China to Subsidize Electronics Purchases

The Chinese government will start subsidizing the purchase of any electronics from Xiaomi, Huawei, and other local brands. The subsidies will primarily aim to reduce the cost of new gadgets through trade-ins of old ones and to stabilize prices. Currently, China's state subsidies strongly cover the local automotive market, which has led the European Union to impose special tariffs on all Chinese electric cars.

Pablo Escobar's Private Jet is Now Available on Airbnb

Pablo Escobar's private jet can now be rented on Airbnb. The hotel is located in Bristol, UK. A Boeing 727 has been transformed into an apartment with a bed and jacuzzi. The plane retains the original kitchen, landing gear, cockpit, and 1980s interior. One night in the plane costs $1055.

China Leads Starlink in Laser Data Transmission

China surpasses Starlink in the field of high-resolution 'space-to-earth' laser data transmission in the 6G standard. China has achieved a technological breakthrough in laser communication between satellite and Earth, setting a data transmission speed record of 100 Gbps - 10 times faster than the previous achievement. Chang Guang Satellite Technology, which owns the largest commercial satellite constellation Jilin-1, conducted tests using a mobile ground station.

Legendary Walter White's House for Sale

The legendary house of Walter White from 'Breaking Bad' has been put on sale for 4 million dollars. Even 12 years after the show concluded, crowds of fans continue to flock to the house regularly: they take photos with it or try to get inside. On average, about 300 people visit the house every day. Now the owners have given up and suggest that the new owners turn the house into a museum.

Giant Alcohol Cloud Found in Space

A giant alcohol cloud is located 10,000 light years away from Earth. It contains 400 quintillion liters of alcohol. To consume such a volume, every person would need to drink 300,000 liters of alcohol daily for a billion years. This cloud was discovered near the constellation Aquila and is 1,000 times the diameter of the Solar System.

Mysterious Object Falls from Sky in Kenya

In Kenya, a mysterious object fell from the sky. A half-ton metal ring with a diameter of about 2.4 m fell on the village of Mukuku. It turned out to be space debris, but what is unusual is that the ring did not burn up in the atmosphere and did not break apart.

Judge in the US Used Quest 2 VR Headset to Reconstruct a Crime

A judge in the US used the Quest 2 VR headset to reconstruct a crime. With the VR headset, the judge was able to immerse himself in the scene from the perspective of the defendant, who allegedly pulled out a weapon in front of a crowd for self-defense.

Kenyan Man Collects 4.2 Million Butterflies

A man from Kenya has amassed a collection of 4.2 million butterflies. At the age of 5, Steve Collins was given a bug net and began searching for unusual specimens. He is now 74 years old and has an entire museum with hundreds of insect species, some of which are already extinct. Steve now plans to retire and sell the collection for $8 million.

Tequila surplus in Mexico

In Mexico, they don't know what to do with the tequila. About 500 million liters of the traditional Mexican drink have accumulated in warehouses. Due to a sharp drop in demand in neighboring countries, producers are unable to sell the product fast enough, and tequila remains 'gathering dust' in storage.

LEGO Set about the Grinch Receives 10,000 Votes

The LEGO set about the Grinch received 10,000 votes and may soon be available for official sale. The set consists of 1489 pieces and includes the Grinch's house in the form of a two-story cave with a spring bed, a musical monkey, and a telescope for detecting uninvited guests, as well as minifigures of the Grinch and Cindy Lou.

Robotic Dogs Help with Trash Collection in China's Mountains

A truly useful application for robotic dogs has been found in the mountains of China - they now help clean up trash there. The iron workers operate in the Taishan area, carrying heavy containers with bags up the stairs. Previously, the cleaners carried them themselves, but now they walk alongside, satisfied and unburdened.

Time Names the 200 Best Inventions of 2024

Time magazine has named the 200 best inventions of 2024. Another 50 were highlighted as 'deserving special mention.' The list includes a 'smart' toilet with artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, small artificial satellites, a phone case with a lip balm holder, a transparent TV, an automatic baby rocker, a non-stick frying pan without chemical coating, and many more useful inventions.

Guy Learned Japanese Through Porn

A guy learned Japanese thanks to porn - he had to watch 4500 adult videos for that. He decided to test his knowledge and passed the test with an impressive N2 result. This is quite a high level that allows him to understand complex topics, speak fluently and read news.

In Colombia, Prisoners Learn IT

In Colombia, prisoners in jails are being taught IT. One local prison has started offering courses from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, so inmates can learn programming. The training lasts 12 weeks, and afterward, the newly-minted specialists have a graduation ceremony and receive the necessary certificates.

Luxury Travel Train Eastern & Oriental Express

The luxury travel train Eastern & Oriental Express operates between Malaysia and Singapore. It consists of 15 carriages, including one with SPA treatments from Dior and an open one as a viewing platform. Food is prepared by the famous Taiwanese chef André Chiang, and in the evenings, there are parties with live music. The journey lasts 4 days and 3 nights, with ticket prices starting at $4150.

Japanese Invent Standing Sleeping Capsules

The Japanese have invented office capsules for sleeping in a standing position. They are called Giraffenap, which translates to 'Giraffe Sleep'. The construction is designed specifically so that employees do not sleep all day, but pop in for a nap of just half an hour to an hour. Inside this device, there is a pillow and platforms for the buttocks, calves, and feet.

NASA's 'Parker' Probe Plunges into Sun's Atmosphere

NASA's 'Parker' probe has plunged into the Sun's atmosphere. On December 24, it approached the star at a record distance of 6 million km, reaching a mind-boggling speed of 690,000 km/h - 192 km/s. After this, the device fell silent but later re-established contact and was in full working order.

Former Aston Martin and Nissan Chief Criticizes European Automakers

The former head of Aston Martin and Nissan, Andy Palmer, has called on European automakers to copy the Chinese if they want to catch up with them. Furthermore, he criticized manufacturers for their too slow transition to electric vehicles, stating that 'hybrids are a road to hell' that slows down 'adaptation to the new reality'. Incidentally, Palmer led the development of the Nissan Leaf, which became the first mass-produced electric car.

Gerhardi Kunststofftechnik GmbH Declares Bankruptcy

German plastics manufacturer Gerhardi Kunststofftechnik GmbH, best known as the supplier of the three-pointed star badges for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has declared bankruptcy. Originally, Gerhardi was founded in 1796 as a producer of metal goods. In the 20th century, it became the main supplier of grilles, handles, and chrome trims for Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Later, the brand shifted its focus to manufacturing plastic products and continued to supply the German automaker.

Asteroid Named Santa Claus Approaches Earth

An asteroid named Santa Claus and the size of a 10-story building approached Earth. The impact would be equivalent to 12 million tons of TNT and would level an area of 1200 kilometers. But let's breathe easy: scientists report that everything is fine. The asteroid is currently very far away, about 18 times farther from Earth than the Moon.