2024 was a year of remarkable achievements and significant challenges. The Paris Summer Olympics dazzled the world with extraordinary athletic performances, with the United States leading the medal count for the fourth consecutive time.
On the global stage, Sweden’s entry into NATO strengthened the alliance, while the European Union made history by implementing the first-ever regulations for artificial intelligence. Also, Donald Trump was re-elected as President.
But 2024 wasn’t without its struggles. In May, Earth experienced its most intense geomagnetic storm since 1989, causing widespread disruptions to satellites, power grids, and communication systems. The Atlantic hurricane season added to the year’s challenges, ranking among the costliest on record, with damages nearing $200 billion.
Despite the obstacles, there was reason for hope. Groundbreaking medical trials, like the world’s first mRNA lung cancer vaccine, offered a glimpse into a healthier future.
Continue reading to explore the defining moments of 2024, from pivotal events and inspiring stories to unforgettable music, quotes, and more!
Events
Here, you’ll discover a collection of fascinating and unforgettable events that shaped the world in 2024.
Jan 3
Jeffery Epstein’s associates were revealed in court documents from Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2015 trial.
The list of associates includes countless high-profile figures, including former US Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, Steven Hawking, Michael Jackson, and Prince Andrew of Britain.
Jan 11
The ruins of an ancient lost city were discovered in eastern Ecuador.
It’s estimated that the city, which lies in Ecuador’s Upano area, was built around 2,500 years ago. The extent of the city suggests the presence of a society as large, or larger than the Aztecs or Mayans.
Jan 18
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter took off for its 72nd and final flight on Mars.
In January 2021, Ingenuity became the first aircraft to fly on another planet. Ingenuity far exceeded its expected life, as it was only ever supposed to be able to handle five flights and last about a month.
Jan 27
Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, embarked on its maiden voyage from Miami.
With 20 decks and the ability to hold 7,600 passengers, the new supersized cruise ship was quickly christened the “Human Lasagne” by social media. At 1,198 feet (365 meters) long, it’s longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall!
Feb 15
Greece legalized same-sex marriage and adoption, becoming the first Orthodox Christian Country to do so.
Feb 22
Odysseus became the first private spacecraft to land on the Moon.
The Odysseus moon lander, operated by the US firm Intuitive Machines, was the first US-owned spacecraft to land on the Moon in over 50 years. The landing wasn’t a total success, though, as the lander ended up tipping on its side during the process.
Feb 25
Algeria officially inaugurated the Grand Mosque of Algiers, the world’s third-largest mosque.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune officially opened the new mosque. It can hold as many as 120,000 people and features an 869-foot (265-meter) minaret – the tallest in the world!
Mar 4
France became the first country in the world to include access to abortion in its constitution.
Mar 10
Christopher Nolan won Best Director, and his film “Oppenheimer” won Best Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
Cillian Murphy also won an Oscar for his lead role in “Oppenheimer,” Emma Stone won Best Actress in a Leading Role for “Poor Things,” and Miyazaki’s last film, “The Boy and the Heron” won Best Animated Feature Film.
Mar 17
Vladimir Putin won the Russian Presidential election again.
While Putin supposedly won 88% of the vote, major Western nations, including the US, UK, and Germany, claimed that the vote was neither free nor fair. One key part of this was the fact that all viable political opponents were either imprisoned or censored.
Mar 26
Baltimore’s iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship.
Fortunately, the event happened in the early hours of the morning rather than during peak hours. Although Dali, the cargo ship, was only going 9 mph (15 km/hr), its massive weight caused the entire span of the 1.6-mile (2.6-km) long bridge to collapse.
Apr 2
Taylor Swift became the world’s first musician to become a billionaire solely from songs and concerts.
Apr 7
New York and New Jersey were struck by the strongest earthquake in over one hundred years.
The 4.8 magnitude earthquake was felt across New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, as well as parts of Virginia and Maine. The last quake of its size to hit New Jersey was in 1783.
Apr 13
Iran launched a drone and missile strike on Israel following an Israeli attack on its Damascus embassy.
Apr 17
Dua Lipa made the cover of the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people.
Other notable people from the list include actor Taraji P. Henson, Russian opposition leader Yulia Navalnaya, and American football quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
May 4
Madonna ended her “Celebration” world tour with a free concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
1.6 million people attended the historic concert at Rio’s Copacabana beach, with some superfans waiting in place for days to get a good spot near the front.
May 13
OpenAI’s newest version of ChatGPT, GPT-4 Omni (GPT-4o), went live.
This latest iteration boasted unprecedented capabilities, including enhanced contextual understanding and multilingual proficiency, making it a significant milestone in AI development.
May 21
The International Criminal Court requested arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for alleged war crimes.
Warrants were requested for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three HAMAS leaders, for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza.
May 30
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsified business records.
The former US president became the first current or former president to be convicted of criminal charges. He was found guilty of falsifying documents to cover up hush money payments to former adult film star Stormy Daniels during the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
Jun 1
642 million people voted in India’s general election, setting the record for the world’s largest election.
Jun 2
Mexico elected its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum.
Sheinbaum, a climate scientist, was formerly the Mayor of Mexico City, the nation’s capital. Her election marked a first not just for Mexico but for all countries in North America!
Jun 8
While rescuing four captives in central Gaza, Israeli soldiers killed 247 Palestinians and injured 698.
The deadly daytime operation by the Israeli Defence Force was conducted to rescue Israeli hostages captured during Hamas’ October 7 attacks. The Israeli government states the death toll to be much lower, under 100. Hamas disagrees, calling the operation a “horrific massacre” of civilians.
Jun 24
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange walked free after a 14-year legal battle.
After creating WikiLeaks in 2010 and releasing classified US military documents, Assange faced 14 years of legal challenges and imprisonment. He spent the last five years in a high-profile London prison and was ultimately released after pleading guilty in a US court.
Jul 13
Former US President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Jul 21
US President Joe Biden withdrew from his re-election campaign and endorsed Kamala Harris as his preferred successor.
Jul 24
“Inside Out 2” became the highest-grossing animated film ever, earning $1.462 billion worldwide and surpassing “Frozen II,” which previously held the record with $1.453 billion.
Jul 26
The Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony was held outdoors for the first time ever.
In a spectacular event, 6,800 athletes paraded in 85 boats along the Seine River in Paris, heading towards the Eiffel Tower. There, the Olympic flame was launched into the sky from a cauldron attached to a hot air balloon.
Aug 5
British graffiti artist Banksy created the first in a series of animal artworks in London.
Banksy’s first piece was the silhouette of a goat near Kew Bridge, followed by a new piece each day for seven days. All the works in the series were of animals, including monkeys, a cat, and piranhas on a police box.
Aug 11
Regions around Athens, Greece, were evacuated due to wildfires after the hottest June and July on record.
Aug 24
Pavel Durov, founder of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France for alleged involvement in organized crime.
After his release, he was placed under formal investigation over Telegram’s use in criminal activities and banned from leaving the country during the investigation.
Sep 6
The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers 34-29 in Brazil in the first NFL game in South America.
Sep 15
Parts of Central and Eastern Europe were catastrophically flooded as they were struck by Storm Boris.
The floods displaced thousands of people across Europe, with some regions receiving more than three months’ worth of rain overnight.
Sep 17
Norway became the first country in the world where electric cars outnumbered petrol cars.
Out of the 2.8 million private vehicles registered in Norway, 753,905 ran on petrol while 754,303 were electric. More impressively, electric cars made up 94.3% of all new cars registered in Norway in August 2024.
Sep 18
After nearly 80 years of business, the iconic plastic kitchenware brand Tupperware filed for bankruptcy.
Oct 3
The world’s longest treasure hunt ended after 31 years.
The 31-year treasure hunt for France’s famed Golden Owl has finally ended with the discovery of a bronze owl. The hunt began in 1993 when Max Valentin published Chouette d’Or (golden owl), a book containing 11 clues leading to the location of the owl, which he buried in France. The finder of the owl won a sculpted golden owl valued at over $160,000.
Oct 16
Prada teamed up with Axiom Space to create the spacesuits for NASA’s Artemis III mission to the Moon.
Prada and aerospace company Axiom Space unveiled the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit, designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission. The suit was showcased at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan.
Nov 1
Collins Dictionary announced “brat” as their word of the year.
Collins defined the word as someone “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude,” and they gave credit to Charli XCX for popularizing the word. However, Charli XCX defined a “brat” as “that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes.”
Nov 5
Donald Trump was reelected as President of the United States of America.
Trump’s win shocked the Democrats, who were sure Kamala Harris would be the nation’s next President.
Nov 9
Beyoncé received her 99th Grammy nomination, becoming the most nominated artist in Grammy history.
Nov 21
A literal banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $6.2 million in New York.
The new owner of the controversial art piece, a cryptocurrency enthusiast, held an event in Hong Kong on December 2 where he ate the banana.
Dec 1
US President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, for any crimes he committed over the previous ten years.
The President’s decision was a complete u-turn, having announced time and time again that he wouldn’t pardon his son. Hunter Biden had been found guilty on 12 different counts, including federal gun charges and tax evasion, which should have seen him spend up to 42 years behind bars.
Dec 9
Google unveiled a quantum chip that completes 33.3 trillion years of calculations in 1 nanosecond.
Willow, as the new chip was named, is one of the largest technological breakthroughs of 2024, with scientists unable to call it anything other than “mindboggling.”
Dec 16
The EU signed a contract to build an $11 billion satellite network to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Famous Deaths
Here’s a glimpse at a few famous people who bid us farewell in 2024.
2024
Liam Payne
1993
2024
Liam Payne
Liam Payne was an English singer born on August 29, 1993. He died on October 16, 2024, at age 31 in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Died In:
2024
Maggie Smith
1934
2024
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith was an English actress born on December 28, 1934. She died on September 27, 2024, at age 89 in London, England, UK.
Died In:
2024
Toby Keith
1961
2024
Toby Keith
Toby Keith was an American singer-songwriter born on July 8, 1961. He died on February 5, 2024, at age 62 in Oklahoma, USA.
Died In:
2024
Carl Weathers
1948
2024
Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers was an American actor born on January 14, 1948. He died on February 1, 2024, at age 76 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Died In:
Quotes
Here’s a roundup of the most memorable quotes people said in 2024.
Sep 24
I call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the sausages… the hostages.
Keir Starmer
British Politician
2024 In Music
2024 was a year where music kept us streaming, singing, and dancing like never before!
From Sabrina Carpenter’s chart-topping anthem “Espresso” to Kendrick Lamar’s powerful hit “Not Like Us,” these tracks not only dominated playlists but also became the defining soundtrack of the year.
These are a few music highlights from 2024 that you should be aware of.
Album of the Year
Taylor Swift’s introspective and poetic album “Midnights” captivated the music world in 2024, earning her the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and showcasing her evolution as a formidable singer-songwriter.
Song of the Year
Billie Eilish captivated the music world in 2024, winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year with her poignant and reflective track “What Was I Made For?” from the “Barbie” movie soundtrack.
Best New Artist
Victoria Monét’s soulful voice and heartfelt R&B tracks won her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2024, marking her emergence as a significant new talent in the music industry.
Eurovision Song Contest Winner
The 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Malmö, Sweden, in 2024.
Switzerland emerged victorious with the song “The Code,” performed by Nemo, who became the first non-binary winner in the contest’s history.
2024 in Numbers
Are you ready for some interesting number facts? Well, here goes! 2024 when written in Roman numerals is MMXXIV, and when written in binary, it’s 11111101000.
Leap Year
The year 2024 has an additional day added to its calendar, making it a leap year. This leap day ensures that our calendars stay synchronized with Earth’s orbit around the sun.
Harshad Number
2024 is a Harshad number, which is a number that can be evenly divided by the sum of its digits. It’s like a special math rule for some numbers.
To explain in more detail, we add up the digits (2 + 0 + 2 + 4), which equals 8. And now we see if 2024 can be divided evenly by 8, which it can! 2024 ÷ 8 = 253. So this makes 2024 a Harshad number.
Abundant Number
Also, 2024 is known as an abundant number. An abundant number is a number where if you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into it, the total sum is greater than the number itself.
So, when you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into 2024 (1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 22, 23, 44, 46, 88, 92, 184, 253, 506, 1012), they add up to 2296, which is greater than 2024.
Chinese Zodiac 2024
According to the Chinese zodiac cycle, 2024 was The Year of the Dragon, which occurs once every twelve years.
But did you know that the Chinese zodiac cycle also incorporates the five elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold (Metal), and Water? This actually makes 2024 the Year of the Wood Dragon, a cycle that repeats every sixty years.
Because the Chinese calendar works from the lunar cycle, in 2024 Chinese New Year actually began on February 10th.
Individuals born in the Year of the Dragon are known for their strong leadership qualities, ambition, and confidence. They possess a charismatic and magnetic personality.
Jhené Aiko, Jace Norman and Lizzo are shining examples of the success and talent that can be found among those born in the Years of the Dragon!
2024 Trivia
Did you know that on December 5, 2024, Bitcoin’s value surpassed $100,000 for the first time?
This historic surge was largely attributed to President-elect Donald Trump’s supportive stance on cryptocurrencies, including his nomination of crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The rise was also supported by the introduction of Bitcoin-focused investment options, like ETFs, which opened the door for big investors and boosted confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future.
