24 things that will make the world a better place in 2024

Reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

It’s been a turbulent year in French politics, but there was at least some good news at the end of 2024: after being badly damaged by a fire in its roof space in 2019, Notre-Dame reopened its doors in December after five years of repair and renovation work. The cathedral features a new altar and a dazzling ivory interior. Repair work continues on the exterior of the building. Read more on Guardian.

The homicide rate in the United States has continued to decline

In 2020, homicides in American cities rose on average by 30 percent, the largest spike recorded in American history. It remained high for several years, before starting to decline, and is now expected to return to pre-2020 levels for the first time. Data indicate that male unemployment and school closures, especially in low-income neighborhoods, as a result of the pandemic, were the main drivers of the escalation in violence. Read more about Brookings.

One of the rarest cats in the world is no longer threatened with extinction

The Iberian lynx, one of the rarest cat species in the world, is no longer classified as endangered. There are now thought to be more than 2,000 of these wild cats spread across Spain and Portugal, compared to just 62 adults in 2001. Read more on the website BBC.

Electric vehicles last longer than expected

Instead of having a shorter lifespan than internal combustion engines, as everyone thinks, electric car batteries may last longer. Warranties typically cover EV batteries for eight years, but it appears they could last up to 20 years. But now it’s hard to be sure, as there are very few EVs on the road that are a decade old. Read more about Wired.

These guys hacked AirPods to give hearing aids to their grandmothers

When Apple released a software update that enabled the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds to function as hearing aids, Rithwik Jayasimha rushed to get some for his grandmother, but realized that location limitations meant the feature didn’t work in India. Most people would admit defeat, but Jayasimha grabbed two friends, some chips and a microwave, and set to work building a homemade device to get rid of geolocation restrictions. Read more about Wired.

This little pygmy hippopotamus has taken the internet by storm

In July, a global sensation was born. Since being unveiled to the public on July 25 at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, Moo Deng (which translates as “bouncy pork”) has become one of the most recognizable faces on the internet. Sure, it’s nice. But what catapulted her to stardom was her sassy personality: she would sit in her mother’s food bowl, bite her zookeeper, move around her enclosure, and scream. In 2024, a lot of people can relate. Read more at New York Times.