This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for December 13–December 19, 2025

An innovative new desalination plant in China turns salt water into affordable, green hydrogen fuel. The facility in the coastal city of Rizhao uses excess heat from a nearby steel factory to evaporate pure, drinkable water from salty seawater, producing 118,877 gallons of fresh water from every 800 metric tons of seawater. In addition, the desalination process yields 192,000 cubic meters of hydrogen fuel.

In parts of Europe, the devilish, horned character called Krampus looms as large as St. Nick at Christmastime. Salzburg's annual Krampus Run, a tradition since the 17th century, featured hundreds of people dressed as the diabolical figure in fuzzy brown costumes and terrifying masks. The fiendish Krampuses scared children and swatted adults with birch branches, as St. Nicholas benignly handing out candy. The Greek root of diabolical is diabolos, "the devil."

Hindi-speaking comedians have sold out venues across the U.S. this year, attracting huge audiences from the Indian diaspora. The Indian comic Zakir Khan performed at the first-ever Hindi event held at Madison Square Garden in August, and others have sold out performances in cities including Chicago, Dallas, and Houston. Audiences are primarily Hindi-speaking members of the immigrant community with roots in India. Diaspora's Greek root means "to scatter about."

Swiss yodeling, a dip in an Icelandic pool, and applying kohl makeup to the eyes were all added to UNESCO's list of "intangible cultural heritage." The UN's cultural and education agency maintains the list of items, which can't be physically touched but are still vital traditions worthy of preservation. Other additions included Japanese paper making, Italian cuisine, and Ghana's High Life music and dance. Intangible has Latin roots meaning "not" and "that may be touched."

A hiker was rescued after he became mired in quicksand in Utah's Arches National Park. Austin Dirks was on the second day of a 20-mile solo hike when he felt his right foot sink deep into the ground near a creek bed. As he tried to pull it free, Dirks realized it "was fixed in place as if set in concrete." He used a satellite device to call for help, and although he was trapped for several hours, rescuers were able to pull him free. Mired has Old Norse roots meaning "swamp."

In the dry Western states, more "nuisance" beavers are being strategically moved instead of killed. In the past, when the animals wreaked havoc on ranch land by building dams that flooded fields or gnawing landowners' trees, they were usually shot. But as the land becomes dryer, beavers' engineering skills are leading them to be seen as potential helpers rather than pests. Relocated beavers are creating new ponds, restoring wetlands, and helping to reduce runoff, among other benefits.

A new study showed evidence of opportunistic collaboration between orcas and dolphins. Scientists in British Columbia observed Pacific white-sided dolphins leading killer whales to schools of Chinook salmon. The orcas, in turn, shared fish scraps with the dolphins. It's the first time cooperative hunting has been documented between the animals, with each clearly taking advantage of the situation for their own benefit.

Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities unveiled two restored alabaster statues of a prominent pharaoh in Luxor. These enormous figures represent the ancient Egyptian ruler Amenhotep III, who reigned between 1390 and 1350 BCE. Known as the Colossi of Memnon, the statues stand near the funeral temple of the pharaoh, whose mummy is displayed at a museum in Cairo. The Egyptian root of pharaoh means "great house."

Germany's trains, once among the world's most reliable, have become the least punctual in Europe. Only about half of Deutsche Bahn's long-distance, high-speed trains arrive on time, according to an October report. While train schedules are slightly more dependable on weekends than weekdays, experts say years of neglect and government underinvestment have damaged German rail service. The original meaning of punctual was "having a sharp point," from a root meaning "to prick."

Dog lovers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, set a new world record when they arranged a gathering of more than 2,000 golden retrievers in a city park. Thousands of furry yellow dogs barked, frolicked, and even lived up to their breed name by retrieving balls and sticks thrown by their owners, bringing them back again and again. The Old French source of retriever is retreuver, "find again."