Elon Musk Proposes Mandatory Cognitive Testing

Elon Musk proposed mandatory cognitive ability testing for American officials. This statement was prompted by the case of 81-year-old Congresswoman Kay Granger from Texas, who got lost on the street and was taken to a nursing home for dementia patients.

Largest ship with rotor sails

The Chinese, together with the British, have launched the world's largest rotor sail ship. Thanks to fuel savings, they will allow for a reduction of CO₂ emissions by 3,000 tons per year. The ship will be used to transport iron ore. During loading and unloading, the 35-meter-high sails fold onto the deck without causing any obstruction, and on the water, they rotate under the influence of the wind, generating additional thrust.

Unusual Sculptures

Sculptures by the American artist Thomas Deininger, which look like paintings from the front but are actually glued trash. From toys and other debris found in dumps, he creates figures of birds, insects, and fish, as well as portraits of people, many of which are exhibited in prestigious exhibitions.

Robot Ants Invented in South Korea

In South Korea, robot ants have been invented that are only 0.06 cm tall. They are controlled by a magnetic field, and their 'swarm' can lift objects that are hundreds of times heavier than each robot. The invention will assist specialists in the field of medicine.

World Record

In the Chinese city of Jinan, the construction of an underwater tunnel with a diameter of 17 meters has been completed – a world record. For comparison, the Eurotunnel under the English Channel has a diameter of just 7.6 meters. The road was excavated using the monstrous Shanhe tunnel boring machine, which is as tall as a five-story building.

Dyer's Burger in Memphis Fries Patties in 100-Year-Old Oil

Dyer's Burger in Memphis fries the patties in oil that is over 100 years old - it hasn't been changed since 1912, but is periodically filtered and topped with new oil. According to legend, the "secret recipe" originated when the staff simply forgot to drain the old oil in the kitchen, but customers liked the taste so much that it was decided to make it the trademark of the establishment. After each shift, all the fat and oil is saved - there are now more than 10 buckets in reserve.

Volkswagen Reconsiders Closing German Factories

Volkswagen has decided not to close factories in Germany: instead, the capacity of several of them will be reduced and 35,000 jobs will be cut. However, nobody will be laid off: the reduction of jobs will be implemented by refraining from hiring new workers to replace those who leave and reducing the intake of trainees until 2030. In exchange for not closing the factories, Volkswagen's union has agreed to forego salary increases and bonuses.

Construction of the world's largest airport begins in China

In China, the construction of the world's largest airport on an artificial island has begun. The Jinzhou Bay Airport in the coastal city of Dalian will cover an area of 20 km² and will serve 80 million passengers annually. According to the provincial government, Jinzhou Bay Airport will eventually have four runways and a huge terminal covering 900,000 square meters.

Google Maps Photo Helps Catch Killer in Spain

A photo from Google Maps helped catch a killer in Spain - he was caught on camera while hiding a body in the trunk. An astonishing story took place in the small village of Tahueco, which has only 50 residents. The 'Google Car' was sent there to update the maps for the first time in 15 years - and it drove down the street just as the criminal was carrying out his dark deeds. The photo ended up being one of the key pieces of evidence.

LG Releases Its Coolest Transparent TV

LG has released its coolest transparent TV yet - it can change the transparency of the display by extending a black screen behind the glass. The new model features a 77-inch OLED panel with 4K and 120 Hz, as well as an 'AI processor' and a large stand with a couple of glass shelves. The model was first shown back in January, but sales have only just started now - for $60,000.

Mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru

Flying over Peru, one can see the mysterious Nazca Lines - drawings of animals, people, and enigmatic creatures, carved into the earth's surface about 2000 years ago. It is believed these geoglyphs were left by the ancient Nazca civilization, but scientists are not sure exactly for what purpose. Their sizes range from several meters to kilometers, and new images are still being found - as of today, 733 drawings are known, with 303 of them discovered in 2024.

Tillandsia recurvata - A Hardy Plant

Tillandsia recurvata is one of the most resilient plants, capable of growing directly on power lines. This species derives nutrients directly from the atmosphere and does not need soil, so it thrives in the most unexpected places, including on branches of other plants, poles, stones, and rocks. It can be found in Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, the USA, and beyond.

World's Highest Solar Power Plant Completed in Tibet

In Tibet, the construction of the world's highest solar power plant has been completed. The Caipeng Solar-Storage Power Station is located at an altitude of 5,228 meters and has 170,000 solar panels. The power plant was built and put into operation in just 115 days.

China Successfully Launches First Batch of Guowang Internet Satellites

China has successfully launched the first batch of Guowang internet satellites into orbit. The launch was carried out using the Long March 5B heavy-lift carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province. These are the first of 13,000 satellites that will be built and launched by 2034.

Former Google Chief Warns of AI

The former head of Google stated that people should be ready to disconnect AI from the network if it begins to evolve. According to Eric Schmidt, technology is advancing very quickly, and we might miss a machine uprising: "I've been working on this for 50 years and have never seen innovations on this scale."

The world's largest cave is located in Vietnam

In Vietnam, there is the world's largest cave, Son Doong, inside which 15 Cheops pyramids could fit. Its length is over 6.5 km, the height reaches up to 200 meters, and the width up to 150 meters. Inside flows an underground river, and the ceiling has collapsed in places long ago, allowing sunlight to penetrate and dense jungles to grow. Tours to Son Doong are entire expeditions lasting almost a week. They are conducted in groups of 10 people and charge about $3000 per person (with all slots for 2025 already booked).

The World's Steepest Cable Car Opens in the Swiss Alps

In the Swiss Alps, the world's steepest cable car with a gradient of 159.4% has been opened. The 1.2 km route connects the mountain village of Mürren at an altitude of 775 m with Stechelberg at the valley's bottom. Each of the two cabins holds 85 people, and the trip takes only 4 minutes.

Chinese Set New Spacewalk Duration Record

The Chinese have set a new world record for spacewalk duration - they spent 9 hours and 6 minutes outside their orbital station. The previous record lasted 23 years. It was set in March 2001 by NASA astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms with 8 hours and 56 minutes.

Meng Xiang

The construction of the ship Meng Xiang, a key tool for scientific oceanic drilling, has been completed at a Chinese shipyard in Guangzhou. The ship is estimated to be worth $470 million, measuring 180 meters long, and operations will begin as early as next year. The ship, whose name translates to "Dream," is intended for the study of plate tectonics, ancient marine climate, and the life of microorganisms in deep rock formations. One of the most ambitious tasks will be the attempt to penetrate through the Earth's crust and reach the mantle - a boundary known as the Mohorovičić surface or Moho boundary.

The Shortest Flight in the World

The shortest flight in the world lasts only 80-90 seconds - between the Scottish islands of Westray and Papa Westray. The flights were introduced in 1967 as a fast alternative to the ferry. The distance between the airports is 2.7 km, and in good weather, pilots can complete it in even 53 seconds.