The bottles have been popped, the cookies have been eaten, and the tree has been tucked into its box for another year (unless you’re like some Nice News team members who keep it up for a few more weeks). But the joy doesn’t have to end with the holiday festivities. Now that we’ve kissed 2024 goodbye, it’s time to welcome all the possibilities of a new year — and luckily, there’s plenty of exciting news on the horizon.
From epic celestial shows to environmentally friendly luxury cars, 2025 is already packed full of exciting events. So mark your brand-new calendars, because we’re getting started with 10 things to look forward to over the next 12 months.
2025 Celestial Events
Look not only ahead but above to enjoy some truly epic events taking place in the night sky from early January onward. These include the Quadrantids meteor shower (Jan. 3-4), two total lunar eclipses (March 14 and Sept. 7), the Eta Aquarids meteor shower (May 6-7), the Perseids meteor shower (Aug. 12-13), and the Geminids meteor shower (Dec. 13-14), dubbed by SeaSky.org as “the king of the meteor showers.” Per the website, the Perseids are “considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak.”
Visit SeaSky for more must-see celestial shows.
Medicare Payment Plans Launch
As of Jan. 1, several big changes were made to Medicare Part D. Per AARP, one of the most impactful is that those with a Medicare prescription drug plan now have the option of paying their prescription drug costs incrementally, on a monthly basis, as opposed to being required to pay the cost up front. According to Dr. Meena Seshamani, who directs the Center for Medicare, this will ideally help the “cash flow issue” many face when paying for medications.
For more detailed information about these and other changes, check out AARP’s breakdown.
Minnesota Is the First U.S. State to Ban PFAS
Also as of Jan. 1, Minnesota is banning products made with harmful PFAs — that’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals” due to the fact that they don’t naturally degrade. Nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing are well-known examples of items that typically contain PFAs.
As reported by Vice, the new law means “Minnesotans won’t be able to sell or distribute for sale consumer products with intentionally added PFAS” within 11 specific categories, including cookware, dental floss, and cleaning products.
Special Olympics World Winter Games
Turin, in northern Italy, will host the Special Olympics World Winter Games from March 8-15. Known as the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement, the World Games — which alternate between summer and winter — is an international sporting event that celebrates “inclusion, acceptance, and unity” by highlighting the performance of athletes with intellectual disabilities who have overcome significant odds.
“No other event in the world has the social and emotional impact of the Special Olympics World Games. For the athletes and their families, the experience opens doors to unimagined possibilities,” the website states, adding, “the Games inspire hope for and belief in a brighter future of global acceptance, understanding and unity.”
Drones Will Begin Clearing Trash From Mount Everest
This spring, drones capable of heavy lifting will begin to clear trash from Mount Everest, one of the most famous — and tallest — mountains in the world. As reported previously by Nice News, the 2024 spring climbing season saw nearly 94 tons of waste collected — an unfortunate byproduct of the site’s popularity, which has earned it the unflattering nickname of the “world’s highest garbage dump.”
Nepali officials now seek to change that by deploying the drones to high-altitude zones to help remove waste in the ultimate spring cleaning challenge. A test session in April 2024 established that one drone could carry over 515 pounds of trash between base camp and camp 1 every hour — a task that would take 14 porters six hours to accomplish.
WNBA to Debut Its Newest Team: Golden State Valkyries
The 2025 WNBA season kicks off May 16, at which point the league’s newest team will take to the court. The Golden State Valkyries — a name inspired by the airborne mythological Norse women warriors — are the first new franchise since 2008 and 13th overall. They will host their home games at San Francisco’s Chase Center and practice at the former practice facility for the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, California.
For their first regular season game, Golden State will face off against the Los Angeles Sparks
2025 FIFA Club World Cup
For soccer fans worldwide, 2025 ushers in a revamped competition to the global stage in the form of FIFA’s Club World Cup.
Most folks are familiar with the World Cup tournament next slated for summer of 2026, in which 48 national teams from Asia, Africa, North and Central America, South America, Oceania, and Europe play for their countries. This summer’s competition — from June 15 through Jul 13 in the United States — differs in that 32 elite clubs from around the world will be playing each other.
For more details, check out Sky Sports’ explainer.
Luxury Cars Are Becoming More Eco-Friendly
Luxury carmaker Ferrari is revving up its engines to enter the electric vehicle arena: In late 2025, it will unveil its first EV, with the model expected to go on sale in 2026. CEO Benedetto Vigna said that he anticipates the forthcoming car will attract both existing Ferrari customers and new ones.
“There is not a pattern really. People buy a Ferrari because when they buy a Ferrari, they have a lot of fun. They don’t buy a Ferrari because A, B, C, D or a single element. It’s a combination of things,” he said, per Autocar. “When we do electric cars, we will produce them in the right way.”
And Ferrari isn’t the only one diving into eco-friendly waters. BMW is partnering with Finnish manufacturer Neste to utilize hydrotreated vegetable oil: Starting in January, all of its new German diesel models will be filled with the renewable biofuel before they’re sent to dealers.
“When it comes to climate protection, every ton of CO2 saved counts,” Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management for BMW, said in a press release, noting the fuel replacement produces up to 90% less CO2e emissions than diesel.
Finland Will Prevent Cargo Ships From Dumping Wastewater
The happiest country in the world is making a name for itself in ocean preservation as well. In December, the Finnish Parliament passed legislation that stops cargo ships from discharging wastewater in the country’s coastal waters. The new law is set to take effect in July.
Sewage discharged into the Baltic Sea contains fecal bacteria and solid waste, which can lead to toxic algal blooms. On a large scale, like say, 2,000 ships every day with 15 to 20 crew members, the pollution is “equivalent to a medium-sized town dumping its sewage into the sea,” Vesa Marttinen, head of cargo business at the Port of Helsinki, explained to Yle, Finland’s national public broadcasting company. “Now, in Finnish waters, this will no longer be possible.” The hope is that other nations will follow Finland’s lead.
2025 Movie Forecast
Rotten Tomatoes has unfurled a list of the most anticipated movies hitting theaters in 2025, providing a truly tantalizing roster for cinephiles everywhere. From a historical drama to horrors, musicals to beloved children’s characters, there will most certainly be something for everyone.
Jurassic Park, John Wick, The Smurfs, Predator and Avatar are but a few of the legendary franchises trotting out new installments. Renowned filmmakers like Steven Soderbergh, Barry Levinson, Bong Joon-ho, Danny Boyle, and James Cameron all have projects being released. Wicked: Part Two, Dirty Dancing 2, and a live action Snow White from Disney are also among the highlights.
For a more comprehensive list of releases, check out Rotten Tomatoes’ breakdown here.
RELATED: From a Total Solar Eclipse to Movie Sequels and More, Here Are 11 Things to Look Forward to in 2024
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