What made 2025 distinctive? From glaciers and Mars to movies and moonlight, the year gave us plenty to look back on.
1. A Year Dedicated to Glaciers
The United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization launched the year to draw attention to glaciers’ role in the water cycle and the consequences of their rapid loss.
2. The Eiffel Tower Reached 136
The Eiffel Tower was completed on March 31, 1889, for the Paris World’s Fair. That made 2025 the 136th anniversary of its completion. The tower’s history traces its construction and opening.
3. A Mars Rover Tested Spacesuit Materials
In 2025, NASA reported that its Perseverance rover was carrying samples of spacesuit materials exposed to Martian conditions. Studying how those samples held up after four years on Mars can help researchers prepare for future human exploration. NASA explains the experiment.
4. Quantum Science Had an International Year Too
The UN also designated 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. UNESCO describes the year as a chance to mark a century of quantum science and encourage wider participation in the field. Quantum computing is one application of the field.
5. August’s Full Moon Fell on the Ninth
The U.S. Naval Observatory lists the full moons on August 9 and September 7, 2025, in Universal Time. The September full moon coincided with a total lunar eclipse.
6. The Academy Addressed Generative AI in Film
The Academy’s 2025 announcement of rules for the 98th Oscars addressed generative AI and other digital tools. The Academy said their use alone would neither help nor harm a nomination, while judges would consider the human role in creative authorship.
7. The World Population Was About 8.2 Billion
A UNData projection put the 2025 world population at about 8.23 billion under its medium-fertility variant. It was a projection, not a count of every person.
8. A Longevity Record Still Stood
Guinness World Records lists Jeanne Calment of France as the oldest person ever whose age was fully authenticated, at 122 years and 164 days. She died in 1997; the record entry gives the documented dates and age.
9. Mapping the Ocean Floor
As of June 2025, Seabed 2030 reported that 27.3% of the global seafloor had been mapped to modern standards. Mapping and exploration are different: NOAA explains that a general satellite-derived map exists for the whole seafloor, while detailed mapping and direct observation cover much less.
10. Solar Power Grew
In its 2026 review of 2025, the International Energy Agency reported that solar photovoltaic power supplied over 8% of global electricity generation.
11. The Tallest Freestanding Structure
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, opened in 2010, is listed by Guinness World Records as the tallest freestanding structure, at 828 metres.
12. Two Partial Solar Eclipses
NASA lists partial solar eclipses on March 29 and September 21, 2025. The March eclipse was visible from parts of North America, among other regions. The September eclipse was visible from parts of the southern Pacific, New Zealand and Antarctica, according to NASA’s 2025 eclipse list.
Where to Learn More
For wider reporting and context, explore the World Economic Forum, NASA and MIT Technology Review. The links above lead directly to the sources for the specific facts in this article.
Which 2025 fact surprised you most? Share your pick in the comments.
