August 12, 2025

Day 224/365; 141 days remain.

On this day:

• 1492 – Christopher Columbus reaches the Canary Islands during his initial journey to the New World.
• 1687 – Charles of Lorraine triumphs over the Ottoman Empire.
• 1960 – Echo 1A, NASA‘s inaugural successful communications satellite, is launched.
• 1981 – The IBM Personal Computer is introduced.
• 1985 – Japan Air Lines Flight 123 crashes into Osutaka Ridge in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, resulting in the deaths of 520 people, making it the deadliest single-plane air disaster.
• 1990 – Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, is found by Sue Hendrickson in South Dakota.

Today is International Youth Day!

International Youth Day is celebrated annually on August 12 to recognize the contributions of young people to society. The day aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by youth and promote their engagement in global issues. Each year, a specific theme is chosen to highlight various aspects of youth development and empowerment.

This year’s International Youth Day theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” emphasizes the important role of young people in turning global goals into local actions. As development partners strive to adapt these global goals to meet community needs, young people are essential collaborators, offering creativity and strong connections within their communities. With more than 65 percent of Sustainable Development Goal targets related to local governance, involving youth is essential for effective implementation.

Today is World Elephant Day!

World Elephant Day is observed on August 12 each year to raise awareness about the plight of elephants and the threats they face. The day aims to promote the protection and conservation of these majestic animals and their habitats. Various organizations and individuals participate in activities and campaigns to educate the public and advocate for stronger measures to ensure the survival of elephants worldwide.

Readers can make a difference on World Elephant Day by supporting organizations dedicated to elephant conservation through donations or volunteering. Additionally, they can raise awareness by sharing information on social media and encouraging others to take action to protect these magnificent creatures and their habitats.

Video game releases today

• Echoes of the End (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)
  A third-person action-adventure game where players follow Ryn, a warrior with magical abilities, on a quest to rescue her brother from a totalitarian regime. The game features a rich narrative inspired by Icelandic landscapes and combines combat, traversal, and puzzle-solving elements.
• Fallen City Brawl (PC)
  A retro-inspired side-scrolling beat ’em up that allows players to team up with four unique fighters to reclaim their city from chaos. With a visually distinct pixel art style, the game emphasizes intense action and cooperative gameplay, making it accessible for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
• Shields of Loyalty (PC)
  A turn-based strategy game that has exited Early Access, offering players a chance to command customizable armies in tactical battles across hex-based maps. The game introduces a new faction and a complete single-player campaign, blending classic wargame mechanics with modern gameplay elements.
• Abyssus (PC)
  A cooperative first-person shooter set in a brinepunk world, where players take on the role of Brinehunters exploring an ancient underwater civilization. The game features fast-paced action, customizable weapons, and a focus on replayability with various upgrades and challenges.
• Viewfinder (Xbox Series X/S)
  A first-person puzzle adventure game that allows players to reshape reality by placing photographs and images into the environment. This unique mechanic creates engaging puzzles and an immersive experience as players explore a vibrant world filled with mysteries.
• World War Z VR (Meta Quest, PC)
  An immersive single-player first-person shooter that challenges players to survive against hordes of zombies in a reimagined version of the popular co-op game. The VR adaptation emphasizes stealth and strategy, offering a different gameplay experience compared to its flat-screen counterpart.
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (PS5)
  Hellblade 2 continues the story of Senua, a warrior navigating the myth and torment of Viking Iceland, as she battles both external foes and her inner demons. The game features enhanced graphics and gameplay mechanics, including a new performance mode and a challenging Dark Rot mode.
• Fresh Tracks (PC)
  A rhythm-based action game where players ski through a vibrant world, battling enemies and overcoming obstacles to the beat of heavy metal music. The game combines roguelite elements with a rich narrative, allowing players to unlock upgrades and explore the land of Norwyn.
• Ra Ra Boom (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC)
  A colorful beat ’em up featuring four ninja cheerleaders who fight against rogue AI to reclaim Earth. The game combines cooperative gameplay with a narrative-driven focus, offering a fun and campy experience reminiscent of classic Saturday morning cartoons.
• Dino Topia (PC)
  “Dino Topia” invites players to build and manage a prehistoric paradise alongside dinosaurs, blending action, adventure, and base-building elements. As the sole survivor of a destroyed civilization, players must gather resources, train dinosaurs, and fend off threats to restore their home.
• Noble Legacy (PC)
  A medieval sandbox city-builder that allows players to reclaim and rebuild their ancestral lands while managing resources and villagers. The game emphasizes character-driven stories and immersive gameplay, blending strategic planning with third-person exploration.

5 years ago:

Released on August 12, 2020, Metamorphosis is a first-person adventure game inspired by Franz Kafka’s literary works, particularly The Metamorphosis, where players assume the role of Gregor, who wakes up transformed into an insect. The game combines puzzle-solving and platforming elements in a surreal world, offering a unique narrative experience that explores themes of alienation and absurdity.

10 years ago:

Released on August 12, 2015, Silver Creek Falls: Chapter 1 is a mystery adventure game where two city detectives are sent to the small town of Silver Creek Falls to investigate a series of strange events that baffle the local sheriff. As the story unfolds, what initially appears to be a straightforward case transforms into a terrifying mystery, filled with intrigue and unexpected twists.

20 years ago:

Released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, Rogue Galaxy is an action role-playing game developed by Level-5 that follows the journey of Jaster Rogue, a young man who becomes embroiled in a galactic conflict while seeking adventure beyond his home planet. The game features a real-time combat system and a rich narrative, combining exploration and character development in a vibrant, sci-fi universe, although it received mixed reviews regarding its plot and character depth.

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Trending apps

• Ubicloud is a promising open source alternative to AWS, offering essential cloud services such as elastic compute, block storage (non-replicated), firewall and load balancer, managed PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, AI inference, and IAM services. This platform allows users to either self-host their infrastructure or utilize a managed service, significantly reducing costs by 3-10 times compared to traditional cloud providers.
• AboGen is a powerful tool that allows users to generate audiobooks from EPUBs, PDFs, and text files, complete with synchronized captions for an enhanced listening experience. Available on PyPI, this project simplifies the process of converting written content into audio format, making literature more accessible to a wider audience.
• GPT4All is an open-source platform that enables users to run local large language models (LLMs) on any device, providing flexibility and accessibility for various applications. With its availability for commercial use, it empowers developers and businesses to leverage advanced AI capabilities without relying on cloud services.
• MinGW, or Minimalist GNU for Windows, is a native Windows port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC), allowing developers to compile native Windows applications using familiar GNU tools. This lightweight environment provides essential utilities and libraries, making it easier for programmers to create and manage software on the Windows platform.
• AutoClicker is a full-fledged autoclicker that offers two modes of operation: clicking at your dynamic cursor location or at a prespecified location on the screen. Users can customize the maximum number of clicks, allowing for precise control or leaving it set to infinite for uninterrupted clicking sessions.