December 2025: The Month Tech Reckoned With Reality
From coal plants forced back online to AI's humbling pivot toward practical tools, December 2025 brought a year of inflated promises crashing down to earth.
Here we go again: Retiring coal plant forced to stay open by Trump Admin
A Colorado facility that was set for closure will instead remain operational on a standby basis under orders from the Trump administration.
Supply chains, AI, and the cloud: The biggest failures (and one success) of 2025
Throughout 2025, numerous security breaches and service disruptions dominated headlines. The year's most significant incidents are being examined here.
From prophet to product: How AI came back down to earth in 2025
Ambitious predictions met reality during a year when research contradicted hype, transforming speculative visions into functioning software applications.
Lawsuit over Trump rejecting medical research grants is settled
The settlement requires the NIH to reassess grants that had been denied based on ideological considerations.
DOGE did not find $2T in fraud, but that doesn't matter, Musk allies say
Associates of Musk have reframed DOGE's mission as serving a "higher purpose" that extends beyond identifying federal spending reductions.
NJ's answer to flooding: it has bought out and demolished 1,200 properties
New Jersey has addressed chronic flooding and rising sea levels by acquiring and removing residences situated in vulnerable coastal and flood-prone zones.
Stranger Things series finale trailer is here
Netflix's concluding installment will receive a theatrical presentation across more than 600 venues for a two-day run alongside its streaming release.
Notable stories from December
- A consumer spent $4,000 acquiring a robot dog manufactured in China
- A physicist calculated the feasibility of Star Trek's "Picard maneuver"
- An outbreak of MRSA linked to a bouncy castle infected 48 children across Ireland
- A judge invalidated Trump's mandated extensions for coal plant operations
- An attorney using ChatGPT faced disciplinary action for submitting citations to fabricated testimony from nonexistent witnesses
Condé Nast user database reportedly breached, Ars unaffected
A significant data compromise has taken place; however, subscribers to Ars Technica face no security risk.
Looking for friends, lobsters may stumble into an ecological trap
Juvenile spiny lobsters congregating for collective protection expose themselves to heightened predation hazards.
The top 5 most horrifying and fascinating medical cases of 2025
A Florida resident appears twice among the year's most disturbing and intriguing medical incidents.
The 10 best vehicles Ars Technica drove in 2025
From the automobiles tested and evaluated throughout the year, these represent our editorial selections.
US can't deport hate speech researcher for protected speech, lawsuit says
Federal authorities must disclose on Monday the measures undertaken to enforce controversial visa restrictions.
Leonardo's wood charring method predates Japanese practice
Yakisugi, the Japanese art of charring wood surfaces, generates a protective carbonized finish that predates Leonardo's documented techniques.
Researchers make "neuromorphic" artificial skin for robots
Sensor data is conveyed through spike-based neural-style signaling mechanisms in this new robotic sensory system.
China drafts world's strictest rules to end AI-encouraged suicide, violence
China's regulatory framework mandates human intervention and family notification whenever suicide references emerge in AI interactions.
A quirky guide to myths and lore based in actual science
Folklorist and historian Adrienne Mayor discusses her latest work, Mythopedia: A Brief Compendium of Natural History Lore.
GPS is vulnerable to jamming—here's how we might fix it
GPS jamming has become inexpensive and accessible, though researchers are exploring remedial approaches.
Remembering what Windows 10 did right—and how it made modern Windows more annoying
Examining Windows 10's introduction provides perspective on current challenges affecting Windows 11.
I switched to eSIM in 2025, and I am full of regret
The transition to eSIM technology has eliminated the simplicity that once characterized physical SIM card replacement.
Big Tech basically took Trump's unpredictable trade war lying down
Technology giants have largely accepted the administration's erratic tariff policies, ranging from Apple presenting a gold statue to the government acquiring an Intel stake.
Embark on a visual voyage of art inspired by black holes
Lynn Gamwell's book Conjuring the Void: The Art of Black Holes explores the intersection of artistic expression and scientific discovery.
In the '90s, Wing Commander: Privateer made me realize what kind of games I love
Though subsequent titles have surpassed Privateer in individual aspects, the game remains a landmark in gaming history.
Ars Technica's Top 20 video games of 2025
A combination of anticipated franchises and unexpected independent releases made 2025 an exceptional year for gaming.
Being Santa Claus is a year-round calling
"You're Santa Claus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year." Deviating from character risks destroying "the magic."
SPEED Act passes in House despite changes that threaten clean power projects
The legislation would substantially reduce the scope of federal environmental review procedures.
TV Technica: Our favorite shows of 2025
Netflix and Apple TV led this year's selections, featuring thrillers, fantasy narratives, science fiction, and crime dramas.
How AI coding agents work—and what to remember if you use them
Understanding compression techniques and collaborative multi-agent systems provides insight into the mechanics of these tools.
China just carried out its second reusable launch attempt in three weeks
The mission established "an important foundation for subsequent launches and reliable recovery."
Leaked Avengers: Doomsday teaser is now public
The clip is reportedly the initial installment in a four-part teaser sequence, with one released weekly before Avatar: Fire and Ash.
FCC's import ban on the best new drones starts today
Domestic drone manufacturers welcome the restrictions, while hobbyists express disappointment.
OpenAI's child exploitation reports increased sharply this year
Incident documentation surged during the opening half of 2025.
"Yo what?" LimeWire re-emerges in online rush to share pulled "60 Minutes" segment
A Reddit user humorously labeled LimeWire a "champion against the darkness" following the platform's unexpected resurgence.
F1's new engines are causing consternation over compression ratios
A regulatory loophole may have provided Mercedes and Red Bull with a substantial competitive advantage.
The Splay is a subpar monitor but an exciting portable projector
While limited as a display device, Splay functions effectively as a portable projection system and simplifies projector operation.
In a surprise announcement, Tory Bruno is out as CEO of United Launch Alliance
"It has been a great privilege to lead ULA through its transformation and to bring Vulcan into service."
Source: Ars Technica