Comment on LIGHTS, MUSIC, ACTION: THE BEST XMAS LIGHTS EVER!

Penn Plaza was once a bustling, if forgettable, stretch of prime Manhattan real estate. Now it has new life as a pedestrian-friendly district. I am sitting in the middle of 33rd street in Manhattan. No, not on the sidewalk, but in the middle of what used to be a street.

The moon is facing dangerous levels of radiation in 2024, since the sun is approaching the maximum point in its 11-year solar cycle. NASA has set its sights on the moon, aiming to send astronauts back to the lunar surface by 2026 and establish a long-term presence there by the 2030s.

While pets are an integral part of many families around the world, these companions have an outsize role in Japan due to the aging population and plummeting birth rate. Mayumi Kitakata frets about the health and well-being of Chi, her stoic housemate who enjoys treats, indulges a bit too much in the catnip, and about 14 is getting on in years for a feline.

As breakdancing debuts as an Olympic sport at the 2024 Paris Games, participants’ dynamic moves will be showcased on a global stage. Two athletes square off for an intense dance battle. The DJ starts spinning tunes, and the athletes begin twisting, spinning, and seemingly defying gravity, respectfully watching each other and taking turns showing off their skill.

Enlarge (credit: CHOKSAWATDIKORN / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY) The hydra is a Lovecraftian-looking microorganism with a mouth surrounded by tentacles on one end, an elongated body, and a foot on the other end. It has no brain or centralized nervous system. Despite the lack of either of those things, it can still feel hunger and fullness.

WeExpire is a privacy-conscious, open-source tool that makes it easy to leave important info for loved ones to find in the event of an emergency. Most of the tools we talk about tend to be things that make our own lives a little bit easier—often in some small but significant way.