2025 is looking like a very busy year (Rockstar Games/Nintendo/Ubisoft)The new year brings with it a host of exciting new video games but when are the likes of Assassins Creed Shadows, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Ghost Of Ytei going to be out?Although it was an unusually lean Christmas release schedule in 2024, theres every reason to hope 2025 is going to be a lot busier. February certainly will be, as thats where most of the games that were delayed from last year have moved to, including everything from Avowed to Assassins Creed Shadows.Of course, the biggest two questions, by far, are when the Nintendo Switch 2 and GTA 6 will be announced. Rockstars game is supposed to be out before the autumn, but well just have to wait and see as to whether that actually happens.The Switch 2 is harder to predict but could be as early as March according to some rumours. Its important to point out that if the new console is at least roughly on par with the Xbox Series S, as some sources suggest, then many of these multiformat games will likely also be released on Nintendos new console.4 February Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (XSX/PS5/PC)One of many February releases delayed from 2024; this is the follow-up to the hit role-player set in 15th-century Bohemia, which means no dwarves or dragons but, strangely, lots of English accents.11 February Sid Meiers Civilization 7 (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)After over eight years theres finally a new Civilization title on the way, as the king of all strategy games is revamped to be more realistic and customisable and more accessible for new players.14 February Assassins Creed Shadows (XSX/PS5/PC/Luna)Another big delay from 2024, this is the first entry in the series to be set in Japan, with both a samurai and a ninja protagonist. Its historical accuracy has been called into question but hopefully its still a fun game.18 February Avowed (XSX/PC)A new Skyrim style role-player from the makers of Fallout: New Vegas, the games unique art style and complex magic and conversation systems promise one of the most in-depth gameplay experiences of the year.21 February Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii (XO/PS4/XSX/PS5/PC)A pirate-themed spin-off to the excellent Infinite Wealth, that swaps turn-based combat for the series original beat em-up roots, with fan favourite character Goro Majima in the lead role.28 February Monster Hunter Wilds (XSX/PS5/PC)The follow-up to Capcoms Monster Hunter: World is by far the best looking entry in the series so far, with familiar four-player online action and brand new creatures, locations, and weapons to make use of.6 March Split Fiction (XSX/PS5/PC)The follow-up to It Takes Two is the perfect couch co-op game to play with friends and family, as you take part in a series of highly varied mini-games, while trying to escape some imaginative fantasy and sci-fi worlds.27 March Atomfall (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)Imagine Fallout set in the Peak District, with very British style humour and folk horror, and you have Atomfall the new action survival game from the makers of Sniper Elite, that could be one of the years big surprise hits.September EA Sports FC 26Since it was the best-selling game of last year you can guarantee therell be a new yearly sequel this year, although its exact release date is not yet certain.October Call Of Duty 2025Obviously, therell be a new Call Of Duty this year but theres already a leak as to what it is: a direct sequel to 2012s Black Ops 2, that continues the story but with more modern style action.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5videoUp NextQ2/Q3 Grand Theft Auto 6 (XSX/PS5)The most anticipated video game in history is supposedly out in the autumn, although theres still no release date, or even a second trailer, which has led many to worry it may be delayed into 2026.Q3 Mafia: The Old Country (XSX/PS5/PC)The odd thing about this release date is that publisher Take-Two owns Rockstar and yet theyre still having it come out around the same day as GTA 6. Although we assume not too close for this new Mafia sim set in 1900s Sicily.TBA Borderlands 4 (XSX/PS5/PC)Looking to undo the embarrassment of the recent flop movie, this co-op looter shooter sequel is promising less toilet humour and pop culture references than the previous games, which seems a good start.TBA Doom: The Dark Ages (XSX/PS5/PC)At last, the sequel to Doom Eternal is almost upon us. Very little is known about the game so far, but its believed to be a prequel with a medieval style setting that tells the origins of the Doom Slayer.TBA Elden Ring Nightreign (XO/PS4/XSX/PS5/PC)Not a sequel but a co-op focused spin-off that seems to work something like a roguelike, where you play, with friends or on your own, across a serious of randomly-generated levels before facing off against a boss enemy.TBA Fable (XSX/PC)Microsofts long-delayed reboot of Fable features a wealth of British comedy talent, including Richard Ayoade and Matt King, but theres still very little thats been shown of its action role-playing gameplay.TBA South Of Midnight (XSX/PC)A promising looking Xbox exclusive from the makers of the flawed but interesting We Happy Few, that has a very impressive stop motion style art style.TBA Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (PS5)The sequel to Hideo Kojimas bizarre postal delivery simulator doesnt have a date and given not much has been seen of it so far, were not sure it wont be delayed until next year.TBA Marvel 1943: Rise Of Hydra (TBA)EA seem to be ramping up the marketing on this period superhero adventure, featuring old school Captain America and Black Panthers dad.TBA Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (XSX/PS5/PC)After the excellent Silent Hill 2 remake the pressure is now on to do a good job on Metal Gear Solid 3. What we saw of the demo was impressive, now we just have to see when it comes out.TBA Ghost Of Ytei (PS5)The sequel (or spin-off, its not entirely clear) to Ghost Of Tsushima has a new setting and a new protagonist. Its also set 329 years after the events of the first game, when the traditions of samurai and ninja were much more firmly established.TBA The Outer Worlds 2 (XSX/PS5/PC)Recently trailered at The Game Awards, with confirmation of it being multiformat, this is going to be a busy year for developer Obsidian, who also have Avowed out earlier in the year.TBA Professor Layton And The New World Of Steam (NS)A welcome return for the tea-loving, puzzle-solving professor, although it remains to be seen if his adventures will still draw a crowd now that the days of the Nintendo DS are long gone.TBA Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (NS)Its almost certain that Nintendos new console will be released in 2025 (and probably announced in early January or February) but so far we dont know about any of its games. Metroid Prime 4 is very likely a cross-gen game and as a result, probably a Switch 2 launch title.TBA Pokmon Legends: Z-A (NS)A new mainline Pokmon game is also expected to pop up early in the Switch 2s career but we already know about this spin-off, which will work similarly to 2022s Pokmon Legends: Arceus although hopefully with better graphics.Possible video game releases in 2025Marvels WolverineSony and Insomniac Games have never promised this for 2025, but it does seem possible or at least this year was probably the original idea before the hacking leak sent all their plans into turmoil.Perfect DarkAs far as anyone can tell, Xboxs big first party exclusive for the year is Fable. Theres an outside chance that Perfect Dark will also be out but rumours suggest one big Xbox game has been delayed this year and its mostly likely this orJudasThe new game from the creator of Bioshock was originally supposed to be out before March 2025 but weve not heard anything about it in a year, so that now looks pretty unlikely but maybe its just a little delay.Gears of War: E-DayThis is in the same position as Perfect Dark but since even less footage has been seen of it so far, theres probably only a very slim chance of it being out in time for Christmas.Mario Kart 9Alongside a new Super Mario this is probably the best guess at a Nintendo Switch 2 launch game, which means it should be out this year. But this is Nintendo were talking about, so who knows for sure.Pokmon Gen XThe next generation of Pokmon, i.e. the follow-up to Scarlet and Violet, is also probably relatively imminent but theres only an outside chance itll begin in 2025.Unlikely video games for 2025Intergalactic: The Heretic ProphetNaughty Dogs new game has a name, but it certainly doesnt have a release year, which means its almost certainly not going to be out any time soon.Persona 6Wed bet on it being unveiled this year but theres little chance that Persona 6 will be released in 2025; Atlus will want to take their time with this one, especially as the success of Metaphor: ReFantazio means theres no rush.Project 007Hitman developer IO Interactive announced their first James Bond game way back in 2020 and we still havent seen so much as a screenshot, which makes a 2025 launch seem all but impossible.The Elder Scrolls 6Bethesda has made it clear that the follow-up to Skyrim is still a long way off. 2028 is one release year thats been mentioned but even if its sooner than that it definitely wont be 2025.The Witcher 4Although we did get the annoucement trailer back in December The Witcher 4 is at least four years away from launch. We wouldnt have been surprised if the remake of The Witcher 1 was released in 2025, but the fact that it hasnt had a reveal trailer yet does make that seem less likely.Mass Effect 4Dragon Age: The Veilguard doesnt seem to have been quite the hit BioWare and EA were hoping for but while that hopefully wont hurt their new Mass Effect game, we still have no idea when well see it, let alone when itll be out.Kingdom Hearts 4Despite all the early rumours about a Star Wars crossover Square Enix didnt mention the game even once during 2024, so theres no chance itll be out in 2025.New Tomb RaiderAnother game that was announced years ago and yet absolutely nothing has ever been shown of it. An unveil in 2025 seems possible but a launch does not.Onimusha: Way Of The SwordAs great news as it was to hear about a new game in the Resident Evil adjacent franchise, Capcom made it clear it wont be out until 2026.More Trendingkami 2Unfortunately, Capcom didnt give any clue about this one, but the rumour is that work hasnt even really begun, so its going to be several years before we even get a new trailer.New BioshockTake-Two have been vaguely hinting about this for years but its still not entirely clear whether it still exists and theres zero reason to imagine itll be out in 2025.Half-Life 3Even with more rumours than usual last year, suggesting that work is underway, theres still no guarantee this sequel will ever exist. Half-Life 2 your sequel reveal is in another castle (Valve)Other confirmed video games for 202516 January Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (NS)17 January Dynasty Warriors: Origins (XSX/PS5/PC)27 January Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. (PC)30 January Sniper Elite: Resistance (XO/PS4/XSX/PS5/PC)30 January Marvels Spider-Man 2 (PC)31 January Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (NS/XSX/PS5/PC)5 February Rift Of The NecroDancer (PC)14 February Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)18 February Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 (XSX/PS5/PC)February Midnight Murder Club (PS5/PC)4 March Two Point Museum (XSX/PS5/PC)6 March Suikoden 1&2 HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)18 March Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 (XSX/PS5/PC)20 March Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (NS)25 March Tales Of The Shire: A The Lord Of The Rings Game (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)27 March The First Berserker: Khazan (XSX/PS5/PC)March Football Manager 25 (XO/NS/XSX/PS5/PC/iOS/Android)March Killing Floor (XSX/PS5/PC)Q1 Croc: Legend Of The Gobbos (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)3 April The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered (PC)24 April Fatal Fury: City Of Wolves (PS5/PC)24 April Tempest Rising (PC)May Revenge Of The Savage Planet (XSX/PS5/PC)Q1/Q2 Dune: Awakening (PC)Q1/Q2 Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 (XSX/PS5/PC)Q2 Mecha Break (XSX/PC)Q2 Indiana Jones And The Great Circle (PS5)Q2/Q3 Dying Light: The Beast (XO/PS4/XSX/PS5/PC)Q2/Q3 Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)23 October Double Dragon Revive (XO/PS4/XSX/PS5/PC)TBA ARC Raiders (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Catly (NS/PC/iOS)TBA Crimson Desert (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 (PS4/NS/PC)TBA Disney Tron: Catalyst (NS/XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Dispatch (TBA)TBA FBC: Firebreak (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Game Of Thrones: Kingsroad (iOS/Android)TBA GreedFall 2: The Dying World (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Hell Is Us (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA inZOI (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA John Carpenters Toxic Commando (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Little Nightmares 3 (XO/PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Pathologic 3 (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA R-Type Tactics I II Cosmos (PS4/NS/XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Reanimal (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Skate. (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Shadow Labyrinth (NS/XSX/PS5/PC)TBA Slay The Spire 2 (PC)TBA Speedball (PC)TBA Terminator: Survivors (XSX/PS5/PC)TBA New Virtua Fighter (TBA)Late 2024 Ark 2 (XSX/PC)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Wangchao Center Office / say architectsSave this picture! Wen StudioOffices InteriorsHang Zhou Shi, ChinaArchitects: say architectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:960 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Wen StudioMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. One Century(Hangzhou Wangchao Center) is designed by SOM (US), which is widely recognized as a perfect blend of high-functional performance designs and engineering. Say Architects SAY was commissioned by Dadao Qiyun to design a sample office space on the 15th floor. SAY aims to integrate Eastern philosophical thinking into the high-rise concrete jungle, emphasizing the natural rhythm and flow of the space, and creating an office environment that prioritizes comfort and experience.Save this picture!Save this picture!Based on the research of various office areas from different enterprises, and starting from the patterns of work and human behavior within the space, the brief asks for two functional areas: the internal and external office zones. SAY separated the space into three main functional areas, with small and big demonstration offices on the sides, leaving a spacious central public area connecting the two office sections. The layout sets the foundation on a 300 x 300 grid, ensuring modularity and a sense of order within the space. The overall spatial layout uses a 1200mm or 1500mm wall panel, the traditional oriental culture accentuates the balance between the collective and the individual. By using modular components to build different functional rooms, the design creates a homogeneous yet fluid space that accommodates diverse activities and office environments.Save this picture!Save this picture!To eliminate the suffocating feeling created by traditional separators, the wall panels are constructed with transparent glass, expanding the visual fields, while opening and brightening the space. This selection enhanced the coherence and the flow of the space. The glass material allows light to travel through the space, maximizing natural light, ensuring a sense of transparency and comfort, and encouraging open communication and interaction. The rhythmic flow of light and shadow serves as a subtle yet abundant expression of Oriental aesthetics. Immersed in the environment, stillness contrasts with movement, and the relationship between people and the environment is harmoniously rendered. As light travels throughout the day, the atmosphere within the space continuously evolves, offering a dynamic and ever-changing aesthetic experience.Save this picture!Save this picture!As the first space upon entering, the public space has no traditional reception desk or formal greeting areas. The space is introduced by a circular sofa and a tea bar, simulating a relaxed living room. The Oriental approach to hospitality is inclusive and open, where guests are not seen as cold business contacts, but rather as friends being warmly received. The public area is impregnated with meaning beyond functionality; it represents the beginning of an emotional connection.Save this picture!Entering the office areas, the vibrant working desks and natural wood accents soften the working space. To adapt to daily needs, the back of the workstation is adjacent to a movable water bar. Colorful soft furnishings brighten the surroundings, breaking away from the monotony of the office area, and adding richness and fun to the space. This design ensures those long-hour workers no longer feel restricted by the isolated environment. In the normal configuration, the wall panels are defined with partitions of various sizes including traditional office areas, flexible office areas, collaborative areas, meeting rooms and a tea room, all providing a secure and comfortable working environment. In the open configuration, the wall panels allow deconstruction and reassembly according to needs, creating a wider and more comfortable shared space.Save this picture!The removable panels provide a diverse layout and configurations. The interconnected volumes not only provide visual expansion but also infuse the space with a sense of movement. While the static panels maintain a sense of order, which the dynamic transition is a rare feature in traditional office space. With the flexible layouts, the space becomes a volume for functions and an expression. The shift from static to dynamic turns the office from a stale process into an innovative and vital experience. Its special flexible layout feature, serves as the foundation of this sample office, while the intelligent design enhances the user experience by offering greater efficiency and convenience. Features such as meeting room booking, environmental monitoring, and smart controls seamlessly integrate with the distinct characteristics of each area, achieving a harmonious balance between technological intelligence and spatial design.Save this picture!Save this picture!The digitalized control system reduces the reliance on traditional panels, allowing users to effortlessly switch between different scenarios with one single click, transitioning between creation, collaboration, and relaxation. This enhances the overall experience. To maintain a clean environment, the design embedded fixtures as much as possible, minimizing the visibility of exposed components. Refining the structural joints and metal frames to achieve a balance between aesthetics and functionality. With an open and vital space, bringing a breathable office environment. The influx of natural light and open vistas brightens the areas, with the interplay of light and shadow, evoking the subtle flow of oriental heritage. Based on the concept of de-office-ification, SAY integrates an easy assembly model with color aesthetics, offering a deep exploration of flexible collaboration and high-level intelligence, answering to the emerging trends in future office design.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Hang Zhou Shi, ChinaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officesay architectsOfficePublished on January 01, 2025Cite: "Wangchao Center Office / say architects" 31 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025157/wangchao-center-office-say-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

The eye of Hurricane Beryl is seen in this image acquired by a Sentinel 2 satellite on July 1, 2024. The image is about 40 miles wide. (Credit: Modified Copernicus Sentinel data processed by Pierre Markuse.)NewsletterSign up for our email newsletter for the latest science newsIn this final installment of a three-part series recapping some of the most dramatic and significant events of 2024, I'll start with a look at the record-setting hurricane season that recently ended. And then, to balance things out, I'll finish with some dazzling events that brought us great beauty during the year.But first, for Part 1 of the series, go here. And for Part 2, here. And now, let's get to it Part 3 of "A Year on Planet Earth":Above Average Atlantic Hurricane SeasonThe Atlantic Hurricane season didnt quite live up to some forecasts of hyper-activity with as many as two dozen named storms. But it still set notable records and some storms caused devastating damage. During the official season, from June 1 to Nov. 30, 18 named storms swirled in the Atlantic basin. (Named storms have winds of 39 mph or greater.) Eleven of these had winds of 74 mph or greater, qualifying them as hurricanes. Of these, five intensified to major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or more. All told, five hurricanes swept onto land in the continental United States, with two of them making landfall as major hurricanes. In Part 1 of this series, I featured an image of Hurricane Beryl taken from the International Space Station on July 1. It shows the sprawling storm from a dramatic oblique angle. At the time, the cyclone's winds were howling at 150 miles per hour. Above, I've included a dramatic close-up satellite image of Beryl's eye, also acquired on July 1. Beryl was notable because it was the earliest Atlantic basin Category-5 hurricane on record, and the strongest June and July hurricane ever recorded in the basin. She roared across parts of the Caribbean and the Yucatn Peninsula, making landfall in the United States along the Gulf Coast as a Category-1 storm.Sunlight falls on Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26, 2024, as seen in this image acquired by the GOES-16 satellite. (Credit: (CSU/CIRA & NOAA)The usual peak of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season saw a bit of a lull, but then activity came roaring back with record-breaking storms. Hurricane Helene was one of them. Seen in the GOES-16 satellite image above, it stretches across a vast swath of the eastern seaboard of the United States. Helene truly was huge. At its biggest extent, it was 420 miles wide. That made her larger than all but two Gulf of Mexico storms since 1988, according to an analysis by Colorado State University hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach.Helene made landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26. After tearing things apart and pushing up inundating storm surges along the coast, Helene swept north, causing catastrophic flooding across the southern Appalachians, as well as widespread wind damage all the way to the North Carolina mountains. The storm ultimately killed more than 200 people.Hurricane Milton also was a notable storm of 2024. It made landfall as a Category-3 near Siesta Key, Florida, on October 9, triggering an outbreak of 46 tornadoes, causing rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches (and higher) that led to flooding. Milton also pushed up a destructive storm surge between Siesta Key, Florida, and Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. But arguably Milton's biggest claim to fame was how quickly it intensified. Its 90-mile-per-hour increase in wind speed over 24 hours was among the most rapid intensifications ever observed in the Atlantic Basin. On the flip side of this story is what happened in the Pacific. Hurricane season activity was below-normal for both the eastern Pacific basin and central Pacific basin and fell within predicted ranges, according to NOAA.In Happier News, 2024 Brought us Much Beauty TooAn astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured this extraordinary view of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, on Oct. 11, 2024. (Credit: Don Pettit/NASA via X)When I first saw the image above, it stopped me dead in my tracks. I've seen the aurora borealis many times from the ground in Northern Norway, and I've always been awe-struck. But this image, looking down from the International Space Station on the Northern Lights shimmering above the surface of the Earth was unlike anything I had seen before. Here's another view: Astronaut Matthew Dominick took this photo of the aurora borealis on Oct. 7, 2024 from the Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the International Space Station. (Credit: Matthew Dominick/NASA via X)I could imagine myself on the station (and, in fact, even had a dream about it), my face plastered to the oval window looking spellbound at what I might be tempted to call an "otherworldy" scene passing below except for it being very much of our world. As I wrote in a story about this on Oct. 22, the beautiful display was caused by a massive X-class solar flare, the largest kind, and an accompanying outburst of solar plasma and magnetic field called a coronal mass ejection, or CME, that raced toward Earth. (For an image of a large X-flare exploding from the Sun, see Part 1 of the series.) The result was that millions more people than usual were treated to displays of the red, green and pink auroral lights in the sky. You usually must travel to far northern areas (or far southern ones in the Southern Hemisphere) to see dramatic displays like this. But overnight on Oct. 10 and 11, they lit up the skies as far south as Texas!As I'm writing this on New Years Eve, the sun has once again launched a series of CMEs at Earth, and these are already causing the skies to light up above Finland as this screenshot of a live webcam view shows: Screenshot of a live webcam showing the Northern Lights glimmering above Lapland in Finland at about 2 a.m. local time on Jan. 1, 2025. (Credit: Northern Light Live, Levi, Finland, North view, via Youtube.)To check out the live webcam on Youtube for yourself, go here.Iceland Volcanic Eruption ReduxThe first image I shared in Part 1 of the series was a view from space of a volcanic eruption last winter in Iceland that sent brilliant, burning orange lava coursing over white snow. In remote sensing images like that, the contrast between the fire and ice was quite stunning. So here's another view of the scene acquired by a different satellite:Landat 9 image acquired on Feb. 10, 2024. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory)That eruption was part of a series that began in December of 2023 and continued into early 2024. As predicted, it did not fade. And in November, satellites once again captured beautiful images of a new eruption like this one: The eruption of lava near Iceland's world famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is seen here in an image acquired by the Landsat 9 satellite on Nov. 24, 2024. Infrared data collected by the satellite reveals the glow from the flowing lava on the Reykjanes Peninsula. (Credit: Landsat 9 data courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, processed by Pierre Markuse)In late November, lava crept into the outskirts of the world famous Blue Lagoon hot springs resort. The Landsat view above truly does make it seem like Earth's crust has cracked open, allowing us to peer into the burning bowels of the Earth. And in a sense, that's right. Iceland lies along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North America and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart. On Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, this is causing fissures to open in the curst, allowing lava to well up from a heat source deep in Earth's mantle. Last But Very Much Not Least, Hawaii!On Dec. 24, 2024 the Landsat 8 satellite captured this image of lava filling the caldera of Hawaii's Klauea volcano. The false-color image was created using several wavelengths of light captured by the satellite sensor, including infrared, which reveals the heat signature of the new lava in red and yellow colors. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory)You may well have heard of the spectacular pre-Christmas eruption of the Klauea volcano on Hawaii. (My colleague here at Discover Erik Klemetti wrote it about here.) It was heralded by a swarm of earthquakes, and then the opening of fissures in the floor of the Halema'uma'u caldera. Fountains of lava soon began spewing skyward, and the molten rock spread out quickly along the bottom of the caldera. It somehow seems appropriate and uplifting to finish this series with images of these volcanic events, which are helping to renew the surface of our ancient planet. They're also providing spurts (literally and figuratively) of creative energy that reminds us just how dynamic, resilient and utterly awesome our home truly is. Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2025 brings you happiness and many wondrous experiences of nature.

A fire cloud erupts above Oregon's Falls Fire on July 15, 2024. The Western United States and Canada were plagued by intense, fast-spreading wildfires during 2024 part of a long-term trend linked to climate change. (Credit: InciWeb)NewsletterSign up for our email newsletter for the latest science newsIt really has been a drama-filled year for our home planet. With relentless, record-setting global heating, rampaging wildfires, and extreme storms, we've had ample reason to be seriously concerned about the future. But other events, have amazed us with great beauty and displays of creative energy. Among them were awesome volcanic eruptions of lava in Iceland and Hawaii, as well as mind-boggling eruptions of plasma from the Sun that caused dazzling displays of the Northern Lights. During 2024, I've tried to keep pace with these events by using compelling imagery to tell their stories. Now, at year's end, I thought it would be revealing to do a recap featuring some of that imagery in a three-part series. Please check out the first part here. In Part 1, I document events from early in the year through the spring. Here, I take things through the fall. And you can find the third part here.So, without further ado, on to Part 2:The Heat Goes On. And On. And...Here's how daily global surface temperatures have changed since the 1940s. The months of June through September show up warmer than others because this is the warm season in the Northern Hemisphere, which has a higher proportion land than the Southern Hemisphere. Also note that in addition to the obvious overall heating, the warm season has expanded. (Credit: Zeke Hausfather via Bluesky Social)Just yesterday (I'm writing this on New Year's Eve), the World Meteorological Organization confirmed that 2024 is set to be the warmest year in records dating back to the 1800s. This means a heat-streak of record-setting years has gone on for a decade. "The top ten hottest years on record have happened in the last ten years, including 2024, UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres said in a New Year message.A landscape desiccated by heat and lack of water. (Credit: World Meteorological Organization.)The heating of Earth's climatic life-support system has been caused by our emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which reached a record high in 2024. The continued increase in emissions from our industries, motor vehicles, worsening wildfires, and other sources, has caused carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere not only to continue rising, but to do so at an increasing rate as this graph demonstrates: The annual mean growth rates for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii is shown here. (Blue bars.) In the graph, decadal averages of the growth rate are also plotted, as horizontal lines for 1960 through 1969, 1970 through 1979, and so on. (Credit: NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory)The global heating cause by the greenhouse gases we continue to pump into the atmosphere is having multiple, intensifying climate impacts. According to a new report from World Weather Attribution, issued in collaboration with Climate Central, in 2024 climate change intensified 26 of 29 weather events examined by the researchers. "Its likely the total number of people killed in extreme weather events intensified by climate change this year is in the tens, or hundreds of thousands," the report concluded. Globally, climate change added on average 41 additional days of dangerous heat in 2024 heat severe enough that it threatened peoples health.The record-breaking heat of 2024 helped generate record-breaking downpours. "From Kathmandu, to Dubai, to Rio Grande do Sul, to the Southern Appalachians, the last 12 months have been marked by a large number of devastating floods," the World Weather Attribution report found. "Of the 16 floods we studied, 15 were driven by climate change-amplified rainfall." The researchers also found that hot seas and warmer air helped provide the fuel for more destructive storms among them, Hurricane Helene, which I'll feature in Part 3 of this series.And there were also devastating, fast-moving wildfires.An "Exceptional Year" of Wildfire Activity in the AmericasSmoke from wildfires in Canada as well as the United States blankets about 1.5 million square miles, as seen in this image acquired by the GOES-18 satellite on July 19, 2024.Hot and dry conditions primed the Americas this past year for what the European Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service described in a recent report as "exceptional" wildfire activity. "The scale of some of the fires were at historical levels, especially in Bolivia, the Pantanal and parts of the Amazon, and Canadian wildfires were again extreme, although not at the scale of 2023," said Mark Parrington, Senior Scientist at the monitoring service. The fires had "continental-scale impacts on air quality with high surface concentrations of particulate matter and other pollutants which persisted for several weeks."You can see an example of such "continental-scale impacts" in the satellite image above, showing wildfire smoke from Canadian blazes spreading across thousands of miles of North America. Overall, increasing heat, extended droughts, and a thirstier atmosphere are intensifying and lengthening fire seasons in some regions of the world. This has been especially true of the Western United States, which has been seeing significantly increasing wildfire risk and extent during the last two decades. "Some of the most deadly and destructive wildfires in U.S. history have occurred in recent years, with most having the common characteristic of extremely rapid growth," write the authors of a recent study on fast-growing wildfires led by University of Colorado scientist Jennifer Balch. (Note: Balch is a colleague of mine at the University of Colorado, where I direct the Center for Environmental Journalism.)The sprawling, angry scar from California's Park Fire is seen in this Landsat satellite image acquired on Aug. 4, 2024. Note the Northern California City of Chico, population 101,301, in the lower part of the 40-mile-wide image. (Credit: Landsat data courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, processed by Pierre Markuse.)We saw that play this past year with a number of vicious wildfires. "For example, in July, the Park wildfire in northern California spread to more than 50,000 hectares in its first 24 hours the equivalent of around one football field per second," Balch and her colleagues write.The area burned by wildfires in the West each year is now ten times greater than four decades ago, thanks in part to faster spreading flames, their study shows. The year 2020 saw the most area burned so far 3.3 million hectares, which is larger than Belgium. If the region continues getting warmer and drier still, as is expected, its likely that this record will be surpassed in just 5 to 10 years, Balch and a colleague, A. Park Williams, write in a commentary accompanying their research paper. There are many ways for us to be more resilient in the face of wildfire risks, they say. Some examples: careful application of prescribed burning to thin out fuels; managing ecosystems more wisely to prepare for future ecological changes; more robust collection of data on wildfires along with better modeling to help us prepare for and manage blazes that are going to continue coming; and being wiser about where we build and how we build. "Individual disasters attract attention, and rightly so, but the focus should be on how to coexist with fire not simply how best to battle it," Balch and Williams conclude.Please check out the third installment of this series here.

Nature, Published online: 18 December 2024; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08256-5Laser excitation of the 229Th isomer, potentially relevant for nuclear clocks, is reported in thorium fluoride thin films, which are less radioactive and amenable to integration compared with existing thorium-doped crystals.

Nature, Published online: 18 December 2024; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08214-1A eutectic phase change material composed of boric and succinic acids demonstrates a transition at around 150C, with a record high reversible thermal energy uptake and thermal stability over 1,000 heatingcooling cycles.

Nature, Published online: 18 December 2024; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08301-3This study demonstrates that diatoms with phytochrome photoreceptors can detect and functionally respond to the entire visible light spectrum through these sensors, enabling them to sense depth and regulate photosynthesis accordingly in marine environments.

Survival is the name of the game in Pocketpair's Palworld, and its devoted player community has continued to enjoy this key feature of the game since its record-breaking launch in January 2024. As Palpagos expands, so does the incredibly diverse assortment of items that can be crafted and used to take on the biggest challenges or turn your Pal base into a marvel of ridiculous ingenuity. Whether it's machines, weapons, armor, food, or the latest fashion for your Pals, there's something for just about everything a Pal adventurer needs.

A Marvel Rivals fan has pointed out how Groot's signature is simply an adorable smiley face, which caused players to notice NetEase's attention to detail regarding the game's characters' designs. Marvel Rivals will soon end its Season 0 and some rumors are hinting at the addition of several characters.

Getting a characters constellation is always special in Genshin Impact. You get to spoil your favorite characters by making them stronger and more viable on the battlefield. Sometimes, you can even unlock some constellations that give them more benefits in the open world than in combat.