September 6, 2025 • 14 mins
We start with a back-to-school tradition that might make you want to kiss your mom. Kids with chronic illnesses took charge on a special day, thanks to 16 different law enforcement agencies. This nonprofit helps thousands of injured and neglected animals find forever homes. A teen gets the quinceañera of a lifetime, with a little help from the internet. Plus, the celebrity engagement of the summer sparked some sweet inspiration. ...
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August 30, 2025 • 15 mins
This nonprofit which feeds thousands of families in need in Florida all started with one man's extra vegetables. Skateboarder Brooke Johnson broke a world record and kept a promise. Artifacts from an ancient sunken city were pulled from the sea in Egypt. A new US coin features a first and a win for disability advocates. Plus, the mystery behind the Peggy Martin rose that survived Hurricane Katrina.
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August 23, 2025 • 14 mins
These athletes from all over the world have something in common: an organ transplant and a new shot at greatness. After nearly eight decades and a daughter’s determined search, two siblings reconnect. A 4-year-old called 911 to chat and the police showed up with some sweet surprises. This couple from Wisconsin set a world record at the annual wife-carrying contest. Plus, this town in Sweden put their church on wheels.
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August 16, 2025 • 14 mins
The “Parody Principal” remixes the morning announcements. New research breaks down the amount of dance moves cockatoos have up their wings. This CNN Hero is feeding thousands with free meals that were going to be thrown out. One musician’s loss sparked a creative solution to help others facing the same thing. Plus, getting your spouse’s attention is an art form at this beloved Iowa State fair contest.
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August 9, 2025 • 13 mins
This club is going viral and helping members relieve stress, one scream at a time. A veteran umpire is making history on the pro baseball field. Meet the world-class chef that’s running a plastic-free restaurant in hopes others will do the same. Thousands in Michigan play their library’s reading game that goes way beyond books. Plus, this isn’t your average summer camp – it’s where wisdom meets curiosity.
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August 2, 2025 • 15 mins
A pilot surprises his grandmother with the flight of a lifetime. The rivers in this nation are so clean, locals utilize them for their commute. This group helps visually impaired people ride bikes through New York City. Creative writing classes are helping incarcerated people process their pasts and imagine new futures. Plus, this remote surgery didn’t just connect two countries – it could close healthcare gaps worldwide.
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July 26, 2025 • 15 mins
The newest member of the Philadelphia Phillies is training to save a veteran's life. This century’s old tradition helps protect one of the world’s most beautiful birds. A documentarian broke a Guinness World Record and captured moments of happiness worldwide. Indigenous youth kayak 310 miles to honor the restoration of a beloved river. Plus, meet the real-life superhero who has helped thousands of people in need of a pick-me-up.
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July 19, 2025 • 15 mins
A frequent flyer needed a kidney transplant to live, and an airline employee gave him one. Inspired by pinecones, this new tech could change how we fight wildfires. After disaster strikes, these volunteers make sure kids get their lost stuffed animals back. New research suggests chimpanzees follow trends like humans. Plus, from Cape Town to London, this runner’s journey was powered by purpose.
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July 12, 2025 • 17 mins
A shelter dog in Virginia finds a forever home after revealing a lifesaving skill. Comedian Roy Wood Jr. shares why the home run is so special. We salute the search and rescue teams in central Texas after the devastating floods. How groups in West Virginia are cleaning up river streams contaminated from coal mines. Plus, a small town in Nebraska opens up a time capsule once dubbed the world’s largest 50 years later.
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July 5, 2025 • 16 mins
As the US approaches its 250th birthday, thousands of people are putting their hopes for the future on colorful wish walls across the country. This pilot flies at-risk shelter animals to places where they have a better chance of getting adopted. In St. Louis, Missouri, this all-Black swim team and their parents are diving into more than the deep end. Plus, the top five best towns to visit in America, per CNN’s readers and contribut...
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June 28, 2025 • 17 mins
Color-changing paint could reduce CO2 emissions and slash your energy bill. This Hong Kong native started on the keys at three-years-old and now, he’s the top pianist of his generation. How some random meet-cutes ended up at the alter. Costa Rica’s biggest natural export might surprise you and its local environmental impact might inspire you. Plus, CNN dropped this year’s list of America’s Best Towns to Visit – have you been yet?
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June 21, 2025 • 15 mins
We tell you why a group of dads are playing catch and giving hugs at Pride. A paleontologist has discovered a new dinosaur species 86 million years in the making. One mom is sharing her inspiring survival skills, after a scary car crash. A postal worker finds a forever friend on his mail route. Plus, the heartwarming hometown contest that’s keeping ‘Old Blue Eyes’ voice alive in Hoboken.
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June 14, 2025 • 14 mins
This dentist once caddied at the course he’s now playing golf at with the pros. A quirky Canadian farm hosted a very moo-ving wedding ceremony. A rescue dog’s epic solo adventure made waves. How strangers helped this high school graduate crowd fund his way to college. Plus, for Father’s Day, listeners share what they love about their dads and what they love about being one.
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June 7, 2025 • 16 mins
We tell you how a hiker in Alaska survived a 700-pound boulder falling on his back. This café in a war-torn country serves cuteness with its coffee. Clownfish are learning how to survive climate change, one centimeter at a time. The horses in this program are helping men struggling with addiction to get back on their feet. Plus, how a Little Mermaid-loving toddler healed as a baby with help from under the sea
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