In today’s Good News, a new art space in Southern California is giving young artists with autism and neurodivergence a place to showcase their creativity while gaining professional experience. And in New Zealand, a baby boom is boosting the population of a rare bird that nearly went extinct three decades ago.

Catherine Garcia
The Week Digital

An at-home urine test detected more than 92% of bladder cancer cases in clinical trials, according to a study from Britain’s University of Birmingham and diagnostics company Nonacus. The test looks for more than 450 DNA mutations linked to bladder cancer. A thousand patients at hospitals in England and Scotland participated in the study. A larger trial is planned, and if successful, the text could mean “tens of thousands” of people are “spared” invasive diagnostic procedures, said the BBC.

Taking omega-3 supplements and low-dose aspirin together works as well as antibiotics for treating people with periodontitis, according to a new study from the São Paulo Research Foundation. Periodontitis is a hard-to-treat, severe gum disease that can lead to tooth loss. Omega-3 fatty acids can boost anti-inflammatory molecules in the bloodstream, and aspirin can enhance their production. The “promising” results are “an important step forward” in treating severe peritonitis without antibiotics, study lead author Magda Feres told Brazil’s Agência FAPESP.

Artists with autism and other neurodivergences can hone their skills and sell their work at the Limitless gallery in Venice, California. Launched in early September by the nonprofit Help Group, the interactive art space also offers free daily arts and crafts activities and sensory-friendly hours. When young autistic and neurodiverse artists receive the “tools, platform and the belief that their voices matter, what they create is extraordinary,” Help Group CEO Susan Berman said in a statement.

New Zealand’s endangered kākāpō population has reached 325, surpassing 300 birds for the first time in about 75 years. The kākāpō is the world’s only flightless and nocturnal parrot and also the heaviest. The birds breed every two to four years when native rimu trees produce abundant berries. In this record breeding season, 90 chicks were born. A recovery program to help the kākāpō was launched in 1995, when only 51 birds were recorded.

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