The year 2018 will forever be known as the year that people around the world willfully ingested liquid detergent as part of the infamous Tide Pod Challenge. From there, much of the year was pretty much a downhill battle.
While the US and its allies were busy bombing Syria, the world watched on as a Thai soccer team got trapped in an underground cave, only to be rescued twelve days later by Thailand’s Navy SEALS.
On top of that, Anthony Bourdain, one of the world’s most beloved food writers, lost his life.
2018 had some pretty cool things happen too! One awesome thing was when President Trump and Kim Jong Un actually sat down together and had a meeting. It was the first time a US President and a North Korean Leader stopped arguing and actually talked.
Also, in India, they launched an amazing healthcare system called Modicare. It’s the biggest in the world and now helps over 500 million people!
And hey, let’s not forget about Black Panther. That movie was incredible and won a bunch of awards. What’s even more special is that it had a mostly Black cast leading the way!
Continue reading to uncover the significant events, groundbreaking news, chart-topping music, memorable quotes, and impactful losses that made 2018 unforgettable.
Historical Events
Brace yourself for an incredible ride through the epic events that defined the unforgettable year of 2018.
January 2018
Jan 10
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ net worth reached $106 billion.
With only Bill Gates passing the $100 billion milestone in 1999, this made Bezos the second man on Earth worth over $1 billion.
Jan 22
Netflix passed the $100 billion milestone.
This made the digital media and entertainment company the world's largest.
Jan 23
Twelve camels found to have Botox in their lips were disqualified from a Camel Beauty Contest.
The King Abdulaziz Camel Beauty Contest is in Saudi Arabia, and camels are judged on how beautiful their lips and humps are.
February 2018
Feb 10
A double-decker bus in Hong Kong overturned, killing 19 people in Hong Kong’s 2nd deadliest road accident.
Feb 20
For the first time in her life, at age 91, Queen Elizabeth II attended London Fashion Week.
Feb 22
Analysis of 65,000-year-old cave paintings in Spain revealed that Neanderthals were the first artists long before humans.
These paintings were made tens of thousands of years before humans arrived.
March 2018
Mar 14
Finland became the world’s happiest country.
The World Happiness Report change meant Norway slipped into second place, while Burundi was classed as the unhappiest country in the world.
Mar 19
The last male northern white rhinoceros died.
Sudan was euthanized on this day after suffering from age-related complications. His death ensures the extinction of the species.
April 2018
Apr 20
Prince Charles was appointed to become the next head of the Commonwealth once Queen Elizabeth II passes.
Apr 29
The Simpson’s 636th episode aired, making it the longest episode count of any TV series in history.
Apr 30
A newly discovered water beetle was named after Leonardo DiCaprio.
The new species was found in Borneo, clinging to a sandstone rock in a river. The name was chosen in honor of DiCaprio's environmental activism.
May 2018
May 5
Donald Glover, known by his stage name Childish Gambino, released the music video for his single titled “This Is America,” which went on to gain vast praise.
May 29
Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko faked his own death.
The media reported that Arkady had been assassinated on his way home to his Kyiv apartment. He appeared on a live Ukrainian television at a press conference the next day. The staged death was intended to expose Russian agents.
May 29
Starbucks closed over 8,000 US stores.
The temporary closures were to make time for racial bias training – training 175,000 employees. The training session was not mandatory but encouraged.
June 2018
Jun 6
Xi’an, China, introduced a pedestrian lane for people who walk while looking at their phones.
The northern Chinese city implemented the special pedestrian zones because cars were often driving on the sidewalk, putting pedestrians who ignore their surroundings at risk of injury. Those most at risk are known as "phubbers," or people who stare at their phones while walking.
Jun 12
The leaders of North Korea and the USA met for the first time ever.
US President Donald Trump met with North Korea's Kim Jong Un at the 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit in Singapore. North Korea's newly-developed nuclear capabilities largely prompted the summit. The two leaders agreed on North Korea's denuclearization in return for greater security guarantees. Further peace talks and friendlier relations were also on the table.
Jun 20
Donald Trump ended family separation on the southern border.
The president signed the executive order after receiving backlash after his "zero tolerance" attitude.
July 2018
Jul 15
France defeated Croatia 4-2 to win their second FIFA World Cup.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup occurred in Russia, with the final held at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. France's first goal was an own-goal by the Croatian team, which was the first time this had ever happened in a World Cup Final.
Jul 16
Twelve new moons were discovered in Jupiter’s orbit, bringing the planet’s total number of moons to 79.
Jul 26
Albert Einstein’s theory of gravitational redshift was proven after a telescope in Chile observed a black hole.
August 2018
Aug 16
Over 566 wildfires swept through British Columbia in Canada, which led to a State of Emergency, and 3,000 people were evacuated.
Aug 22
A 50,000-year-old human bone was discovered in Siberia.
The toe bone belonged to a girl who was at least 13 years old when she died.
Aug 26
Danny Boyle announced that he would not be directing the next James Bond movie.
In his announcement, he said his reasons were down to "creative differences."
September 2018
Sep 21
A report published claimed that the fossils of Dickinsonia were the oldest animals to roam the planet.
The report explains that they were alive 558 million years ago, making them one of the first animals to live on earth.
Sep 23
A mud volcano near Baku in Azerbaijan erupted.
Although there are roughly 1,000 mud volcanoes worldwide, around 40 percent are located around the coast of Azerbaijan.
Sep 28
Science magazine announced that half the killer whale population would likely die due to human pollution.
October 2018
Oct 26
Rockstar Games’ hit Wild-West series returned with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2.
It took over eight years to develop. Being a blockbuster Rockstar Games title, it unsurprisingly ranks as one of the most expensive video games ever made. However, all that time and money paid off, with the game raking in US$725 million in sales in its first weekend alone.
Oct 31
The Statue of Unity in India was officially completed making it the world’s tallest statue at 597 ft (182 m).
November 2018
Nov 14
Artist Edward Hopper’s famous painting “Chop Suey” sold for a record $91.9 million.
Nov 16
An elevator in Chicago’s Hancock Building plummeted 84 stories.
Luckily, all six people inside survived.
Nov 24
A party boat on Lake Victoria in Uganda capsized and killed 29 people.
The incident was due to the vessel being overloaded with 100 onboard.
December 2018
Dec 17
Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster’s stated their word of the year was “justice.”
Dec 18
A powerful meteor exploded over the Bering Sea.
The meteor that exploded in a huge fireball went unnoticed for months. Once it was discovered from military satellites, findings showed that the blast had ten times the energy of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
Dec 22
A powerful tsunami hit Indonesia.
This tsunami took place at the Sunda Strait as a result of a portion of the Anak Krakatau volcano, which fell into the sea. The tsunami killed over 400 people.
Famous Deaths
Take a moment to reflect on those we lost in 2018.
1992 — 2018
Mac Miller
American Rapper Mac Miller was born on January 19, 1992. He died on September 7, 2018, at age 26 in California, USA.
1998 — 2018
XXXTentacion
American Rapper XXXTentacion was born on January 23, 1998. He died on June 18, 2018, at age 20 in Florida, USA.
1922 — 2018
Stan Lee
American Comic Book Writer Stan Lee was born on December 28, 1922. He died on November 12, 2018, at age 95 in California, USA.
Quotes
Check out some of the quotes that made 2018 truly memorable.
Oct 23
“I’ve been a daydreamer since day one. I much prefer looking out a window over looking at my phone.”
RuPaul
(American Drag Queen)
Dec 9
“I wanna be clear, I do not respect the SEC. I do not respect them.”
Elon Musk
(South African-American Entrepreneur)
2018 in Music
In 2018, the music scene exploded with a mix of sensational tracks that became the soundtrack of our lives!
From the infectious rhythms of “Havana” by Camila Cabello to the heartfelt melodies of “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran, these chart-toppers brought joy and excitement to our ears, making 2018 a year to remember in the world of music.
Expand your music knowledge with these highlights from 2018 that you should know.
Album of the Year
Bruno Mars brought the groove and pure pop joy with his infectious album “24K Magic” in 2018, earning him the coveted Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Song of the Year
Bruno Mars enchanted listeners in 2018 and won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year with his smooth and catchy tune, “That’s What I Like.”
Best New Artist
Alessia Cara’s soulful voice and relatable lyrics won her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2018, establishing her as a rising star in the pop music landscape.
Eurovision Song Contest Winner
The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, the 63rd edition of this fantastic celebration of music, was held in Lisbon, Portugal.
Netta, a powerhouse performer from Israel, took home the grand prize with her infectious and empowering song “Toy.”
2018 In Numbers
Get set to explore some curious and fun facts about numbers! If you’ve ever wondered what 2018 looks like in Roman numerals, it’s written as MMXVIII. And if we represent 2018 in binary form, it becomes 11111100010.
Deficient Number
2018 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 2018 (1, 2, 1009), they add up to 1012, which is less than 2018.
Chinese Zodiac 2018
As per the Chinese zodiac tradition, 2018 was recognized as The Year of the Dog within the twelve-year cycle.
The Chinese zodiac isn’t just animals though, they also include five elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. So this makes 2018 the Year of the Earth Dog, a cycle which happens once every sixty years.
The fascinating thing about the Chinese calendar is that it operates on a lunar cycle, which means that the Year of the Earth Dog officially kicked off on February 16th, and lasted until February 4, 2019.
Those born in the Year of the Dog are loyal, honest, and trustworthy. They have a strong sense of justice and are known for their protective nature and unwavering loyalty to their loved ones.
Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, born in the Year of the Dog, have achieved fame and success in their respective fields, making them shining examples of this zodiac sign!
2004 Trivia
In 2018, the treadmill celebrated its 200-year anniversary. Originally, it was designed as a torture device.
It was designed and implemented in British prisons as a way to break the wills of idle prisoners.
It essentially looked more like a wheel you might keep in a hamster cage, and had the added benefit that the forty or so prisoners it held would power various mechanical devices like mills or water pumps!
