Technologies

The Longest Night: A Short Guide to the Winter Solstice

The winter solstice arrives later this month, and here’s what that means.

For many people in the US, winter has come a little early, as a few waves of snow and blisteringly cold temperatures have colored the landscape white. It isn’t officially winter yet, and it won’t be until Dec. 21 when the winter solstice takes place. So get ready because Earth’s shortest day is on its way.

What is the winter solstice?

The winter solstice has a few different meanings, so here are all of them. The most common definition, and the one you’re most likely familiar with, is that it denotes the shortest day and longest night of the year on Earth. These times vary depending on your location on the globe, but the further north you live, the less sunlight you’ll get. In the tropics, they’ll get about 12 hours of sunlight. In Sweden, it’ll be closer to six hours. In Svalbard, there isn’t any.

The reason this occurs is due to the second definition of the winter solstice: During this time, the North Pole is tilted as far away from the sun as it can get. According to The Farmer’s Almanac, the moment at which the Earth’s axis is physically tilted as much as it can be is at 10:03 a.m. ET on Dec. 21. After that moment, the process will begin to reverse until the South Pole takes its turn during the summer solstice. At that point, the North Pole will be at its closest tilt to the sun, giving us the longest day and shortest night of the year for the Northern Hemisphere.

How much sunlight will we get?

It’ll vary by location. The southern US will have the most sunlight, with Florida getting a little over 10 hours during the winter solstice. The Midwest and Great Lakes portion of the country will get roughly nine hours. The Pacific Northwest can expect a little less than nine hours. Southern Alaska will get about six hours, and the northern areas of Alaska will see around three hours.

If you want to see how your area will fare, Time and Date has a sunrise and sunset tool you can use. Input your zip code into the search bar, and you’ll be able to see your sunrise and sunset times.

The city of Utqiaġvik, Alaska, will have it worse than most in the US: It won’t get any sun at all. The sun won’t rise there again until Jan. 22. We hope the people living there packed their vitamin D supplements.

The difference between a solstice and an equinox

The autumn equinox was just a few months ago, so you may be curious about the differences. A solstice occurs when the Earth’s poles are tilted as far away from the sun as they’ll be over the course of one year, which is also one orbit around the sun. The equinoxes take place at the halfway points between each solstice. The autumn equinox takes place in September between the summer and winter solstices, while the spring equinox takes place in March between the winter and summer.

During an equinox, the poles are minimally tilted, and the days are as even as they can be. This also has a couple of other interesting side effects: The sun is pointed directly at the equator during an equinox, and the sun will rise and set directly east and west, respectively.

Humans use the solstices and equinoxes to mark the change of the seasons. There are two equinoxes and two solstices, which mark the start and end dates for Earth’s four seasons.

Celebrating the winter solstice

While the solstice is close to the holidays, celebrations for the winter solstice have been around for significantly longer, and some winter solstice traditions have become Christmas traditions as well. One of the most historically famous winter solstice celebrations is Yule, a winter festival originating thousands of years ago among the Ancient Norse. It became commonly celebrated in Europe and involved bonfires and massive feasts. Yule celebrations also included decorating with evergreen tree decorations, like holly and ivy.

If these sound familiar, it’s because Christmas co-opted many of those traditions centuries ago, and the two traditions have kind of merged into a single seasonal holiday. The terms Yule and Christmas are often used interchangeably these days in many cultures.

So if you want to celebrate the winter solstice, just do all of the stuff you would normally do for the holidays. Burn a Yule log, decorate a tree, eat a big feast with your family and hang up mistletoe and wreaths — those are all hat tips to traditional winter solstice celebrations.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im