Where could you find popes, snakes and soccer players all in one place? On the pages of News Decoder this past year. Explore our most read stories of 2025.
A snake reads a News Decoder story about snakes. Illustration by News Decoder.
The pope, news services, snakes and movies in India. These were the most read stories our global correspondents filed in 2025. From our student authors, readers gravitated to stories about mental health and identity.
The past year marked News Decoder’s 10th anniversary. For a decade we’ve been publishing stories from professional correspondents around the world who help us explain complicated global events and connect what is happening in our own countries to what is happening elsewhere.
Alongside those stories, we’ve published articles about problems spotted and explored by high school and college students. They give us a sense of what young people care about and worry over. We see them exploring in different ways similar topics and in the process discovering how their concerns are mirrored in places halfway across the world.
We believe that stories connect people. And by finding and producing stories for people to read and hear, we try to turn confusion into clarity and show that for what seems to be intractable problems solutions exist.
Now that we are beginning a new year, let’s look back on the stories in 2025 that most resonated with our readers.
And here’s hoping that 2026 will be a year filled with good news across the globe.
—Happy new year, from News Decoder.
1. Will the Vatican find its next pope in an unlikely place?
With many fearing Pope Francis won’t survive his latest illness, the Catholic Church prepares for the world’s most secretive election. Here’s what to expect.
2. The legion of journalists who report unbiased news
Much of the news people consume is produced by newswires. Their reporters keep their opinions to themselves so you can make up your own mind about world events.
3. Bite of the Big Four: India’s deadly snakebite crisis
Almost 60,000 die from snakebite each year in India, but only one facility is producing the venom needed to make the antivenom.
4. The world applauds an indie filmed in Hindi
It’s been a decade-long journey from film school to red carpet for Mumbai director Payal Kapadia. If you want to follow her path she’s got some advice.
5. Can endless scrolling rot our brains?
It is difficult to turn away from our devices and even harder to turn them off. But if you can, your brain will thank you. Way up over our heads satellites and rocket parts orbit the Earth. Sometimes pieces of metal fall towards us. Most burn up in the atmosphere, but not all.
6. Student athletes struggle to stay mentally fit
Your coach and team count on you to play your best. You’ve got class assignments due and tests to study for. Your friends want you to go out. Where’s the time?
7. Decoder: The Paris (Dis)Agreement
A decade ago 195 countries gathered to find a way to slow climate change. Will the United States under Trump crash the “green economy” that the agreement promised?
8. People don’t know you. But do you know yourself?
When we compare ourselves to others we feel lesser. But it is what makes you different that people will appreciate. Embrace what really makes you you.
9. Can we keep live music venues from dying out?
People spend big on megaconcerts. But the audience for local music is shrinking and local clubs are disappearing.
10. What’s not talked about when you live overseas
Racial bias isn’t readily apparent in Latvia. But simply how you use your voice can set you apart as a foreigner.
