We asked global thinkers how to improve life on earth in 2025. Here are their wishes What's one thing humankind can do to help heal the world? The wishes cover everything from upholding Jimmy Carter's legacy to cleaning up Mt. Everest. Readers, we'd like to hear your wishes as well. NPR Staff
How do you keep monkeys from making mischief? In one Indian town, monkeys will steal your glasses — and give them back if you toss them a container of mango juice. It's one more sign of the impact of urbanization on the wild. Omkar Khandekar
What was 'Disease X' and what can we learn from it? Four weeks after a puzzling outbreak was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization has identified the cause. Gabrielle Emanuel
How Jimmy Carter helped bring Guinea worm infections from 3.5 million to 14 per year President Carter helped lead a global health effort to eradicate the Guinea worm, a painful parasite which once infected more than 3 million people a year. Cases now number about a dozen a year. Samuel Whitehead
9 countries said goodbye to a devastating disease in 2024 Nine countries eliminated a disease in 2024. Here's how Pakistan pulled it off — fulfilling a young boy's dream of eliminating blindness caused by bacterial infections. Gabrielle Emanuel
Global stories from 2024 that we loved ... but that you may have missed These stories didn't get huge numbers of views, but readers who found them stayed with them for what qualifies as an eternity on the online clock. Here are our underappreciated favorites. Marc Silver
Top global TikToks in 2024: Mr. Bean disciple, lip-synch for their life, baby hippo! Scenes from some of the most popular TikToks from the Global South in 2024: a dancing teen from the Philippines; an homage to Mr. Bean, that cute baby pygmy hippo. Ari Daniel
Photos: Fishermen, known as 'Sea Nomads,' dive to protect ocean life in Madagascar They make their living off the sea, but their catch is dwindling. So these traditional fisherfolk are taking steps to preserve both sea life — and their livelihood. Julie Bourdin
Great global photos from 2024: These images delighted us, touched us, dazzled us People love looking at photos. (Just ask Instagram.) This year, we published a number of photo-driven posts that resonated deeply with our audience. Here are some of our favorites. Ben de la Cruz
HIV is spiking in new hot spots. Here's what's being done to control it As the new cases and related deaths fall in sub-Saharan Africa, the virus is rearing its head elsewhere. What's the cause? And the solution? Gabrielle Emanuel
