In today’s Good News, after seeing what a difference the library made in his daughter’s life, a Georgia dad invited other fathers to join them at storytime, sparking a movement. And in Canada, three hard-working dogs use their sniffing prowess to hold the line against invasive mussel species.

Catherine Garcia
The Week Digital

Roads are becoming safer worldwide, with injuries and deaths falling by more than 30% since 1990, according to a new study published in the Lancet Public Health journal. Separate figures from the World Health Organization show that road traffic deaths have dropped 21% since 2011. Experts credit the improvement to changes such as better seatbelts, increased helmet use, stricter child restraint laws, lower speed limits and tougher enforcement of driving under the influence laws.

A New York man paralyzed from the chest down in a 2020 accident can once again move his limbs and feel his dog’s fur after a groundbreaking brain implant. The “double neural bypass” technology reroutes signals around Keith Thomas’ spinal injury, restoring touch and some movement, like being able to drink from a cup. Researchers say the treatment appears to have partly rewired Thomas’ nervous system, raising hopes it could one day help the millions of people living with paralysis.

Through Library Dads, Khari Arnold helps fathers in the Atlanta area discover a love of reading with their children. Arnold launched the group after he started taking his young daughter, Aria, on weekly trips to the library. He watched as both her vocabulary and their bond grew, and he began inviting other fathers to join them. The Library Dads has expanded to multiple libraries, where members enjoy storytime and activities while strengthening their relationships with their children and one another.

Three dogs are helping keep invasive zebra and golden mussels from spreading through the rivers and lakes of Alberta, Canada. The pups — Hilo, Jane and Winnie — have been trained to sniff out mussel larvae on boats and alert inspectors to the stowaways hiding in dark, damp spaces. The dogs can also track down the mussels on the shoreline. This is an “enriching” activity for the dogs, said Good News Network. After finding a mussel patch, they receive a treat.

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