Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist, produced some of the most elaborate scientific illustrations of the nineteenth century, including detailed drawings of jellyfish, which he called medusae. His work in the book Art Forms in Nature, published in parts between 1899 and 1904, presented sea creatures as geometric and symmetrical, emphasising the repeating patterns in their bodies. Haeckel was also a passionate advocate of Darwin's ideas, and he wanted his drawings to make the diversity of life visible to a wide audience. Biographical accounts note that his first wife died young, and that his later interest in these delicate forms has been connected with his personal loss. The illustrations became influential in art and design, and they remain widely reproduced.

Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka handed his resignation to parliament after questions were raised about his eligibility for office and his academic credentials. Gibran is the son of former president Joko Widodo, and his resignation came as Widodo publicly backed the president, Prabowo Subianto. Gibran had been elected vice president in 2024 as Prabowo's running mate. His candidacy was made possible by a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling on the minimum age for candidates, which was itself controversial. Parliament will now consider the resignation.

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.