Random facts.
January 1, 2025
Happy New Year! In 45 BC, when Julius Caesar’s new Julian calendar took effect, the Senate fixed January 1 as the first day of the year.
January was named for Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doorways and transitions, whose name is etymologically linked to the Latin word “ianua” meaning door.
OpenAI launched a telephone number—1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478)—that anyone in the US can call to talk to ChatGPT via voice chat for up to 15 minutes for free. 🙄
Note: Please stay aware of what’s happening in the world, and in your own mind (and in the minds of your loved ones). Read this and then read this.
A new analysis estimates that over half of English-language longform LinkedIn posts and comments are AI-generated, using tools like taplio.com and wisereply.app.
Time magazine named WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark as its 2024 Athlete of the Year.
Even though every moment our senses are taking in trillions of bits of information, research suggests our brains extract and process information at a speed of just 10 bits per second.
Nigel Richards won the Spanish World Scrabble Championships despite not knowing the language.
Google said the top search terms in 2024 were dominated by sports, especially men’s soccer; personalities including Liam Payne, Donald Trump and Catherine, Princess of Wales—and the iPhone 16. Top trending news comprised the U.S. election, extreme weather event, and the Olympics.
You can now buy a new car on Amazon with Amazon Autos.
Pantone’s 2025 color of the year is Mocha Mousse.
Researchers are creating cancer drugs derived from the microorganisms found in stool samples.
Big businesses try to turn their financial clout into political clout when they get bigger. Researchers found that corporate mergers resulted in “large and persistent increases in lobbying activity.”
Americans’ confidence in their nation’s judicial system and courts dropped to a record-low 35% in 2024.
Taylor Swift was named Spotify’s most-streamed artist worldwide for the second straight year; The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, Drake, and Billie Eilish round out the top five.
The Centennial Light is recognized as the oldest known continuously operating light bulb. It was first illuminated in 1901, and has only been turned off a few brief times since. It is located at 4550 East Avenue, Livermore, California, and is open to public viewing.
The most expensive Michelin-starred restaurant, Ginza Kitafuku, in Tokyo, Japan, has a $2,130 tasting menu.
You can DoorDash a wedding dress now. The delivery company is teaming up with David’s Bridal.
The global airline industry expects to ferry 5.2 billion passengers next year. It is also forecasting a record $1 trillion in revenue.
A Chicago middle schooler, with guidance from University of Illinois researchers, discovered a new cancer-fighting compound produced by bacteria isolated from goose poop.
There are just 16 trademarked scents in the US, including Crayola crayons, Playdoh, and a type of gun cleaner that smells of ammonium and kerosene.
Meta, the parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is the second-biggest driver of internet usage globally. Its properties—and their billions of users—account for 22% of all mobile traffic.
A recent Pew Research Center survey reveals that nearly half of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 are online almost constantly.
Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” its phrase or word of the year. “Polarization” is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year.
Some U.S. nuclear submarines can carry as many as 160 thermonuclear warheads.
Dorothy’s slippers from The Wizard of Oz sold for $28 million at auction after an estimate said bidding would top out at $3 million.
A recent study reveals that nearly three-quarters of adults in the US were clinically overweight or obese in 2021—a rate that has more than doubled since 1990—and forecasts that, without urgent intervention, over 80% of adults will fall into these categories by 2050.
Galileo’s middle finger is on display at the Museo Galileo in Florence, Italy.
A team of scientists discovered a naturally occurring gene in the poplar tree that enhances photosynthetic activity and can boost tree height by about 30% in the field and by as much as 200% in the greenhouse.
Juan Soto signed baseball’s biggest deal ever. He’s getting $765 million over 15 years in a new contract with the New York Mets.
Ozempic is a modified, synthetic version of a protein discovered in the venomous saliva of the Gila monster.
The opposite of déjà vu is jamais vu, a psychological phenomenon where something that should feel familiar instead feels strangely unfamiliar. It happened to me once when I considered the spelling of the number 2.
Deepfakes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Mike Tyson, and Terry Crews are selling erectile dysfunction supplements on YouTube.
Powerful showers are more energy efficient and more water efficient than weak showers.
Disney’s Moana has been revealed as the most streamed movie in the past five years.
Marcescence is a phenomenon where some trees and shrubs retain dead leaves through the winter and into spring.
Stay passionate!
