Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened
It’s been a tumultuous year in French politics, but there was at least some good news at the end of 2024: After suffering severe damage from a fire on its roof in 2019, Notre Dame reopened in December after five years of repair. and renovation works. The cathedral features a new altar and a stunning ivory interior. Repair work continues on the exterior of the building. Read more about him Guardian.
The homicide rate in the United States continued to decline
In 2020, homicides in American cities increased by an average of 30 percent, the largest increase in recorded US history. They remained high for several years, before beginning to fall, and are now projected to return to pre-2020 levels for the first time. The data suggests that male unemployment and school closures, particularly in low-income neighborhoods such as As a result of the pandemic, they were the main drivers of the increase in violence. Read more in Brookings.
One of the rarest cats in the world is no longer in danger of extinction
The Iberian lynx, one of the rarest feline species in the world, is no longer classified as endangered. There are now thought to be more than 2,000 of these wild cats spread across Spain and Portugal, up from just 62 mature cats in 2001. Read more at bbc.
Electric vehicles are lasting longer than expected
Instead of having a shorter lifespan than internal combustion engines, as everyone thought, electric vehicle batteries can last longer. Warranties typically cover EV batteries for eight years, but it looks like they could last up to 20. But right now it’s hard to be sure: There are very few EVs on the road that are even a decade old. Read more in WIRING.
These guys hacked AirPods to give their grandmothers headphones
When Apple released a software update that allowed its AirPods Pro 2 earbuds to act as hearing aids, Rithwik Jayasimha rushed to get some for his grandmother, only to realize that location restrictions meant the feature didn’t work in India. Most people would simply admit defeat, but Jayasimha grabbed two friends, some aluminum foil, and a microwave, and got to work building a homemade device to get rid of geolocation restrictions. Read more in WIRING.
A baby pygmy hippopotamus conquered the Internet
In July a global sensation was born. Since being revealed to the public on July 25 at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, Moo Deng (which translates to “Bouncy Pork”) has become one of the most recognizable faces on the internet. Sure, she’s cute. But what propelled her to stardom is her daring personality: sitting on her mother’s food bowl, biting her zookeeper, running around her enclosure and screaming. In 2024, many people could relate. Read more in The New York Times.