Zero Rhino Poaching Incidents in 2025

India’s long running battle to protect its iconic greater one-horned rhinoceros has reached a heartening milestone: in 2025 the state of Assam reported zero rhino poaching incidents in its major rhino habitats, including Kaziranga and surrounding landscapes - a continuation of impressive progress first seen in previous years. This achievement reflects decades of sustained conservation work, from bolstered anti‑poaching patrols and community engagement to expanded protected areas and stronger enforcement of wildlife laws, helping these once endangered animals thrive after historic declines.

Public Domain Day - Cultural Classics Enter Free Creative Space
On January 1, 2026, the annual celebration known as Public Domain Day returned: thousands of creative works - from books and films to music and characters - officially entered the public domain, meaning they are now free for anyone to use, adapt, and build upon without needing permission or paying licensing fees. This batch includes beloved and historically significant works published in 1930 (and sound recordings from 1925), such as the earliest appearances of Betty Boop and Blondie, the first Nancy Drew mysteries, All Quiet on the Western Front (award‑winning film), classic musical compositions like “Georgia on My Mind” and “I Got Rhythm,” and literary works including The Murder at the Vicarage and As I Lay Dying. Entering the public domain revitalizes cultural heritage by giving artists, writers, filmmakers, educators, and the public at large creative freedom to reinterpret, remix, and share these classics in new and imaginative ways - a moment widely celebrated as opening “free creative space” for future innovation.

Garum
Garum, the ancient Roman fermented fish sauce long thought lost to history, has seen a notable revival in modern cuisine as chefs and food artisans reinterpret this deeply umami-rich condiment for contemporary dishes. Originally made by fermenting fish and salt into a savory liquid that Romans poured over everything from meats to vegetables, garum was a cornerstone of classical Mediterranean flavor. This resurgence reflects a broader culinary trend in toward rediscovering ancient foods and elevating them with modern techniques, offering chefs a potent new seasoning that enhances dishes with deep savory character.

KMT-2024-BLG-0792/OGLE-2024-BLG-0516
Astronomers announced the discovery of a “rogue planet” (cataloged as KMT-2024-BLG-0792/OGLE-2024-BLG-0516) - a planet that drifts through space without orbiting a star, like a cosmic nomad. This particular planet is about the size of Saturn and lies roughly 10,000 light-years from Earth. Scientists spotted it using a clever technique called gravitational micro-lensing, which works a bit like noticing an invisible object because it briefly bends and brightens the light behind it. By combining data from telescopes on Earth and the Gaia space telescope, researchers were able to figure out how massive the planet is and how far away it lies - something that’s usually very difficult to do for these lonely worlds. The discovery helps confirm that planets can be kicked out of their home systems and wander the galaxy on their own, suggesting there may be billions of unseen planets floating freely through space.

LEGO Smart Brick

The LEGO Smart Brick unveiled in early 2026 represents a notable shift in how physical toys can incorporate digital interaction without becoming screen centric or AI dependent. Built to the exact dimensions of a standard 2×4 LEGO brick, the Smart Brick contains a tiny microcontroller along with embedded sensors, LEDs, and a speaker, allowing it to respond to touch, motion, orientation, and connections with other bricks. Because it remains fully compatible with existing LEGO systems, it can be integrated into traditional builds to create structures that light up, make sounds, or react dynamically to play scenarios. The innovation lies less in software intelligence and more in miniaturized hardware engineering, emphasizing tactile creativity, STEM learning, and hands-on experimentation while preserving the core appeal of LEGO’s physical construction play. Three Star Wars LEGO sets featuring the new smart brick will debut in March.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold Phone

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold grabbed attention in early January as one of the most striking hardware advances in mobile design, showcasing a triple‑panel foldable smartphone that pushes beyond traditional dual‑fold devices. When closed, it operates like a standard 6.5‑inch smartphone, but with two hinges and three connected display sections it unfolds into a large ~10‑inch tablet‑like screen, offering extensive real‑estate for multitasking and media, including the ability to run multiple apps side‑by‑side and even support desktop‑style workflows with Samsung DeX.

Christmas In Ethiopia
On the evening of Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Meskel Square in Addis Ababa became a vibrant hub of devotion as thousands gathered to observe the Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas, known as Genna. The event, hosted by the Ethiopian Jandereba Generation, saw worshippers clad in traditional white garments, carrying candles and singing hymns that echoed through the square.

Kiwi Birds
Kiwi birds are like nature’s little pranksters - round, fuzzy, and proudly flightless, with beaks longer than their legs seem to suggest is reasonable. They shuffle around New Zealand at night, sniffing out bugs with nostrils at the tip of their beaks (because of course they do), looking more like walking pom-poms than birds. Despite their cute and awkward vibe, kiwis are surprisingly tough, laying eggs that are huge compared to their body size. Basically, they’re proof that you don’t need to fly to be legendary!