Tech

​NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams safely returned to Earth after an unexpected 286-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally slated for a brief stay, their mission was extended due to propulsion issues with their initial Boeing spacecraft. SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission facilitated their return, with the Dragon capsule successfully splashing down near Tallahassee, Florida. Upon landing, the capsule was surrounded by dolphins, adding a unique touch to their homecoming. Post-mission, Wilmore and Williams will undergo rehabilitation to readjust to Earth’s gravity after their prolonged stay in space.

At the NVIDIA GTC 2025 conference, CEO Jensen Huang unveiled significant advancements in AI and computing. Key announcements included the upcoming Blackwell Ultra GPU, set for release in the second half of 2025, featuring larger memory to support expansive AI models. NVIDIA also introduced “Blue,” a collaborative robotics project with Disney Research and Google DeepMind, showcasing advancements in robotics and a new physics engine named Newton. A partnership with General Motors was announced to integrate custom AI systems into self-driving cars. Despite these innovations, NVIDIA’s stock experienced a slight decline during the event. ​

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Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has joined forces with Microsoft, BlackRock, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX in a consortium aiming to invest $30 billion in AI infrastructure across the United States. This collaboration, known as the AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), focuses on developing data centers and energy projects to support the growing demands of AI applications. Nvidia, initially a technical advisor, has also become a formal member of the partnership. The AIP plans to deploy large-scale computational power, addressing the significant energy consumption associated with AI technologies.

​On March 21, 2025, Tencent officially launched its T1 reasoning model, enhancing its position in China’s competitive AI landscape. T1 offers faster response times and improved capabilities for processing extended text, maintaining clear content logic with an extremely low hallucination rate. This development follows DeepSeek’s introduction of models that rival Western systems at lower costs. T1 is powered by Tencent’s Turbo S foundational language model, unveiled last month, which reportedly processes queries faster than DeepSeek’s R1 model.

As Windows 10 approaches its end-of-support date on October 14, 2025, Microsoft has initiated efforts to transition users to Windows 11. Recent communications include emails encouraging users to upgrade their systems, with a notable suggestion to consider purchasing new PCs compatible with Windows 11. This recommendation stems from the fact that many older devices do not meet the stringent hardware requirements of Windows 11, making an upgrade infeasible without new hardware. However, this approach has faced criticism, as it may not be practical or affordable for all users to invest in new computers.

CycloTech, an Austrian aviation company, is turning heads with its BlackBird demonstrator, an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) designed to showcase a game-changing propulsion system. BlackBird can take off and land vertically, move sideways, brake mid-air and even parallel park. It is approximately 16 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, and 6.5 feet tall, with 750 lbs and up to 75 mph speed.

Stardust, an Israeli–U.S. startup, is developing a novel approach to solar geoengineering aimed at temporarily cooling the planet. The company plans to patent a unique aerosol technology designed to reflect sunlight away from Earth, thereby reducing global temperatures. Stardust’s initiative represents a significant advancement in climate intervention strategies. This development underscores the growing interest in geoengineering solutions as potential tools to combat climate change, despite ongoing debates about their ethical implications and potential unintended consequences.

In rural Zimbabwe in Africa, electric tricycles, known locally as “Hamba,” are transforming women’s lives by providing financial independence and social empowerment. Introduced by the startup Mobility for Africa, these solar-powered vehicles are available through a lease-to-purchase program at $15 per month. Women have leveraged them to earn up to $300 monthly. Beyond economic benefits, the tricycles enhance access to healthcare and markets, though challenges like rough terrains and societal resistance persist.

Virgin Atlantic has partnered with Joby Aviation to introduce an electric air taxi service in the UK. Joby’s all-electric aircraft can carry four passengers and a pilot, achieving speeds up to 200 mph with a range of 150 miles per charge. The service envisions rapid connections, such as an eight-minute flight from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf, significantly reducing travel times compared to traditional ground transportation. Passengers will be able to book these flights through Virgin Atlantic’s platforms.

Global

​Germany’s parliament has approved a €1 trillion spending package, marking a significant policy shift under Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz. The plan includes unlimited defense spending and a €500 billion fund for infrastructure modernization. This move aims to strengthen Germany’s military capabilities and reduce reliance on U.S. support, especially amid rising geopolitical tensions. To facilitate this, lawmakers amended the constitution to exempt defense expenditures exceeding 1% of GDP from strict fiscal constraints.

On March 21, 2025, a fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, London, caused a significant power outage at Heathrow Airport, leading to its temporary closure. The incident resulted in the cancellation or diversion of over 1,300 flights, affecting approximately 290,000 passengers globally. Emergency services, including ten fire engines and 70 firefighters, responded to the blaze, which involved a transformer containing 25,000 liters of cooling oil. Heathrow is often in the top 3 global airports for international passengers.

Thailand has introduced draft legislation to establish a special economic zone in its southern provinces to expedite the development of a $29 billion Land Bridge project. This ambitious initiative aims to connect the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand, facilitating more efficient transportation between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. By providing an alternative to the congested Strait of Malacca, the project is poised to bolster Thailand’s position as a key logistics hub in the region.

​In early 2025, U.S. egg prices soared due to a severe avian flu outbreak, leading to the culling of over 166 million birds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projected a 41% increase in egg prices for the year. In response, the Trump administration announced an additional $1 billion investment to combat the outbreak, emphasizing enhanced biosecurity measures on farms. To alleviate shortages, the administration also explored importing 70 to 100 million eggs from international markets. Despite these efforts, consumers faced record-high prices, with the national average reaching $4.95 per dozen in March 2025.

Finance & Economy

​Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s conglomerate, CK Hutchison Holdings, agreed to sell 80% of its global ports business, including strategic assets near the Panama Canal, to a BlackRock-led consortium for nearly $23 billion. This deal excludes ports in Hong Kong and mainland China. The situation underscores the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding critical infrastructure and highlights the challenges Hong Kong businesses face in balancing global market dynamics with Beijing’s expectations.

The Boston Celtics agreed to a record-breaking sale of $6.1 billion to a consortium led by private equity investor William Chisholm. The Boston Celtics is one of the most storied and successful franchises in NBA history. Founded in 1946, they have won 17 NBA championships, tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most all-time. The team dominated in the 1950s and 1960s, winning 11 titles in 13 years. Known for their iconic green jerseys and fierce rivalries—especially with the Lakers—the Celtics have produced legends like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. This acquisition highlights the increasing involvement of private equity in professional sports.

One of the largest and most influential ski resort operators in the world, Vail Resorts, renowned for its Epic Pass offering unlimited access to 42 properties globally, has reported a decline in season pass sales for the first time. This downturn raises concerns about the company’s reliance on the Epic Pass model, especially as the overall growth in skier participation has remained stagnant for nearly two decades. Additionally, Vail faces stiff competition from Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass, priced around $1,500, which provides access to premier resorts like Steamboat and Deer Valley.

Ivory Coast has experienced remarkable economic growth, averaging 7% annually from 2012 to 2023, positioning it among Africa’s fastest-growing economies. This resurgence, often referred to as a “quiet renaissance,” has been fueled by strategic investments in infrastructure, agriculture, and technology. The nation’s stability and business-friendly environment have attracted both domestic and international investors, contributing to its sustained development. Additionally, the growth of small cities and towns has played a significant role in transforming the country’s economic landscape.

Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone, aged 94, sold his extensive collection of 69 historic racing cars, valued at approximately £500 million, to Mark Mateschitz, son of the late Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz. This collection spans seven decades and includes iconic vehicles such as Michael Schumacher’s 2002 Ferrari F2002 and Niki Lauda’s Brabham BT46B ‘fan car’. Ecclestone expressed a desire to ensure the cars were well-cared for after his passing.

Science

NASA’s Curiosity rover, while investigating Mars’ past, has snapped over 683,790 pictures as it’s rumbled over 21 miles of unforgiving desert terrain since 2012, and a recent view shows the space agency’s robot overlooking a vast Martian wilderness. Today, the Martian world we see is 1,000 times drier than the driest desert on Earth. However evidence gathered by rovers and spacecraft operated by NASA and other space agencies shows this wasn’t always the case. A vast Mars ocean may have blanketed a swath of the world, and lakes once fed gushing rivers and streams.

A NASA spacecraft will make another close brush with the sun, the second of the three planned encounters through the sizzling solar atmosphere. The Parker Solar Probe made its record-breaking first pass within 6 million kilometers of the scorching sun in December 2024, flying closer than any object sent before. It will attempt that journey again on Saturday, March 22, 2025. Parker is the fastest spacecraft built by humans and once recorded a 690,000 kilometers-per-hour speed.

Nature & Environment

Between March 19 and 21, 2025, Singapore experienced a monsoon surge that brought heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures. Jurong West recorded 318mm of rain, surpassing the average monthly rainfall of 209.7mm for March. Temperatures dipped to as low as 21.9°C in areas like Tuas South. The persistent downpour led to flooding at the intersection of Mountbatten Road and Jalan Seaview for about two hours on March 20. This unusual late-season monsoon surge, typically occurring between December and January, has raised concerns among scientists about the increasing frequency of such events and the potential for “burst flooding” in urban areas.

The elephant bird (Aepyornis maximus), native to Madagascar and extinct since at least the 17th century, laid the largest known eggs of any species. These eggs measured over a foot in length and nine inches in diameter, with a volume approximately 100 times that of a chicken egg. Adult elephant birds stood around 10 feet tall and weighed over 1,000 pounds, resembling oversized ostriches but closely related to New Zealand’s kiwi. Their extinction is attributed to human activities, including hunting and habitat destruction. Remarkably, intact elephant bird eggs have been discovered far from Madagascar, such as on Western Australian beaches, having floated across the Indian Ocean.

Entertainment & Culture

At the AnimeJapan 2025 Expo in Tokyo, Toho Co., Ltd. revealed a teaser trailer for the eighth and final season of the wildly popular superhero anime sensation “My Hero Academia”. Set in a world where approximately 80% of the population possesses supernatural abilities known as Quirks, “My Hero Academia” chronicles the journey of Izuku Midoriya and his classmates at U.A. High School as they train to become professional heroes who protect society from villains who use their powers for nefarious purposes. Its final season will make its global debut this October.

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has launched the X Bracket Challenge for the 2025 NCAA March Madness tournament, offering extraordinary prizes for participants. The grand prize for achieving a perfect bracket is a trip to Mars aboard SpaceX’s Starship. Given the astronomical odds of completing a perfect bracket—estimated at 1 in 9.2 quintillion—no one has ever accomplished this feat. If no perfect bracket is submitted, the participant with the best bracket will receive a $100,000 cash prize.

For the eighth consecutive year, Finland has been ranked as the world’s happiest country, according to the 2025 World Happiness Report published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. The report evaluates factors such as social support, life expectancy, generosity, and freedom to make life choices. Other Nordic countries—Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden—also secured top positions. In contrast, the United States dropped to its lowest-ever ranking, placing 24th. The report underscores the importance of trust, social connections, and community engagement in enhancing national happiness. ​

Sports

At the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis won his third consecutive world indoor pole vault title. He cleared 6.15 meters on his first attempt, securing gold and marking his 100th career clearance over six meters, a historic milestone. The 24-year-old Swede remains unbeaten in major championships since 2019. Duplantis attempted a world record height of 6.24 meters but narrowly missed.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has delivered a sensational 2024–25 NBA season, emerging as a top MVP contender while leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a top spot in the West. He set a career-high 54 points against the Utah Jazz and followed up with multiple 50-point games, including 52 vs. the Warriors and 50 vs. the Suns. Shai earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors for both November and December, showcasing elite scoring, clutch plays, and leadership. His consistent brilliance, including a nine-game win streak for OKC, has made him one of the league’s most electrifying and unstoppable forces.

The Phoenix Suns secured a 123-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, propelled by Kevin Durant’s stellar performance. Durant tallied 42 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, shooting 17-of-29 from the field and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. The win marked Phoenix’s third consecutive victory, keeping them in contention for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference in the NBA. Kevin Durant became just the 4th player in NBA history with multiple 40-point games in their 17th season or later — joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

This year’s **March Madness (**the nickname for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Tournaments) will start in mid-March. March Madness is an annual, single-elimination college basketball tournament held each spring in the U.S., featuring 68 teams. It’s one of the most exciting and unpredictable events in sports. The defending champion UConn (University of Connecticut) is chasing a three-peat, which hasn’t been done since UCLA (The University of California, Los Angeles)’s dynasty in the ‘70s.

Lewis Hamilton secured his inaugural victory with Ferrari by winning the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Starting from pole position, Hamilton led the 19-lap race from start to finish, finishing 6.889 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third. This triumph marked Hamilton’s first sprint race win since the format’s introduction, signaling a strong response to earlier critiques following a challenging debut with Ferrari. The main Grand Prix is scheduled for March 23.

​Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland has emerged as a generational football talent, potentially rivaling legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. His goal-scoring prowess has been evident since his teenage years, notably scoring 9 goals in a U20 World Cup match. At clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, Haaland achieved remarkable feats, including leading City to their first Champions League title. Internationally, he broke an 87-year-old Norwegian record with 38 goals in 39 appearances. However, Norway’s struggles in major tournaments could hinder Haaland’s pursuit of Ronaldo’s all-time international goal record.

On March 15, 2025, England delivered a historic performance in the Six Nations Championship, defeating Wales 68-14 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. This ten-try triumph marked England’s largest margin of victory over Wales in Cardiff, surpassing their previous 43-9 win in 2003. Wales suffered their 17th consecutive defeat, finishing last in the tournament for the second consecutive year. England’s dominant display secured them second place in the championship, with France clinching the title after defeating Scotland.

This Day in History

​The Beatles’ explosive debut album, Please Please Me, was launched on March 22, 1963. The bulk of the album was recorded in just under 10 hours at Abbey Road Studios in London. The album spent 30 weeks at number one in the UK, launching The Beatles’ global stardom. At the time, singles were the dominant format in pop music. Albums were often afterthoughts. Please Please Me changed that dynamic, showing that a full album could be a cohesive and powerful artistic statement.

Oddities

​Máximo Napa Castro, a 61-year-old Peruvian fisherman, survived 95 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean after his boat was blown off course by a storm on December 7, 2024. With initial provisions intended for a two-week trip, Napa resorted to consuming insects, birds, and sea turtles, and collecting rainwater to survive. He endured the final 15 days without food. An Ecuadorian fishing patrol rescued him approximately 680 miles off the coast of Peru on March 11, 2025, finding him severely dehydrated and in critical condition.

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Last modified on 2025-03-22