Next week, I will get back to blog posts about healthcare, science, technology, space, and other topics. Thanks to all my readers for their feedback. I wish you all a Happy New Year.
New Year’s Eve celebrations date back to ancient Babylon around 2000 BCE, evolving through Roman festivals and medieval Christian traditions before aligning with January 1 under the Gregorian calendar. The Times Square ball drop began in 1907, inspired by maritime time balls used for navigation. It was introduced by The New York Times to replace fireworks displays, becoming a global symbol of renewal.
The celebrations continue, but the new thing is nesting. An Associated Press and National Opinion Research Center poll of 1,251 adults found 55% of us are ringing in 2025 at home, 16% are celebrating with friends or relatives, and just 5% are going to a bar, restaurant, or organized event. The remaining 23% aren’t celebrating at all. We joined Club 55%.
For astronauts, there was another option. They celebrated in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS orbits Earth at an average speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour. This speed allows it to complete one orbit in roughly every 90 minutes, resulting in about 16 orbits per day enabling the astronauts to celebrate 16 times. The astronauts follow unique traditions like zero-gravity ball drops and using a globe to mimic the iconic Times Square event. Click below to hear the astronauts from a few years ago describe what it was like.
In this section, I share what I am up to, pictures of the week, what is new in AI and crypto, and more.
In 1969 I joined the U.S. Army. I weighed 225 pounds. At the end of basic training, I weighed 150 pounds. I got hooked on running. After the military, I ran four marathons and averaged 1,000 miles per year. Unfortunately, I wore out one of my knees. Not able to run on an artificial knee implant, I got hooked on walking.
Walking offers numerous health benefits, particularly for older adults. My Perplexity chatbot said the benefits of walking include improvements in cardiovascular health, metabolic health, cognitive function, musculoskeletal health, mental well-being, weight management, and immune function.
I used to think it was important to walk at least 10,000 steps per day, but recent research says otherwise. For an 80-year-old man, the recommended number of steps per day is generally lower than for younger adults. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) says 4,500 to 7,500 steps is good. They also say the intensity of the walk is less critical than the act of walking itself. The graphic above shows my performance for 2024.
New Year’s Eve dinner at the nest. I am not much of a meat eater but once in a while is a treat. This was especially so this time.
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