On December 30, 2024, a 2.5-meter-wide, 500-kilogram metallic ring crash-landed in Mukuku Village, Kenya, startling locals with a loud bang but thankfully causing no injuries. The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) is probing its origins, with whispers linking it to a 2004 Atlas Centaur launch. As space launches skyrocket, KSA stresses the need for stricter international space debris regulations to prevent more fiery arrivals. Residents described the object as "red and hot," underscoring the urgent call for sustainable orbital practices.

Meta has shut down its experimental AI accounts on Facebook and Instagram, including the controversial "Liv," following backlash over representation and technical glitches. Launched in September 2023 at the Connect event, these AI profiles suffered from poor backstories and a lack of diversity among the 12-person creation team. The inability to block these accounts due to a bug only fueled user frustration. Meta VP Connor Hayes confirmed the removal, emphasizing it was an early experiment amidst ongoing generative AI investments.

In a bold move to cement U.S. dominance in AI, Microsoft is set to invest a whopping $80 billion in AI-enabled data centers for fiscal 2025, with over $40 billion directed domestically, says President Brad Smith. The tech giant’s deepening partnership with OpenAI, including exclusive Azure cloud support, positions Microsoft’s AI revenue to exceed $10 billion annually. Amid whispers of an AI arms race with China, Microsoft also vows to train 2.5 million Americans in AI skills this year. Meanwhile, investors are smiling with a 57% stock surge!

The U.S. Treasury finalized Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit rules on December 31, 2024, offering up to $3 per kilogram for low-emission H₂. Eligible methods include renewable electrolysis and natural gas with carbon capture, ensuring lifecycle GHG emissions are ≤4 kg CO₂e/kg. This initiative aims to channel billions into green hydrogen, create quality jobs, and position the U.S. as a clean energy leader by 2030. Industry welcomes the clarity, though some joke it’s ambitious—progress, after all, is better than perfection!

Good news for EV enthusiasts! Hyundai and Kia’s electric models, including the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV9, now qualify for the $7,500 US federal tax credit, thanks to their $7.6B Georgia Metaplant America ramping up production in October 2024. This brings the total eligible vehicles to 25 across 10 brands. Hyundai’s US EV sales soared by 30.3% last year. However, brace yourselves—the incoming Trump administration is rumored to cut these shiny incentives. Stay charged!

On December 24, 2024, NASA's Parker Solar Probe blazed past the sun at a record-breaking 430,000 mph, coming within 3.8 million miles of its surface. Thanks to its 4.5-inch heat shield, the probe survived scorching 2,500°F temperatures and transmitted first detailed data by January 1, 2025. With two more fiery flybys scheduled for March and June, scientists are sparking new insights into the sun's mysterious corona and solar wind.

China's Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is set to start its ghost-busting mission this summer, nestled 700m under a granite mountain in Guangdong. Equipped with a massive 35.4m acrylic sphere and 43,200 photomultiplier tubes, JUNO aims to detect neutrinos from nearby nuclear plants with record 3% precision. Backed by 700 scientists across 17 countries since 2015, this giant detector promises to shed light on the universe’s most elusive particles—and maybe have a bit of fun too!

In October 2023, the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC sanctioned Beijing’s Integrity Technology Group for aiding the Flax Typhoon botnet—a 260K+ IoT device army. Since 2021, Flax Typhoon hacked systems across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, especially Taiwan, using crafty VPN and RDP tactics. A September 2023 botnet shutdown saw U.S. heroes from FBI, NSA, and allies fending off hackers' failed DDoS revenge. Clear message: cyber mischief won’t fly!

Las Vegas welcomed CES 2025 from January 7-10, spotlighting AI integration by giants like Samsung, NVIDIA, and LG. NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang opened the event on January 6 with groundbreaking Enterprise Business Solutions. Highlights included LG’s sleek 3-in-1 projector, Honda and Sony’s AFEELA electric vehicles, and Lenovo’s anticipated gaming handhelds. Don’t miss Mixi’s charming emotional-support AI robot and Hyundai’s flying taxi rumors—proving the future is not just smart, but also soaring!

Nvidia’s stock zoomed 4.5% today after Microsoft unveiled an ambitious $80 billion investment in AI infrastructure for 2025. Dominating 80% of the AI GPU market, Nvidia remains the go-to for major players like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Despite a dazzling 200% surge last year, some analysts urge caution—as The Motley Fool left Nvidia off its top picks. With AI demand still roaring, Nvidia’s GPUs stay essential for the tech frontier.

In an unexpected twist, Apple is shelling out $95 million to settle claims that Siri acted like the nosy neighbor of tech, secretly recording conversations from 2014 to 2024. Eligible users may receive up to $20 per device. Launched in 2019 after a Guardian exposé, the settlement helps Apple dodge courtroom drama while maintaining innocence. This case highlights ongoing privacy jitters with voice assistants, prompting Apple to delete pre-2019 recordings and advise users to tweak Siri’s settings.