Episodes

  • Some Good News That’s Totally Nuts

    Some Good News That’s Totally Nuts
    Oct 25 2025
    A wildlife expert performed a tiny transplant surgery. A Texas volleyball team serves an epic surprise for their school’s beloved custodian. New research brings good news to parents hoping to prevent peanut allergies. A retired computer technician in Florida is paying it forward to people in need. And in Chicago, second chances are in full bloom for at-risk youth, thanks to this CNN Hero. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco Producer: Eryn Mathewson Showrunner: Faiz Jamil Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin Editorial Support: Dan Dzula, Kathleen Toner, Christie O’Reilly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    13 mins
  • Hundreds of Spooky Displays for a Sweet Cause

    Hundreds of Spooky Displays for a Sweet Cause
    Oct 18 2025
    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's brewed up joy for generations. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo PolancoProducer: Eryn MathewsonShowrunner: Faiz JamilSenior Producer: Felicia PatinkinEditorial Support: Maya Blackstone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    14 mins
  • He Died Laughing & Came Back to Life

    He Died Laughing & Came Back to Life
    Oct 11 2025
    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. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco Producer: Eryn Mathewson Showrunner: Faiz Jamil Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin Editorial Support: Nick Blatt, Samantha Lindell, Clare Duffy, Dan Bloom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    13 mins
  • How This School Helps Teens Turn Over a New Leaf

    How This School Helps Teens Turn Over a New Leaf
    Oct 4 2025
    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. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco Producer: Eryn Mathewson Showrunner: Faiz Jamil Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin Editorial Support: Kathleen Toner and Christie O’Reilly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    13 mins
  • The Lucky Guy with a Tooth for an Eye

    The Lucky Guy with a Tooth for an Eye
    Sep 27 2025
    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. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco Producer: Eryn Mathewson Showrunner: Faiz Jamil Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin Editorial Support: Alexander Rodway Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    15 mins
  • Bad Bunny’s Love Letter to Puerto Rico

    Bad Bunny’s Love Letter to Puerto Rico
    Sep 20 2025
    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. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco Producer: Eryn Mathewson Showrunner: Faiz Jamil Editorial Support: Felicia Patinkin, Isabel Rosales, Paola Ortiz, Abel Alvarado, Madeline Stix, John Blake Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    13 mins
  • Mahjong: It’s Not Just Your Grandma’s Game Anymore

    Mahjong: It’s Not Just Your Grandma’s Game Anymore
    Sep 13 2025
    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. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Krista Bo Producers: Eryn Mathewson and Leying Tang Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Special Thanks: Nadia Kounang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    15 mins
  • The Sweetest First Day: A Tulsa High School’s ‘Kiss Goodbye’ Tradition

    The Sweetest First Day: A Tulsa High School’s ‘Kiss Goodbye’ Tradition
    Sep 6 2025
    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. Sign up for the CNN 5 Good Things newsletter here. Host/Producer: Eryn Mathewson Producers: Ifeoma Dike and Leying Tang Showrunners: Faiz Jamil & Felicia Patinkin Special Thanks: Christie O’Reilly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    14 mins