Good Afternoon! 🌞

We took the scenic route to your inbox…

Okay, so we’re a little late—think of this newsletter as the friend who shows up after everyone else, but somehow still steals the spotlight. We’ve been cooking up some especially good stuff, and trust us, it needed just a bit more time in the oven. Thanks for your patience (and your inbox space)! Let’s dive in.

Health Sciences

First-Ever Gene-Editing Therapy

In a groundbreaking medical first, doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine have successfully used a personalized CRISPR gene-editing therapy to treat a baby with a rare and often fatal genetic disorder. The patient, known as KJ, was born with carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency, a urea cycle disorder that prevents the body from properly eliminating nitrogen, leading to dangerous ammonia buildup. Treated just before turning seven months old, KJ is now making steady progress—marking the first known case of a patient receiving a gene therapy customized to their exact mutation.

Standard care for CPS1 deficiency typically involves rigid dietary restrictions and, in severe cases, liver transplants—options that are especially difficult for infants. In KJ’s case, Dr. Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas from CHOP and Dr. Kiran Musunuru from Penn created a tailored CRISPR therapy in less than six months. KJ received his first dose in February 2025, followed by two more in March and April. Since then, he’s required fewer medications, can tolerate more protein in his diet, and has weathered infections without the dangerous spikes in ammonia that once threatened his life.

While KJ will need long-term monitoring, his story represents a major leap forward in gene medicine—proving that personalized therapies for ultra-rare conditions are not just possible, but within reach. “The promise of gene therapy that we’ve heard about for decades is coming to fruition,” said Musunuru. As KJ continues to improve, his parents are finally able to enjoy life at home with their son and his siblings. “We can finally take a deep breath,” said KJ’s father, Kyle Muldoon.

Culture

The Domestication of Grapes

The history of wine in Italy is older and more complex than once thought. A new study tracing 7,000 years of grape use reveals that the domestication of grapes was a slow and gradual process. Even after cultivated varieties emerged, wild grapes continued to be used in winemaking for centuries. Researchers from Italy and France analyzed more than 1,700 ancient grape seeds from institutional archives, uncovering a long, intertwined history of wild and domesticated grape use across the Italian peninsula.

Contrary to earlier beliefs that Phoenicians and Romans introduced domesticated grapes to Italy, the study found that these grapes were already present in Sardinia as early as 3,000 years ago. Grape seeds from the Early Bronze Age (2050–1850 BCE) still resembled wild varieties, and domesticated seeds only began appearing more frequently during the Middle Bronze Age. The Campania region and Sardinia offered the earliest evidence of cultivated grape use, with wild grapes continuing to play a role in winemaking even into the Roman era.

The findings suggest that early winemakers blended wild and cultivated grapes—foreshadowing a practice that remains central in modern wine production. During the Roman period, sites showed both domestic grape seeds and hybrids, indicating that crossbreeding was already shaping new grape varieties. “With each sip of fine wine, we are tasting the echoes of a thousand-year journey,” said study co-author Mariano Ucchesu. “A story woven through time to arrive at our palate.”

World News

An 82-Hour Train Ride

In today’s featured vlog, travel duo Kara and Nate document their four-day journey across the Australian Outback aboard The Ghan—one of the world’s longest and most iconic train rides. Spanning 82 hours from Darwin to Adelaide, the video shows the realities of long-distance train travel: tight cabins, scheduled off-train excursions, and the vast, often empty, landscapes of the Outback. It’s not luxury tourism—it’s slow travel at its core.

The vlog gives a clear look at what to expect on The Ghan, including meals, scenery, and how they passed the time on board. Whether you're planning your own trip or just curious about what it’s like to cross Australia by rail, this video is a practical and honest look at the experience.

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️

I don’t speak, but I fix what you say.
I’m not a magician, yet I make marks go away.
I’m soft but strong, I’m small but precise—
One little swipe, and your error’s on ice.
What am I?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

I wear no crown, yet I count every inch,
Across paper and wood my straight edge will clinch.
No kingdom I rule, but I guide every line—
What am I that measures with edges so fine? — a ruler! 📏 Chris Hostetler got this correct first! 🌞 

The first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to the email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured