CNN 5 Things 5 Good Things: Updates to Our Favorite Stories From 2025: Pt. 1
Dec 27, 2025
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent, shares updates on groundbreaking medical advancements like xenotransplantation, highlighting significant patient outcomes and future trial plans. The conversation also explores the expansion of a program helping American students explore new parts of the U.S., and how goats are revitalizing a Tennessee nature reserve by clearing invasive plants. Additionally, the impact of Southside Blooms in Chicago demonstrates the power of flowers in creating jobs and community connections.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Domestic Exchanges Build Civic Connection
- The American Exchange Project sends graduating seniors to very different U.S. towns for a week and hosts reciprocal visits the next week.
- Over 99% reported positive conversations about differences and 100% would recommend the program.
Founder’s Cross-Country Road-Trip Origin
- David McCullough III described living two months in towns unlike his Boston-suburb upbringing and being warmly welcomed.
- That experience inspired him to create a generational civic coming-of-age ritual for American students.
Goats Kickstart Island Rewilding
- Goats deployed by boat cleared invasive plants on McClellan Island, enabling rewilding where burns had failed.
- Volunteers and a guard dog supported the herd while the Audubon planted 250 trees in restored sections.