Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris reopens
It has been a tumultuous year for French politics, but there is at least some good news for the end of 2024. Notre Dame Cathedral, which suffered severe damage from a rooftop fire in 2019, reopened in December after five years of restoration. and renovation work. The cathedral boasts a new altar and dazzling ivory interior. Restoration work on the building’s exterior continues. See the Guardian for more details.
U.S. homicide rate continues to decline
In 2020, homicides in U.S. cities increased by an average of 30 percent, marking the largest jump in U.S. history. After remaining at high levels for several years, it has begun to decline and is now predicted to return to pre-2020 levels for the first time. Data shows that male unemployment and school closures, especially in low-income areas, are key factors in the rise in violence as a result of the pandemic. Read more about Brookings.
One of the world’s rarest cats is no longer endangered
The Iberian wildcat, one of the world’s rarest cats, is no longer classified as an endangered species. In 2001, there were only 62 adult cats, but now there are thought to be more than 2,000 wild cats living in Spain and Portugal. Find out more on the BBC.
EVs last longer than expected
EV batteries don’t have shorter lifespans than internal combustion engines as everyone thinks, but they may actually last longer. EV batteries are typically warranted for eight years, but it appears they can last up to 20 years. But at the moment, it’s hard to be sure of that, with very few EVs on the road that are 10 years old. Read more at WIRED.
The men who hacked AirPods gave their grandmother hearing aids
When Apple released a software update that allowed AirPods Pro 2 earbuds to function as hearing aids, Rithwik Jayasinghe rushed to buy hearing aids for his grandmother, only to discover that the feature would not work in India due to location restrictions. I did. While most people would readily admit defeat, Jayasinghe grabbed two friends, some aluminum foil, and a microwave and set about building a homemade device to remove location restrictions. Read more at WIRED.
A baby pygmy hippo conquered the internet
In July, a worldwide sensation was born. Since opening to the public at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Public Zoo on July 25, Moo Den (translated as “bouncing pork”) has become one of the most recognizable faces on the internet. Sure, she’s cute. But it’s her sassy personality – sitting in her mother’s food trough, biting her handlers, lunging around her enclosure and screaming – that propelled her to stardom. In 2024, many people may relate. Read more in the New York Times.
