# Unicode 16.0: Exciting New Emoji, Scripts, and Their Path to Your Devices
The Unicode Consortium has officially unveiled **Unicode 16.0**, the most recent iteration of the universal character set that facilitates communication across digital platforms. This upgrade brings **5,185 new characters**, boosting the total character count in the Unicode standard to an impressive **154,998**. Among these fresh offerings are **eight new emoji** along with various modern and ancient scripts, affirming Unicode’s commitment to adapting alongside the myriad of languages and cultures worldwide.
## Fresh Emoji in Unicode 16.0
Although Unicode 16.0 encompasses thousands of new characters, the **eight new emoji** are set to garner notable interest. These emoji aim to represent a wide spectrum of human experiences, items, and symbols, including:
– **Shovel**
– **Fingerprint**
– **Leafless tree**
– **Radish** (officially categorized as “root vegetable”)
– **Harp**
– **Purple splat** (evoking the ’90s **Nickelodeon** logo)
– **Flag of Sark** (a tiny isle in the English Channel)
– **Face with bags under eyes** – a prominent emoji that seems to truly capture the fatigue and stress characteristic of contemporary life.
As is tradition, **Emojipedia** has provided **sample images** of these new emoji, showcasing how they may appear once adopted by various platforms such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft. However, final designs may show slight variations depending on each platform’s distinctive style.
### A Closer Examination of the “Face with Bags Under Eyes” Emoji
Among the novel emoji, the **”face with bags under eyes”** is already stirring considerable excitement. Its drained, tired expression has been interpreted as a mirror of our current times, where stress, exhaustion, and sleepless nights have become prevalent. Whether utilized to convey fatigue from work, parenting, or just life itself, this emoji is anticipated to become a widely-used addition to the digital vernacular.
## Newly Introduced Scripts in Unicode 16.0
Alongside emoji, Unicode 16.0 expands support for **seven new scripts**, essential for fostering and sustaining lesser-known languages and writing systems. These include:
– **Garay alphabet** from West Africa
– **Gurung Khema**, **Kirat Rai**, **Ol Onal**, and **Sunuwar** scripts from Northeast India and Nepal
– **Todhri alphabet** from Albania
– **Tulu-Tigalari script** from Southwestern India
These scripts mark a significant advancement in ensuring a broader array of languages and cultures can be accurately depicted in digital communication. By incorporating these scripts, Unicode continues to pursue its goal of inclusivity, allowing individuals from varied linguistic backgrounds to utilize their native writing systems on contemporary devices.
## The Progression of Emoji: From Unicode 15.1 to 16.0
The previous major emoji update was **Unicode 15.1** in 2023, which brought several new emoji, many of which were adaptations of existing characters. For instance, the **lime emoji** was developed by combining the lemon emoji with a green color modifier, and the **phoenix emoji** resulted from merging a bird with a fire emoji. These combinations were enabled by a **zero-width joiner (ZWJ)**, a unique character permitting multiple emoji to be showcased as a single, cohesive image.
In contrast, most emoji in Unicode 16.0 are **distinct characters** rather than blends of pre-existing ones. The only exception is the **Sark flag emoji**, which, akin to other flag emoji, is formed by placing two **regional indicator letters** adjacent to each other, without necessitating a ZWJ character.
## The Path from Unicode to Your Devices
Although the Unicode Consortium has ratified Unicode 16.0, the new characters won’t show up on your devices right away. The journey to make these characters a reality entails several stages:
1. **Design**: Companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Samsung must create their versions of the new emoji and characters, ensuring they align with their existing design style.
2. **Software Updates**: Once designs are finalized, these companies must distribute software updates that feature the new characters.
3. **User Adoption**: Ultimately, users must download and install these updates to access the new emoji and characters.
This sequence can span several months, meaning that although Unicode 16.0 is now official, it might take a while before you notice the new emoji and scripts on your device.
## The “Greenwashing Emoji” Myth
Following the release of Unicode 16.0, a peculiar hoax has circulated online. Some users have asserted that the update includes a **”greenwashing emoji”** conceived by **Shepard Fairey**, the artist behind the
