France currently gets lots of negative attention on social media. But there's actually some pretty impressive stuff happening:

- AI: France's Mistral just released a surprisingly capable frontier AI model despite having far less computing power than American competitors.

- Nuclear deterrence: Successfully tested the M51.3, one of the world's most advanced submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

- Battery gigafactories: Three major factories are operational or ramping up, with more under development. Renault is manufacturing electric cars with domestically produced batteries.

- Nuclear power: Six new nuclear reactors are planned, with construction-site preparations already underway.

- Electricity: Record electricity exports in 2025, with over 95% of generation coming from low-carbon sources.

- Aerospace: France is one of the relatively few countries capable of developing, manufacturing and exporting an advanced fighter aircraft with a largely domestic industrial supply chain. Dassault's Rafale fighter jet continues to enjoy major international export success.

- Space: Ariane 6 is restoring Europe's independent access to space and attracting major commercial orders. Amazon announced six additional Ariane 6 launches for its Starlink competitor.

- Quantum computing: French companies like Pasqal are developing advanced quantum processors.

- Foreign investment: France remains Europe's leading destination for foreign investment projects for the seventh consecutive year.

P.S. France's achievements become considerably more striking when you account for its population. France has only about 69 million people, compared with approximately 342 million in the United States and 1.4 billion in China.