Footage of a volcano in south-west Iceland erupting, following weeks of seismic activity. / BBC News
The United States announces a 10-nation task force to protect ships traveling through the Red Sea. / The Associated Press
The British Library suffered a massive cyberattack back in October, and the library's reading rooms “are now zombies.” / Public Books
Why are Americans getting slightly shorter? Nutrition, inequality, access to modern medicine, etc. / The Washington Post [+]
Unrelated: Unpacking the “cockroach theory” of crypto to explain why Bitcoin is up by almost 150% this year. / The Economist
Most Americans think crime has gone up. They're wrong. / NBC News
An investigation into San Francisco car thieves using glitter bombs. / YouTube
Confessions of a public defense attorney. “Clients lie to me—exclusively to their own detriment.” / Singal-Minded
An assessment of Lancaster, a California town that's become “a darling for the new urbanism movement.” / SF Gate
Scientists are making transparent wood. Meanwhile, Japanese artisans make “the world's clearest ice.” / Knowable Magazine, The Kid Should See This
Related: Ten of this year's most significant material innovations. / dezeen
Why are there “12 days of Christmas?” The answer is the Moon. / Atlas Obscura
Portions of the internet believe the family in Home Alone afforded their big house because the dad was a gangster. / Mental Floss
Askfhsjkd, kkkk, awdjyt, ?????—how different societies laugh online. / rest of world