- 2017 was a rough year, but there were also plenty of wonderful things that happened in the world.
- Notable scientific advancements in 2017 include a treatment for ALS and a device to help regrow skin for burn victims.
- There were also feel-good stories like when Southwest Airlines flew a plane full of puppies to safety after Hurricane Harvey.
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement breathes new life into the British royal family.
2017 brought its fair share of challenges, from tropical storms to political scandals. But it also had some happy moments that make 2018 seem a little brighter.
Here are 15 pieces of good news that the world received this year.
80 heroic bystanders formed a human chain to save a drowning family on a Florida beach.
When 34-year-old Roberta Ursrey's two young boys were swept away by a riptide in the waters of a Panama City, Florida, beach in July, she and most of her family members jumped in to rescue them. Then, all six relatives became trapped by the strong current. Others who tried to rescue them also struggled to get back to the shore, leaving nine people fighting for their lives.
That's when 80 people formed a human chain from the beach to pass the distressed, exhausted swimmers back to safety.
"To see people from different races and genders come into action to help TOTAL strangers is absolutely amazing to see!!" Jessica Simmons, who was at the beach, wrote on Facebook.
Read more here.
Prince Harry got engaged to Meghan Markle.
Meghan Markle is no ordinary princess. Her race, upbringing, marital status, and citizenship all defy British royal tradition, bringing a refreshing change to the monarchy.
Already an outspoken feminist and influential activist, Markle now has an even larger platform for her advocacy work. She plans to use her new royal position to raise awareness of important issues and bring meaningful change to those who need it.
Also, just look at them. Who can resist a fairy-tale romance like that?
Read more here.
A 30-year-old man saved dozens of lives during the deadly shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas.
When bullets began raining down on the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas in the worst mass shooting in modern US history, Jonathan Smith sprang into action.
The 30-year-old copy machine repairman shouted "Active shooter, active shooter, let's go! We have to run." He led people to a handicapped parking area, where they hid behind a row of cars.
When he saw that a few girls weren't fully covered, he exposed himself to the gunfire to stand up and warn them and was shot in the neck.
Smith's sister-in-law started a GoFundMe page to help with his medical expenses, which surpassed its $7,000 goal in less than a day.
Read more here.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider