It is time to look ahead to 2023, but before that let’s take a moment to look back on 2022 — a year in which ‘expect the unexpected’ was not just the catchphrase, but a fitting epitaph for the year. As the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II died and Russia invaded Ukraine, the past 12 months have been defined by economic, environmental, and geopolitical turmoil.
Some major events have shaken us, while others only gently rattled us. Among the most intriguing things that occurred this year that nobody anticipated, we’ve compiled a list of 10.
1. Russia invades Ukraine.
On 24 February, Russia invaded Ukraine, causing a food and energy crisis as well as the displacement of millions of people. It was the most significant conventional attack on a country that caused a tremendous economic crisis for the world.
2. Death of Queen Elizabeth II
On 8 September, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She had been on the throne for 70 years, making her the world’s second-longest reigning monarch. As Queen Elizabeth’s long reign ends, her 73-year-old son Charles will become the new monarch of the UK.
3. Population of the world exceeds 8 billion.
1 billion people were counted for the first time in 1803. More than 200 years later, on 15 November 2022, the world’s population surpassed 8 billion. The majority of people live in just seven countries: China, India, the US, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Brazil.
4. Scientists have pinpointed how stars form in our galaxy.
For the first time, scientists can explain how stars formed in the Milky Way in January. Approximately 14 million years ago, a chain reaction of supernovae created a 1,000-light-year bubble at the center of which our galaxy exists.
While scientists knew this bubble existed, they recently discovered that all the local star-forming regions are located on its surface, since the chain reaction pushed away all the dust and gas needed for new stars to bloom.
5. A Down syndrome model is featured at Victoria’s Secret.
SofÃa Jirau is the first woman with Down syndrome to walk the Victoria’s Secret runway. The ad campaign emphasizes diversity and inclusivity in the fashion company’s Love Cloud line.
6. It’s Elon Musk’s Twitter now.
Elon Musk announced publicly that he was interested in buying Twitter on April 14. In a take-it-or-leave-it offer, he offered $44 billion (36,025 crores).
To prevent Musk from forcibly buying Twitter, Twitter’s board created a “poison pill” provision to reject the offer. The board of Twitter changed its mind on April 25 and accepted the offer shortly afterward.
7. First Indian-origin PM in the UK.
In October, Rishi Sunak became the first Indian to become prime minister of Britain. Moreover, he is the first Hindu prime minister to sit in that position and is wealthier than the British royal family. Under Boris Johnson, Mr. Sunak was chancellor of the Exchequer. He took over from Liz Truss, who served only 44 days as prime minister.
8. Depp vs Heard
A defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard gripped the world’s attention. The dirty details of Depp and Heard’s contentious marriage made headlines alongside their celebrity.
Due to the trial’s televised nature, clips have also been taken by fans and edited on sites such as Tiktok. In Fairfax, VA, Depp was awarded $10 million in damages after winning the trial. Heard was also awarded $2 million in damages after her lawyer accused her of creating a hoax.
9. It’s Heidi Klum as a worm.
It’s no secret that Heidi Klum is the queen of Halloween, and this year she went all out. During her annual Halloween party, Klum dressed as a worm, breaking the internet. “Would You Still Love Me If I Was A Worm?” became the most popular meme about her costume after she won Halloween 2022.
10. Oscar slap.
We’re sure no one intended the Oscars ceremony to be a punch-up like this. As Chris Rock made a joke on stage about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head – who suffers from alopecia – Will Smith approached him and slapped him.
There you have it, some highlights from 2022 that you should know about. Do you think 2023 will bring better news? Hope for the best, let’s keep our fingers crossed.
