New year, new wildlife cam. In Gaylord, Michigan, there's a herd of 60 elk — one of the largest wild herds in the U.S., per Popular Science — and now you can watch them going about their days thanks to a livestream run by the town's tourism bureau. Come for the elk, stay for the bucolic Midwestern winter landscape.
Climate Win: California Is Drought-Free for the First Time in 25 Years
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Californians 25 years old and younger have never lived in a time where their state wasn't in some form of drought. Until now: For the first time since 2000, 100% of the Golden State is classified as drought-free, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The climate milestone comes after a particularly wet December helped get the state's reservoirs to healthy levels, with 14 of 17 at 70% capacity or higher. But Dalton Behringer from the National Weather Service's Bay Area office told SFGATE the turnaround is the result of both ongoing and recent conditions, rather than any isolated storm or season. "It's just different parts of the state have had more good years than bad years," he said. Although extreme weather swings will remain a worry, UC climate scientist Daniel Swain told the Los Angeles Times that the California wildfire risk is "about as close to zero as it ever gets." He added: "This is certainly a less destructive weather winter than last year was and than many of the drought years were, so it's OK to take that breather and to acknowledge that, right now, things are doing OK."
Together With FinanceBuzz
Amazon Prime Members Should Know About This Card
If you spend a good amount on Amazon, keep reading. The experts at FinanceBuzz reviewed dozens of cash back credit cards and found one with some particularly amazing perks for Amazon Prime shoppers. This card could put hundreds of dollars back in your wallet every year while giving you the chance to earn up to 5% cash back on purchases you already make, all with no annual fee. And for a limited time, you'll get a $250 Amazon gift card as a welcome offer upon approval. But don't wait, the offer won't last.
Which States Did Americans Move to (and Leave) in 2025?
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Millions of Americans packed up and moved in 2025, and a recent report sheds light on where exactly they wound up. Moving company United Van Lines released its Annual National Movers Study late last month, revealing the states with the highest percentages of inbound and outbound moves within the contiguous United States and Washington, D.C. An accompanying survey also uncovered the two biggest deciding factors for those moves: wanting to be closer to family (29%) and relocating for a job (26%). Other major reasons included retirement (14%), lifestyle change (10%), and improved cost of living (3%). Oregon took the top spot for the highest percentage of newcomers settling in — 64.5% of moves were inbound, while 35.5% were outbound. The ranking is a big jump from 2024, when it came in at No. 8, a hopeful sign for a state that has seen slow population growth in recent years. The main motivator for people staking their claim in the Beaver State was job-seeking, at 36% of inbound migration. Family came in second, at 25%, and lifestyle was third, at 16%. See the top 10 inbound and outbound states.
Culture
South Korea Is Getting Its First Coast-to-Coast Hiking Trail
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Heads up, hikers — and any K-drama fans looking for another reason to visit South Korea. The Dongseo Trail (meaning "east-west") will soon allow adventurers to traverse the country through an island, mountains, fishing towns,and the epic Maltijae Pass. Due to be completed this year and opened to the public in 2027, the coast-to-coast trail will stretch 527 miles, making it the first thru-hike in the country. In full, the trail could take 40-50 days to complete, per Time Out, but hikers can also tackle just one of the 55 sections at a time. Each segment is about 8 to 12 miles long, and some are already open. The route has been under construction since 2023, with hopes to fill a need for "those who seek a retreat from their stressful daily lives," Forest Service Minister Lim Sang-seop said during the opening ceremony for one of the sections, per The Korea Times. He added: "I hope the Dongseo Trail connects not only the coast to coast but also cities and small towns through nature." If reading this has you feeling inspired to go for a long walk on your next vacation, check out these other lengthy (and very pretty) paths across the world.
In Other News
A study found "gifted" dogs can learn new words by simply eavesdropping on humans (read more)
The Emmys introduced a Legacy Award, its first new major honor in nearly two decades (read more)
Fossils unearthed from a cave in Morocco help fill a gap in an enigmatic period of human evolution (read more)
Two lion cubs at a New Jersey zoo were named by Today show viewers — learn the purrfect picks (read more)
"Best. Day. Ever." The Tangled live-action film has cast its Rapunzel and Flynn Rider (read more)
Something We Love
The Beast Blender I was gifted the Mini 600 Plus Beast Blender for Christmas and immediately put it to use. Its compact size makes it ideal for whipping up smaller servings of things like salad dressings, smoothies, pureed veggies, and even ground coffee beans — and the screw-on lids allow you to store leftovers in the fridge or take your meal on the go. Plus, the design is pretty sleek as kitchen appliances go. I have the "sand" color, but it also comes in a few other pretty colors. – Natalie Stone, Managing Editor
Here are three names to look out for at the Olympics next month: Helaina, Henri IV, and Henniyah Rivers. The teenage triplets from Brooklyn, New York, hope to represent Jamaica in ski racing and inspire more people of color to pursue snow sports. "This will be just like Cool Runnings — but bigger," Henri said.
Photo of the Day
Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
The 2026 Australian Open qualifying rounds kicked off today in Melbourne — and the first official matches start Jan. 18. There'll be no shortage of tennis stars to cheer for throughout the Grand Slam event, including Naomi Osaka (pictured) and Venus Williams, who is set to compete at the open for the first time since 2021. Take a peek at the schedule.
The Best Thing to Come Home to: A Forkful Dinner
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