What's up, sunshine? Happy Monday. I'm
Ky Wire. This is CNN 10. Let's make this
a motivation Monday. Remember, the
strongest steel is burned in the hottest
coals. We can learn strength through our
struggles and our tough times can make
us tougher. So, if you're having a tough
time, smell the flowers, cool the soup,
and keep on cooking. All right, a lot of
news to get to. Only 10 minutes to do
it. So, let's get to it. Working out in
space, it's not exactly a walk in the
park. It's more like a float in the
void. And while astronauts already
exercise in microgravity, they can lose
up to 20% of their muscle mass in just
two weeks and about 1 to 2% of their
bone mineral density every month. The
current gym equipment on the
International Space Station is bulky.
Now, a British startup though called
Physical Mind London is testing a new
smaller and more efficient device
designed specifically for space. It's
called Hi-Fi M, short for highfrequency
impulse for microgravity. It allows
astronauts to jump, hop, and resist
train in space. No gravity required.
It's being tested on parabolic flights
where aircraft briefly create
weightlessness, giving scientists a
chance to take the workout for a spin
around the stratosphere. This is a
really unique piece of equipment. It
enables over 300 exercises to take place
in space. What this piece of equipment
does, it enables individuals one to jump
repeatedly in zero gravity and that is
phenomenal for building bone and muscle
mass and cardiovascular for people
instantly. The key challenge is jumping
without sending vibrations through a
spacecraft. Hi-fi M solves that with two
moving platforms that balance each other
out, cancelling the force created during
exercise. Developers hope the technology
could help astronauts stay strong on
future missions, including those heading
to the moon. Now to an inspiring story
in the world of medicine. A determined
medical student racing to help find a
cure for a devastating disease that
could one day take her life. ALS, also
known as Lou Garri's disease, is a
progressive neurodeenerative disease
that attacks nerve cells in the brain
and spinal cord responsible for making
our body's muscles work. People with the
condition usually lose their ability to
eat, speak, walk, and ultimately
breathe. Little is known about what
causes the fatal disease, and there is
currently no cure. But even after
learning that she is a genetic carrier
for a rare form of the disease, Gentilli
Sto Alrech isn't letting that stop her
from finding new ways to treat and
potentially cure it. Our affiliate KYW
has more on this remarkable story.
It's a race against time in this
research lab for Gentile Sodto Alrech,
who's an MD PhD student at the Pearlman
School of Medicine.
>> I'm not sure I'll survive this, but
everything I do is towards that goal.
>> Genetic testing shows the 32-year-old
has the same form of ALS, Lug Gerri's
disease, that killed her father in 2024.
>> In that year, I was seeing my dad die of
ALS the same way that I'm likely to die.
And I felt like I had now uh a a
deadline as to like how long I'd be able
to live. And that felt really
devastating in the moment.
>> ALS becomes paralyzing. Gentill's dad
was in a wheelchair at her wedding. His
form of ALS that runs in the family is
also linked to a form of dementia called
FTD.
>> My hope is to turn the needle towards
making ALS and FTD survivable diagnosis.
Currently, there's no cure and limited
treatments. For Gentilly, the future
depends on research. Big help is coming
from Dr. Dna Amato, an ALS researcher at
Penn, who also treated Gentill's dad.
>> It's a really tough disease.
>> The research here is focused on
developing a gene therapy.
>> So, in ALS, only motor neurons are
affected by that disease right here,
>> and that's these guys.
>> Now, together in the lab, the doctor and
students share a special mission. She is
uh just really determined to put a dent
in this disease and we share that
determination.
>> Research that they're hoping will
someday be lifesaving.
>> 10sec trivia. Which disease is the
leading cause of irreversible blindness
worldwide? Cataracts, glaucoma, macular
degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy?
Answer is glaucoma. a group of eye
diseases that damage the optic nerve
which sends visual information from the
eye to the brain. According to the World
Health Organization, around one out of
every 200 people lives with legal
blindness. The Winter Parolympics held
their closing ceremony over the weekend
and one team of athletes is hard at work
to get their sport added to the summer
parolympic program coming in 2028. Blind
baseball is not currently among the
events, but not because the sport can't
be adapted, rather because it is not
played at an international level in
enough countries. You're about to meet a
team of blind athletes who's trying to
change that by popularizing the sport.
CNN's Randy Kay has more.
>> Got it.
>> It's the most gratifying feeling ever
for a blind person because somebody told
you you couldn't play. That this game
wasn't designed for you.
>> Get it. Get coming.
>> These players aren't waiting for a
league.
>> SECONDLY,
>> THEY'RE BUILDING ONE.
>> One out.
>> Their goal, make blind baseball a
parolympic sport.
>> The second someone said Parolympics to
me, I was like, I will do whatever it
takes.
>> Let's get some runs. Let's get some
hits, baby.
>> I am Kiana Vion Glanton. I am 42 and a2.
How would you describe yourself as
captain?
>> I'm a bit of a taskmaster. Is there
someone here that doesn't have something
essential? I see so much potential in my
teammates.
>> Let's go, Janice.
>> Play ball.
>> How do they play blind baseball? The
ball itself has a couple of chimes in it
so the players can follow the sound and
all the players are blindfolded to even
the playing field.
They hold the ball themselves, no
pitcher. First base makes a beeping
noise to guide them in. And there are
two sighted coaches on second and third
base with special clappers. The players
run toward the noise.
>> Beautiful.
>> Rumor has it you're like the home run
king.
>> Um I love I mean I love to hit. Um
>> don't be modest.
to be on a baseball field, a place that
has always brought me nothing but joy.
It's like heaven.
>> Some of these players were adults by the
time they lost their vision. So for
them, blind baseball is more than a
sport.
>> I'm a proud mom of one phenomenal little
girl, my seeing eye daughter. Our
life changed big time. I felt like my
eyes betrayed me. I did not want this
lifestyle and I certainly didn't want to
be in the blind community. I smacked
that ball for everything that I told
myself I couldn't do. I'm breaking
stereotypes and my baby is watching.
>> Baseball helped Zach Ship learn to
navigate the world again when he lost
his sight 2 years ago very suddenly. Can
you see me right now?
>> No.
>> Not at all.
>> If I'm looking straight at you, no. And
if you turned your head,
>> if I look this way. Yes.
>> But I'm blurry.
>> Yes. The day we found out that my vision
was what it was, um, was the hardest day
of my life.
I will do whatever I need to do to
live the life that I want to live, to do
the things that are going to bring me
joy and live the fullest, most beautiful
life that I want to live.
>> You lose us and run with your speed,
I'll kill you.
God bless you. Last year, the team
competed in the Blind Baseball
International Cup featured in this
upcoming documentary. These games raise
the profile of the sport, but they need
16 international teams to compete in the
Parolympics
>> to represent my city, my country, my
friends, and my family proudly. It would
mean everything to me. Play ball.
>> It's a lead off.
Today's story getting a 10 out of 10.
Some old school tech forging
crossgenerational connections. This is
the call a boomer pay phone and it's
exactly what it sounds like. It
automatically connects college students
on Boston University's campus with a
total stranger at a senior living
complex on the other side of the
country. The goal of this unique popup
is to connect baby boomers, the
generation born between 1946 and 1964
with Jenzers, born between 1997 and
2012. It's a bid to spread happiness and
curb loneliness. And before you ask,
yes, the sister phone in Reno, Nevada is
called the Call a Zoomer phone. Both
have been big hits and great reminders
that sometimes a few kind words can have
big impacts.
>> I love it. I mean, I think younger
people and older people, I would argue,
need to talk to each other more in the
same place, but across the country is a
good place to start. We've all forgotten
that there are lots of ways to stay in
touch and break loneliness and
isolation.
>> Like we always say, even if it's just
making someone smile, we have the
opportunity to be a spark of joy for
someone who needs it each and every day.
We are sending a spark of joy and a
whole lot of gratitude all the way to
the Philippines. Kumusta to Mr. Heenian
friends at the International School of
Manila. Thank you for watching us each
and every day. And we have a shout out
going to Mr. Redell at Dublin High
School in Dublin, California. Look at
these socks. Dub high, stay fly, rise
up. I will be rocking this at the gym.
Thank you so much. Hope you have a great
start to your week. We have the power to
make it a great week. So, let's do it.
I'm Coy Wire and we are CNN 10.