Five Stories From 2025 Remind Us That Joy and Wonder Still Matter

If you’ve grown weary of the endless scroll and ticking through one shocking headline after another, you’re not alone. This year, our politics became more polarized than ever; climate-driven extreme weather impacted millions around the world; and the gap between those who have and those who don’t grew ever wider. 

And still, stories abound about resilient communities stepping up to support one another when times were hard; conservationists who are dedicating their lives to protecting public lands and endangered species; and scientists who are making new discoveries about the rich social world of animals all around us, inviting us to look and listen more closely. 

Here is just a small selection of Sierra magazine stories from 2025 that remind us that even in the midst of a troubled world, joy, wonder, and discovery live on, and are worth fighting for.

Hawaiian monk seal at the Pacific Islands National Wildlife Refuge. | Photo by James Watt/USFWS

From Growl-Rumble-Whoops to Moan-Whines: Hawaiian Monk Seals Have a Vocal Repertoire Full of Surprises

It was known that Hawaiian monk seals call underwater, but the vocalizations had never been scientifically quantified and analyzed. A new study has found that Hawaiian monk seals have 25 distinct underwater calls, dramatically eclipsing the six underwater calls that had already been documented. The discovery is a tantalizing reminder that there are conversations happening all around us, and not just between human beings. 

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Emilly Nolan observes an adult bog turtle. | Photo by Jamie Wick

To Save the Tiniest Turtle in North America, Scientists Are Rebuilding Bogs From Scratch

Bogs are cool. Just ask this ridiculously cute bog turtle—the smallest turtle species in North America—and the ecologists who squelch deep in the mud to study them. They are part of a conservation project in which researchers focus on a single species to rebuild holistic ecosystems. 

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From left: Donny Kincey stands amid the rubble of his childhood home. Freyja Lund, 10, surveys the foundation of an accessory dwelling unit that was under construction when the Eaton Fire broke out, claiming her family's main house. Although James Griffith and Sue Dadd’s home miraculously survived the fire, many of their neighbors lost their homes, which they observe from their driveway. | Photo by Alisha Jucevic

Part 1 and 2 of a Series on Families Recovering From the Eaton Fire in California 

After the Eaton Fire devastated entire neighborhoods throughout Altadena, we sought to track how three families coped with their loss and worked to recover and move forward. Their stories, and the story of how community groups throughout Altadena came together to support and advocate for one another, is a powerful example of resilience in the face of seemingly impossible odds. 

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Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

16 Kids’ Books That Make Science and Nature Sizzle

In poring over a slew of beautiful, recently released books that aim to engage youngsters with the natural world, we were most drawn to those reads that managed to distill global heating and other eco hot-button topics into simple, impactful prose while also providing laughs and visual delights. It’s a tall order, but we landed on 16 titles that equip kids with the truth they really seek.

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Photo by Jean-Marc Bouju/AP

“Together We Can Change the World”: A Tribute to Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall was one of the world's great ambassadors of hope, compassion, and love. She died on October 1. In this moving tribute, Sierra contributor Michael Shapiro writes that Goodall, the beloved primatologist, was one of us. "By 'us,'" he writes, "I don’t mean solely environmentalists, or even all humans. She was a proud member of the community of life encompassing all sentient beings, but especially the chimpanzees that she began studying in Tanzania in 1960."