2014 had a lot of unfortunate things happen around the world. In Africa, the most widespread outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history happened, and in northern Iraq and eastern Syria, ISIS took over.
While that was going on, somewhere over the South China Sea, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board, which generated the wildest conspiracy theories of the year (maybe even the decade), including wild claims relating to alien abduction.
On top of all that, beloved movie star Robin Williams died at the age of 63.
But 2014 wasn’t all negative, it had its fair share of good things! Millions of people, including celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Bill Gates & Mark Zuckerberg, participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge, raising millions of dollars for charities associated with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
It was also the year when Guardians of the Galaxy premiered, introducing one of the most adorable characters in the Marvel Universe, Baby Groot.
Oh, and Kim and Kanye got married in Italy, holding no expenses whatsoever and spending an impressive $12 million on their special day!
Join us as we explore the extraordinary journey of 2014, filled with defining events, music, quotes, and lasting memories.
Historical Events
Take a front-row seat to the incredible events that unfolded in 2014 and witness the power of human achievement.
January 2014
Jan 6
The Thaicom 6 satellite was launched into Earth’s orbit atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The satellite, owned and operated by Thaicom Public Company Limited, is a geostationary communications satellite with an expected mission duration of fifteen years. The $160 million satellite provides coverage for a wide area, which includes Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia.
February 2014
Feb 14
Ellen Page received a standing ovation after her emotional coming out speech at the Human Rights Campaign “Time to Thrive.”
Feb 17
US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to college students in Jakarta, Indonesia, about the looming threat of Climate Change.
He talked of the urgency needed to address the issue and the dangers of interest groups who willfully deny the dangers it poses.
Feb 24
The oldest piece of Earth was found at a sheep ranch in Western Australia.
The fragment is an ancient crystal, and scientists date it back to around 4.4 billion years ago.
March 2014
Mar 17
Pop singer-songwriter Sia released her hit single “Chandelier.”
The single reached the top 5 on record charts in 20 countries, including France, Poland, Norway, Australia & New Zealand.
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August 2014
Aug 10
Protesting and riots began in Missouri following the death of African American man, Michael Brown.
Brown was shot down dead by police on August 9, which sparked riots the following day. As a result, 321 protestors were arrested in Ferguson, Missouri.
Aug 13
Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the world’s first woman to win the Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics.
September 2014
Sep 16
Barbra Streisand’s album “Partners” was released, featuring duets with many hugely famous male artists.
The all-male line-up included artists such as Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé, Billy Joel, John Legend, Andrea Bocelli, and Lionel Richie.
Sep 18
UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson received a standing ovation for her gender inequality speech at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, US.
Sep 24
The Indian Space Research Organization’s Mars Orbiter Mission probe reached Mars’ orbit after 298 days.
This event was even more extraordinary as it was not just the first time an Asian nation's spacecraft reached Mars' orbit but the first time any space agency reached Mars' orbit on its first attempt.
October 2014
Oct 7
A Spanish nurse became the first person to contract Ebola outside of West Africa.
The cause was blamed on substandard PPE.
Oct 14
The Serbia v Albania qualifying match for the UEFA Euro soccer cup was canceled mid-game.
The match was canceled 42 minutes into the game after fans from both sides repeatedly burst onto the playing field and started fights. However, Serbia was awarded the win, as Albania refused to continue playing after fans attacked their players. Both teams were fined €100,000.
Oct 27
Taylor Swift released her fifth studio album, “1989.”
1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards in 2016. This made Swift the first female solo artist to win Album of the Year twice.
November 2014
Nov 5
The epic science fiction film Interstellar was released.
With a runtime of 169 minutes, Interstellar is one of Christopher Nolan's most memorable movies.
Nov 12
The Rosetta Philae became the first-ever probe to land on a moving comet.
The European Space Agency developed the space probe and landed on the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet after traveling for over a decade.
Nov 17
The legislation was passed, allowing females to be appointed as bishops of The Church of England.
December 2014
Dec 5
NASA successfully launched Exploration Flight Test 1 to test the Orion crew module.
The flight was completed without a crew to test the various systems aboard the module to ensure safe passage for future astronauts. The Orion spacecraft is set to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo mission at some point in the 2030s.
Dec 7
A ban on diesel cars was called for in France.
In order to reduce pollution, the Mayor of Paris called for a ban on diesel cars in Paris by 2020, in addition to creating pedestrian-only neighborhoods.
Dec 9
The CIA Torture Report was released.
This report detailed the CIA's use of torture on detainees between 2001 and 2006. This report was over 6,700 pages long, describing the history of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program.
Dec 13
A civil rights protest march in Washington, D.C., took place.
As a call to attention to unarmed black citizens being wrongfully killed by police, thousands protested for the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement in D.C.
Famous Deaths
Discover the well-known names we lost in 2014.
1951 — 2014
Robin Williams
1928 — 2014
Shirley Temple
American Actress Shirley Temple was born on April 23, 1928. She died on February 10, 2014, at age 85 in California, USA.
1928 — 2014
Maya Angelou
1933 — 2014
Joan Rivers
American Comedian Joan Rivers was born on June 8, 1933. She died on September 4, 2014, at age 81 in New York, USA.
Quotes
Take a moment to look back at quotes that marked 2014.
Jan 25
“I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn right or left, but fate is a one-way street. I believe we all have the choice as to whether we fulfil our destiny, but our fate is sealed.”
Paulo Coelho
(Brazilian Lyricist)
Apr 16
“I have from the very beginning listened to my instinct. All of my best decisions in life have come because I was attuned to what really felt like the next right move for me.”
Oprah Winfrey
(American TV Host)
May 16
“Take risks now. Do something bold. You won’t regret it.”
Elon Musk
(South African-American Entrepreneur)
2014 in Music
2014 was a year where music kept us streaming, singing, and dancing like never before!
From the catchy beats of “Happy” by Pharrell Williams to the heartfelt ballad “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith, these songs tugged at our heartstrings and had us grooving to the rhythm all year long.
These music highlights from 2014 are worth adding to your playlist.
Album of the Year
Daft Punk’s electrifying and genre-blending album “Random Access Memories” left a lasting impression in 2014, winning them the Grammy for Album of the Year.
Song of the Year
Lorde’s mesmerizing hit “Royals” took the world by storm in 2014, winning her the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Best New Artist
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ unique blend of hip-hop and pop won them the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2014, leaving a lasting impact on mainstream music.
Eurovision Song Contest Winner
In 2014, the 59th Eurovision Song Contest unfolded in Copenhagen, Denmark, bringing together an impressive lineup of talented performers.
Conchita Wurst, a captivating artist from Austria, stole the show with her unforgettable song “Rise Like a Phoenix,” showcasing her unique style and vocal prowess.
2014 In Numbers
Let’s explore the world of numbers! If you’ve ever wondered what 2014 looks like in Roman numerals, it’s written as MMXIV. And when we look at it in binary, 2014 is represented as 11111011110, with a series of ones and zeros that form a unique digital code.
Deficient Number
2014 is recognized as a deficient number, which means that if you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into it, the sum will be less than the number itself.
So, when you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into 2014 (1, 2, 19, 38, 53, 106, 1007), they add up to 1226, which is less than 2014.
Chinese Zodiac 2014
According to the Chinese zodiac cycle, 2014 was The Year of the Horse, which occurs once every twelve years.
Interestingly, each zodiac sign is associated with one of the five elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. This makes 2014 the Year of the Wood Horse, which only comes along once every sixty years.
In the Chinese zodiac, each year begins with the Lunar New Year rather than January 1st. For example, the Year of the Wood Horse started on January 31st and continued until February 18, 2015.
People born in the Year of the Horse are energetic, outgoing, and adventurous. They have a strong desire for freedom and love exploring new horizons, embracing life with enthusiasm and spontaneity.
The Years of the Horse gave us remarkable personalities like Emma Watson and Machine Gun Kelly, who have left their mark on the world!
2004 Trivia
In 2014, a photo on Facebook received 100 million likes, the first time this milestone was achieved since the platform's creation.
The photo itself was of legendary singer and songwriter Shakira posing at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio, Brazil, where the FIFA World Cup was held that year.
