THURSDAY, 25 DECEMBER 2025, 22:49
Our 20 favourite pieces of in-depth reporting, essays and profiles from the year
Victor Pelevin made his name in 90s Russia with scathing satires of authoritarianism. But while his literary peers have faced censorship and fled the country, he still sells millions. Has he become a Kremlin apologist?
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Scientists are beginning to understand that ageing is not simply a linear process and we age, according to recent research, in three accelerated bursts: at about 40, 60 and 80 years old. In this episode from July, Ian Sample talks to Stanford University’s Prof Michael Snyder, who explains what the drivers of these bursts of ageing could be, and how they might be counteracted
Scientists find...
Department of Transport spokesperson Collen Msibi says just one step remains before the department can decide whether or not to propose eight-year driving licences in Parliament.
By Gijsbert Hoogendoorn, University of Johannesburg; Anneli Douglas, University of Pretoria, and Greg Richards, Tilburg University Creative tourism is a growing form of travel where visitors learn by taking part in hands-on, culturally rooted activities. These can include classes in local cooking, craft workshops or music sessions. Tourism researchers Anneli Douglas, Gijsbert Hoogendoorn and...
Coinbase has brought the RWA market into the spotlight by announcing that it will soon allow users to trade tokenized stocks and event contracts tied to real-world outcomes. The largest US-regulated crypto exchange joins rivals like Gemini, Kraken, and Robinhood in a market generating nearly $2 billion in revenue. Meanwhile, the Edel Finance testnet launched […]
In an era marked by economic volatility and unpredictable markets, the quest for lasting wealth preservation and steady growth remains paramount. For decades, the visionary principles of Harry Browne’s “Permanent Portfolio” have stood as a beacon of stability advocating a balanced, resilient mix of stocks, bonds, gold, and cash to weather any financial climate. Vince […]
“Garmin’s Collier Trophy award-winning Autonomi emergency Autoland, a system designed to safely land an aircraft in the event of pilot incapacitation, made its first real-world use and save on Saturday,” writes Slashdot reader slipped_bit. AvBrief.com reports: Social media posts from flight tracking hobbyists reported a King Air 200 squawked 7700 about 2 p.m. local time today. The Autoland...
The firm’s chief security officer said North Koreans tried to apply for remote working IT jobs using stolen or fake identities.
The FCC has banned approval of new foreign-made drones and components, citing “an unacceptable risk” to national security. The move will most heavily impact DJI but it “does not affect drones or drone components that are currently sold in the United States.” Reuters reports: The tech was placed on the commission’s “Covered List,” barring DJI and other foreign drone manufacturers from receiving...
Microsoft plans to eliminate all C and C++ code across its major codebases by 2030, replacing it with Rust using AI-assisted, large-scale refactoring. “My goal is to eliminate every line of C and C++ from Microsoft by 2030,” Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Galen Hunt writes in a post on LinkedIn. “Our strategy is to combine AI and Algorithms to rewrite Microsoft’s largest codebases. Our North...
Alphabet is acquiring Intersect for $4.75 billion to accelerate data center and power-generation capacity as AI infrastructure demand surges. CNBC reports: Alphabet said Intersect’s operations will remain independent, but that the acquisition will help bring more data center and generation capacity online faster. “Intersect will help us expand capacity, operate more nimbly in building new power...
Finding greener ways to keep giant new data centres cool is a challenge.
Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide will soon be available in a daily pill Americans can take for weight loss.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: With just three days to go before Christmas, a cyberattack knocked France’s national postal service offline Monday, blocking and delaying package deliveries and online payments. The timing was miserable for millions of people at the height of the Christmas season, as frazzled postal workers fended off frustrated customers. No one...
Here’s how a fake clip from 2019 wound up in the latest Justice Department Epstein files dump.
Biologist says monotreme a Victorian fisher has nicknamed Pinky is ‘unusual but not exceptional’
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Cody Stylianou thought he saw a huge trout. But, skimming just below the surface, it was moving differently than a fish would.
The creature surfaced and, amazed, the Victorian fisher...
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has personally guaranteed $40.4 billion to shore up Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, trying to ease financing doubts as Warner Bros weighs a rival offer from Netflix. Reuters reports: Paramount said the amended terms do not change the $30-per-share all-cash offer even as the fight for Hollywood’s sought-after assets heats up, with control of Warner...
The influential video game developer died after his car crashed and caught fire on a highway in Los Angeles, US media report.
Vince Zampella, the co-creator of Call of Duty and co-founder of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment, died at 55 in a single-car accident in Los Angeles. According to NBC Los Angeles, “The single-car crash was reported at about 12:45 p.m. on the scenic road north of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains. The southbound car veered off the road, hit a concrete barrier and a passenger was...
If you care about good air, it’s time for a dehumidifier. These are the best ones we’ve tested for everything from basements to drying laundry.
The Zwilling Four-Star chef’s knife is the carbon steel blade WIRED recommends for most casual home chefs. It’s free with HelloFresh meal kits, using this promo code