Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral Reopened
It’s been a tumultuous 12 months in French politics, however there was a minimum of some excellent news on the finish of 2024: After being badly broken by a fireplace in its roof-space in 2019, Notre Dame reopened its doorways in December after 5 years of restore and renovation works. The cathedral boasts a brand new altar and a blinding ivory-colored inside. Restore works are persevering with on the outside of the constructing. Learn extra on the Guardian.
The US Murder Charge Continued to Decline
In 2020, homicides in US cities rose on common by 30 p.c—the most important recorded spike in American historical past. They remained excessive for a number of years, earlier than starting to fall, and are actually projected to return to pre-2020 ranges for the primary time. Knowledge means that male unemployment and faculty closures, significantly in low-income neighborhoods, on account of the pandemic had been the important thing drivers of the rise in violence. Learn extra on Brookings.
One of many World’s Rarest Cats Is No Longer Endangered
The Iberian lynx, one the rarest species of cat on the planet, is now not categorized as endangered. There are actually regarded as greater than 2,000 of those wild cats unfold throughout Spain and Portugal—up from simply 62 mature cats again in 2001. Learn extra on the BBC.
EVs Are Lasting Longer Than Predicted
Slightly than having a shorter lifespan than inside combustion engines, as everybody thought, EV batteries may very well last more. Warranties usually cowl EV batteries for eight years, however they appear to be they could final for as much as 20. However proper now it’s arduous to make sure—there are only a few EVs on the street which can be even a decade outdated. Learn extra on WIRED.
These Guys Hacked AirPods to Give Their Grandmas Listening to Aids
When Apple launched a software program replace that enabled its AirPods Professional 2 earbuds to behave as listening to aids, Rithwik Jayasimha rushed out to get some for his grandma—solely to understand location restrictions meant the characteristic didn’t work in India. Most individuals would simply admit defeat, however Jayasimha grabbed two pals, some foil, and a microwave, and set to work constructing a do-it-yourself gadget to eliminate the geolocation restrictions. Learn extra on WIRED.
A Child Pygmy Hippo Conquered the Web
In July, a worldwide sensation was born. Since being revealed to the general public on July 25 at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, Moo Deng (which interprets as “Bouncy Pork”) has develop into one of the crucial recognizable faces of the web. Certain, she’s cute. However what’s propelled her to stardom is her sassy persona: sitting in her mother’s meals bowl, biting her zookeeper, charging round her enclosure, and screaming. In 2024, a number of individuals might relate. Learn extra at The New York Times.
