What a year 2010 was! It all started with Eyjafjallajökul, an Icelandic volcano with a tricky name, erupting and causing massive delays and cancellations to European flights.
Meanwhile, an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico rapidly became the worst oil spill of all time. Haiti also suffered greatly from a devastating earthquake that left around 1 million people homeless.
However, 2010 also had some good things happen. An absolute miracle occurred in Chile, where 33 miners spent 69 days trapped in a mine shaft before being rescued.
2010 was also the year that Instagram was launched, the first iPad was released, the hit TV series Lost ended, and the first series of The Walking Dead began.
Oh, and Justin Bieber released his instant-hit “Baby,” which people either loved or hated with a passion.
Continue reading to uncover the remarkable events, chart-topping hits, inspiring quotes, and influential figures we lost in 2010.
Historical Events
Step into a captivating journey through 2010 and witness the remarkable events that left an indelible mark on our world.
January 2010
Jan 12
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti claimed 160,000 lives.
The disaster wreaked havoc in the country and destroyed the capital of Port-Au-Prince with an estimated USD 7.8-8.5 billion damage.
Jan 27
Steve Jobs announced the Apple iPad, the company’s most advanced piece of technology at the time.
February 2010
Feb 18
WikiLeaks published the first US diplomatic cable leak provided by Chelsea Manning.
March 2010
May 2010
May 23
The final episode of LOST aired.
It was simultaneously screened in the US, UK, and six other countries. This was done to avoid spoilers and illegal internet downloads.
May 29
In the Super Rugby Final at Orlando Stadium, the Bulls defended their title with a 25-17 win over the Stormers in an all-South African final.
Jun 18
Eminem released his 7th studio album “Recovery.”
The album was going to be called "Relapse 2" to follow on from his previous album, but he decided that the music was too different from "Relapse," so he called it "Recovery" instead.
Jun 24
The longest tennis match in history took place.
The match was between American player John Isner and French player Nicolas Mahut in Wimbledon. It lasted an incredible 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days.
July 2010
Jul 25
Wikileaks published classified information about the war in Afghanistan.
This was one of the largest leaks in US military history.
August 2010
Aug 14
Singapore opened the world’s first Summer Youth Olympics Games.
There were 3,600 athletes from 204 nations aged between 14 and 18.
September 2010
Sep 12
Lady Gaga wore a full outfit made of meat for the MTV Video Music Awards.
She wore a dress, shoes, and a hairpiece, all made from raw cuts of meat.
Sep 24
The American biographical drama movie “The Social Network” was released at the New York Film Festival.
Oct 13
All 33 miners trapped after a mining accident in Chile were rescued after being stuck underground for 69 days.
The accident happened on August 5, 2010, at the San José copper-gold mine in the Atacama Desert. The men were stuck 296.6 ft (700 m) under the surface, and it cost $20 million for the rescue mission.
Oct 25
Taylor Swift’s third studio album “Speak Now” was released. It won Billboard’s 2011 Album of the Year.
November 2010
Nov 29
British singer-songwriter Adele released her hit single “Rolling in the Deep.”
It won awards for Billboard's Record of the Year 2011 and the Grammy's Album and Record of the Year 2012.
December 2010
Dec 8
SpaceX became the first private company to launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft.
The SpaceX mission couldn't have gone off any better, with all systems reporting nominal conditions the whole way through. This milestone had only previously been achieved by national space agencies such as NASA and Roscosmos.
Dec 22
The “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy was repealed.
This policy had been in place for seventeen years before it was repealed. It banned homosexuals from serving openly in the US military. President Barack Obama signed the repeal.
Famous Deaths
Here are some notable people who passed away in 2010.
1971 — 2010
Corey Haim
Canadian Actor Corey Haim was born on December 23, 1971. He died on March 10, 2010, at age 38 in California, USA.
1926 — 2010
Leslie Nielsen
Canadian Actor Leslie Nielsen was born on February 11, 1926. He died on November 28, 2010, at age 84 in Florida, USA.
Quotes
The year 2010 left behind words that continue to inspire and resonate.
Feb 24
“We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.”
Barack Obama
(American Politician)
2010 in Music
2010 was a musical rollercoaster with some amazing hits that made our hearts sing!
From the infectious pop sound of “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars to the soulful ballad “Forget You” by CeeLo Green, these songs captured our hearts and made 2010 a year to remember in the world of music.
Here are some music highlights from 2010 that are worth remembering.
Album of the Year
Taylor Swift’s country-pop sensation “Fearless” stole hearts and the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2010, showcasing her undeniable talent and infectious charm.
Song of the Year
Beyoncé ruled the airwaves and dance floors in 2010 with her empowering anthem “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” winning her the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band’s heartfelt lyrics and captivating harmonies won them the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2010, solidifying their place in the world of country music.
Eurovision Song Contest Winner
The 55th Eurovision Song Contest unfolded in Oslo, Norway, in 2010, setting the stage for a mix of vibrant and diverse performances.
Lena, a young and vibrant singer from Germany, charmed viewers with her infectious song “Satellite,” securing Germany’s second win in Eurovision history.
2010 In Numbers
Are you ready for some interesting number facts? Well, here goes! If you’ve ever wondered how to write 2010 in Roman numerals, it’s MMX. And in binary, it’s 11111011010.
Harshad Number
2010 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 + 1 + 0), which equals 3. And now we see if 2010 can be divided evenly by 3, which it can! 2010 ÷ 3 = 670. So this makes 2010 a Harshad number.
Abundant Number
Also, 2010 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 2010 (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 30, 67, 134, 201, 335, 402, 670, 1005), they add up to 2886, which is greater than 2010.
Oh, and here’s one last fact for you! If you’re curious to know how long it would take you to count to 2010, we’ve already done the math for you! It would take you roughly 33 minutes and 30 seconds!
Chinese Zodiac 2010
According to the Chinese calendar, 2010 was not only the Year of the Tiger, but the Year of the Metal Tiger. This cycle happens once every sixty years.
Because the Chinese zodiac follows a lunar calendar, the Year of the Metal Tiger commenced on February 14th, and lasted until February 2, 2011.
People born in the Year of the Tiger are often courageous, confident, and independent. They possess a charismatic personality, are natural leaders, and are known for their adventurous spirit.
Famous people born in Years of the Tiger include Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga!
2004 Trivia
Did you know that the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, was officially opened to the public in 2010?
It stands at an impressive height of 2,722 ft (830 meters), cost $1.5 billion, and took six years to build!
