Many of us have felt it, and now it's official: "brain rot" is the Oxford Dictionary's word of the year.Oxford University Press said that the evocative phrase "gained new prominence in 2024," with its frequency of use increasing 230% from the year before.Oxford defines brain rot as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual st…

Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people’s regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday—a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation—has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it.Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shoppi…

Being a lighthouse keeper is probably one of the loneliest jobs in the world.Yet, it’s been Leo op den Brouw’s work and life for the past 25 years on Gabo Island, off the coast of East Gippsland, Australia.But now, the time has come to pass on the responsibility to the next generation.Despite the isolation, he's loved every minute of it. He's espec…

Paintings by the world-famous Moomins creator Tove Jansson are on show in Finland.The exhibition at the Helsinki Art Museum marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of Jansson’s book The Moomins and the Great Flood, which introduced the creatures to the world.Prior to the success of the Moomins, Jansson first made a name for herself as a talen…

‘AI granny’ Daisy is the latest weapon in the fight against phone scammers.This AI-powered bot, developed by UK telecom company Virgin Media O2, is designed to outsmart fraudsters by keeping them tied up in conversation for hours. Daisy is the latest tool in the world of scam-baiting, a strategy where scammers are kept on the line to waste their ti…

A high-tech new subway whose construction uncovered Roman and Byzantine treasures has opened in Greece.As well as sparkling new trains and stations the new line showcases the archeological discoveries which caused decades of delays in building the metro.Construction began in 2003 and unearthed a treasure trove of antiquities in a vast excavation be…

The sight was a common one for Andrew Kolpacki. For many a Sunday, he would watch the National Football League (NFL) games on TV and see quarterbacks (QBs) putting their hands on their helmets, desperately trying to hear the play call from the sideline or booth as tens of thousands of fans screamed at the tops of their lungs.When the National Colle…

Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them.The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost…

A Spanish court has upheld a ruling that a supermarket worker was unlawfully fired for having eaten a croquette that was going to be thrown away after not having been sold from the store’s deli section.The worker was fired in July 2023 after he had snarfed down the fried snack, which was destined for the trash after the store had closed for the day…

Electric grids have buckled more frequently and outages have become longer across the U.S. as the warming atmosphere carries more water and stirs up more destructive storms, according to an AP analysis of government data. In the Pacific Northwest, a “bomb cyclone” caused roughly half a million outages.People with disabilities and chronic health con…

Walmart, Target, Aldi and other grocers competed for a place on holiday tables with turkey dinner deals and other promotions to tempt Americans who haven’t recovered from recent food price inflation.Walmart, the nation’s largest food retailer, bundled the makings of a traditional turkey feast into a meal deal three years ago. This year, the 29-item…

Schools in Australia are being asked to open up their grounds after hours to give families more green space and areas for children to play.With the population of Australia’s south-eastern Victoria state growing rapidly, the demand for additional green spaces in cities and towns is also increasing.Asking to go back to school during the holidays isn’…

The ever-present TV drug ads showing patients hiking, biking or enjoying a day at the beach could soon have a different look: new rules require drugmakers to be clearer and more direct when explaining their medications’ risks and side effects.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spent more than 15 years crafting the guidelines, which are des…

The Vatican and Microsoft in November unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world’s most important monuments while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems.Using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs, taken with drones, cameras, and lasers ov…

When Massachusetts voters decided to ditch the state's standardized tests as a high school graduation requirement on Election Day, they joined a trend that has steadily chipped away at the use of high-stakes tests over the past two decades.The vote on the ballot question leaves only seven states with mandated graduation exams, a number that could s…

Deep in a dark warehouse, the sake sleeps, stored in rows of giant tanks, each holding more than 10,000 liters (2,640 gallons) of the Japanese rice wine that is the product of brewing techniques dating back more than 1,000 years.Junichiro Ozawa, the 18th-generation head of Ozawa Brewery, founded in 1702, hoped sake-brewing would win recognition as …

Health experts say walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease.Doctors say people should also add other activities to their fitness routines, including resistance exercises like lifting weights and activities that keep you flexible like yoga or stretching.“You don’t need equipment and you don’t …

As climate change warms our world, it has affected farmers and their growing practices, even threatening beloved beverages, like beer.Danish brewer Carlsberg, the world’s fourth largest, is breeding more climate-tolerant crops, hoping to future-proof its beer production.Human-caused climate change has made the world hotter and increased the likelih…

A new exhibition in western Germany is hoping to expand the public’s perception of Africa via art and cultural history.“The True Size of Africa” is at the Völklingen Ironworks and features works by artists from across the continent.Photographic portraits, paintings, video installations, and sculpture—26 works that organizers say explore Africa, add…

Australia's states and territories unanimously backed a national plan to require most forms of social media to bar children younger than 16.Leaders of the eight provinces held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss what he calls a world-first national approach that would make platforms including X, TikTok, Instagram and F…

Some people advocate humane deer management: the culling of deer to control their numbers and ensure they don’t overrun forests and farmland in a country where they no longer have natural predators. For these advocates, shooting deer is much more than a sport. It’s a necessity because England's deer population has gotten out of control.There are no…

A winged creature from Oregon was crowned this year's winner in an annual bat beauty contest put on by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).On Halloween, which was also the last day of International Bat Week, a hoary bat with a feisty personality named "Hoary Potter" defeated "Lestat," the western small-footed bat from Idaho, in the final round of t…

It’s no surprise that students are pushing back on cellphone bans in classrooms. But school administrators in one South Florida county working to pull students’ eyes away from their screens are facing some resistance from another group as well—parents.Since the beginning of the 2024 school year in August, students in Broward County Public Schools, …

The U.S. government's highway safety agency says Tesla is telling drivers in public statements that its vehicles can drive themselves, conflicting with the owner’s manual and briefings with the agency saying the electric vehicles need human supervision.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking the company to “revisit its communic…

Some Apple AirPod wireless headphones can be used as hearing aids with a new software update. It's a high-profile move that experts applaud, even if they only reach a small portion of the millions of Americans with hearing loss.An estimated 30 million people—1 in 8 Americans over the age of 12—have hearing loss in both ears. Millions would benefit …

From eco-friendly, modular Christmas trees handmade in the UK to wreaths, baubles, and tree decorations, this year’s Christmas trends are a mix of traditional and contemporary styling.Some British retailers are already seeing an increase in sales this Christmas.Over 600 retailers are at London's Spirit of Christmas fair, including Rachel Mitchell f…

Sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas as dozens of people whose life savings had been embezzled by a bank CEO learned that federal law enforcement had recovered their money."I just can't describe the weight lifted off of us," said Bart Camilli, 70, who with his wife Cleo had just learned they'd recover close to $450,000—money Ba…

As the price of fuel soared in Ethiopia earlier this year, Awgachew Seleshi decided to buy an electric car. That aligned with the government’s new efforts to phase out gas-powered vehicles. But months later, he’s questioning whether it was the right decision.He faces a range of issues, from the erratic supply of electricity in Addis Ababa, the capi…

Japan is planning to build an automated cargo transport corridor between Tokyo and Osaka, dubbed a "conveyor belt road" by the government, to make up for a shortage of truck drivers. The amount of funding for the project is not yet set. But it's seen as one key way to help the country cope with soaring deliveries.A computer graphics video made by t…

Originally built to store crops from peasant farmers, the tithe barn on the edge of the English village of Abbots Langley was converted into homes that preserve its centuries of history. Now, its residents are fighting to stop a development next door that represents the future.A proposal to build a data center on a field across the road was rejecte…

Hello Kitty, one of the most loved Sanrio characters, is marking her 50th anniversary with a bang.A new exhibition marking the milestone opened in Tokyo's National Museum called 'As I change, so does she' on Nov. 1.The bubble-headed mouthless cat is going as strong as ever, popping up on everything from keychains and purses to McDonald’s Happy Meal…

The world’s first joint performance by a symphony orchestra and a robot playing a cello took place in Sweden.The joint performance piece entitled ‘Veer’ was created for the robot by Swedish composer Jacob Mühlrad who said the possibilities of the robotic performance inspired him to reconsider the cello as an instrument.The 33-year-old composer said…

McDonald’s worked on October 24 to reassure customers that its U.S. restaurants are safe as federal investigators tried to pinpoint the cause of a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to the fast food giant’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers.McDonald’s pulled Quarter Pounders from one-fifth of its U.S. stores on October 23 as a result of the outbreak, which th…

A jury in Nevada has delivered a $5.2 billion award in the latest large-sum lawsuit against a former Las Vegas-based bottled water company that was found responsible for causing liver damage in customers before it was recalled from store shelves in 2021.A 12-day trial ended with the verdict in the negligence and product liability case against Affin…

The remains of a 145-million-year-old dinosaur went under the hammer in France on November 16. Valued at millions of euros, its sale could set a new milestone in the booming market for fossils.Dubbed “Vulcan,” the giant specimen is “the largest dinosaur skeleton ever to come to auction,” according to auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa.T…

Thieves with a nose for fine cheese have pulled off a massive cheddar rip-off in London.Neal's Yard Dairy said a con artist posing as a wholesale distributor for a major French retailer had made off with 22 metric tons (48,488 pounds) of award-winning cheddar worth 300,000 British pounds ($390,000) before the company realized it had been scammed an…

Inspired by techniques used in Asia, a Serbian couple, Dragan and Slavica Markovic, decided to change their careers and create pencils from old newspapers.New Pen makes its eco-pencils from graphite, recycled unsold and old newspapers, and edible, locally sourced, corn starch glue. Graphite is the only raw material the company procures abroad.“Manu…

A new insect has been discovered in a Northern Territory national park in Australia.The new variety of ghost wasp was found by two young wildlife photographers next to a swimming hole.“So, the subtropics, all the savannas up here, are just amazing. It's one of the most extensive and intact ecosystems, actually, in the entire world,” says Nick Volpe…

Moving in a dense cloud, like a flock of birds in flight, 100 drones maneuver through the night sky in an open field just outside Hungary’s capital. It’s the result of more than a decade of research and experimentation that scientists believe could change the future of unmanned flight.The behavior of the swarm, made up of autonomous drones that mak…

President Joe Biden became emotional as he honored acclaimed filmmakers, singers, writers, and others who have made their mark on American culture, awarding the prestigious National Medals of Arts and National Humanities Medals to 39 recipients.Filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, and Ken Burns and singers Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah were am…

The rising number of injuries to top soccer players came at a cost of nearly $800 million to teams across Europe’s leading leagues last season, according to a report.At a time when there are growing concerns about the number of games players are being asked to play, the Men’s European Football Injury Index found there were 4,123 injuries in the top…

New GoFundMe tools make it easier to circulate causes across online platforms in a push to cater to younger generations.The crowdfunding site hopes to meet digital natives in the online spaces where they frequently advocate, streamlining the donation experience to encourage more charity and connecting traditional nonprofits with a demographic that …

The Indian government plans a new law to punish those making hoax bomb threats against flights, which disrupt the schedules of airlines and cause massive inconvenience to thousands of passengers.In less than two weeks, more than 120 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.Civil A…

Hotel Yugoslavia was once the top place to stay for celebrities and dignitaries visiting Belgrade. Now, it’s fallen into disrepair, but a plan to replace it with a modern hotel is causing controversy.The hotel in the Serbian capital was a favorite gathering place for local officials and world leaders, but has fallen into disrepair since the breakup…

Schools in Mexico have six months to implement a government-sponsored ban on junk food or face heavy fines, officials said, as authorities confront what they call the worst childhood obesity problem in the world.The rules, published on Sept. 30, target products that have become staples for two or three generations of Mexican school kids: sugary fru…

The last confirmed sighting of a dodo was in the 17th century. But at the Cambridge Museum of Zoology, it is speaking again. These are the skeletal remains of a bird that was extinct by the 1680s—and is one of the first animals humans realized they had driven to extinction.But now it is chatting away, answering anything and everything in a natural …

A movement of cultural expression with origins in Mexican American and Chicano communities, lowriding is a way for a person to show their pride, family, and culture.Lowriding is the customization of a vehicle from the tires to the sound system with vivid designs and colors. Unlike hot rods or muscle cars, which have been modified to have big tires …

Wimbledon is replacing line judges with electronic line-calling, the latest step into the modern age by the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament.The All England Club announced that technology will be used to give the “out” and “fault” calls at the championships in 2025, eliminating the need for human officials to make them.Wimbledon organizers said …

Humanity is hitting the upper limit of life expectancy, according to a new study.Advances in medical technology and genetic research—not to mention larger numbers of people making it to age 100—are not translating into marked jumps in lifespan overall, according to researchers who found shrinking longevity increases in countries with the longest-li…

A group of young Aboriginal women is helping to keep traditional bush medicine alive in Australia. They hope their Bush Balm remedy will also be a reminder of home for kidney patients from their community undergoing dialysis in the city.Using an ancient rock, Tamara Stewart is crushing leaves in her kitchen. She’s preparing a healing balm called “i…