Here is the news that didn’t make the front page this week, but should have:

—Researchers have grown tiny organs from stem cells, then used these cells to test a new form of therapy for regenerating injured spinal cords. The cells were then treated with a new therapy, called “dancing molecules.” Amazingly, it worked. The therapy successfully reversed paralysis in an animal study.

This was a major breakthrough, and perhaps a big step toward healing spinal cord injuries

—In China, scientists discovered a groundbreaking technique for mass-producing cancer-fighting cells.

Researchers figured out how to engineer these powerful cells from cord blood and are now able to generate a massive output of cells specifically designed to hunt and destroy cancer.

—Polar bears in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago are getting fat. This is a good thing. Because being fatter means healthier. At least for polar bears.

Currently, polar bears are fatter than they have been in the last 30 years. In a recent study, 770 polar bears were in better condition and had higher fat reserves than in the 1990s. In other good news, I also have higher fat reserves than I did in the ‘90s.

—Steven Maa lost his dog, Rocky. This happened in Summit County, Colorado, when Steven went skiing. He dropped his dog off with a pet sitter, but the dog broke out of his harness, escaped, and ran away.

Steven and his girlfriend looked for Rocky for hours before finally giving up. They called Summit Lost Pet Rescue for help.

The nonprofit’s volunteer team jumped into action. The team searched for Rocky using high-tech rescue techniques including wildlife cameras, a scent station, and whistling really loud. Rocky remained lost in subzero temperatures, in the extreme wilderness, for 43 days.

Last week, rescuers found Rocky sleeping in one of their traps. Rocky had gone from 50 pounds to 28 pounds.

“Amazingly he’s going to make a full recovery,” one rescuer said.

—For years, foster kids around the US have been using black plastic trash bags to transfer belongings from foster home to foster home. Until now.

Last week, New York passed a law that now requires each child who enters the foster-care-pinball-machine system to be given actual luggage, or at least a gym bag for their possessions.

This officially ends the decades-long practice of humiliation by trash bags.

—German farmers have grown way too many potatoes. Way, WAY too many. There are so many potatoes that Germany cannot eat them all. Most excess potatoes were expected to go to landfills.

That is, until one farmer had the idea of donating surplus potatoes to whoever the heck wanted them.

The idea caught fire. So, the recent surplus of potatoes has been going to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, kindergartens, schools, churches, non-profit organizations, and even animal rescue facilities.

The Berlin Zoo took several metric tons of potatoes for feeding its animals. Two massive shipments were sent to Ukraine. And truckloads of potatoes went to ordinary Berlin residents at pre-announced potato dump locations where anyone was allowed to fill up as many sacks of potatoes as they wanted.

Still, in light of all the good news I have just shared, it is of paramount importance to note that I am not an actual news reporter.

I’m just a common tater.