Good news you may have missed in 2025

December 28, 2025 / 9:16 AM EST / CBS News

Good news you may have missed in 2025

TL;DR

  • Completely biodegradable, compostable plastics made from sugar cane are now being produced at large scale.
  • The Center for Enlightened Disagreement at Northwestern University is teaching people how to disagree more constructively using techniques like improv.
  • The BirdReturns program pays farmers to flood fallow fields, creating 'pop-up' wetlands that serve as crucial rest stops for migratory birds.
  • AI is making significant advances in healthcare, particularly in predicting disease, discovering drugs, and diagnosing illnesses, with 'doctor in the loop' approaches mitigating risks.
  • Other positive news includes a drop in U.S. homicides, cleanup of the Seine River in Paris, removal of landmines in Sri Lanka, and the return of salmon after dam removal on the Klamath River.