59 Fun Facts: The Year of the Maya Prophecy & The London Games Edition

Introduction & Context: 2012 was a year defined by “the end of the world” that never happened and a digital revolution that truly arrived. While the world joked about the Mayan Calendar’s expiration, humanity was busy celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and witnessing the absolute peak of the London Olympics. It was the year pop culture went truly global thanks to “Gangnam Style,” and science pushed boundaries with the discovery of the “God Particle.” From the landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars to the reelection of Barack Obama, 2012 felt like the moment the modern, hyper-connected era we live in today finally locked into place.

Top 10 Iconic Moments (USA Focus)

1. The Reelection of Barack Obama: In November, Obama defeats Mitt Romney, securing a second term and posting the most “liked” tweet in history at the time: “Four more years.”
2. The London Summer Olympics: Team USA dominates the medal count, led by Michael Phelps (who became the most decorated Olympian ever) and the “Fierce Five” gymnastics team.
3. The Landing of Curiosity on Mars: In August, NASA’s rover touches down in Gale Crater, beginning a groundbreaking mission to find signs of life on the Red Planet.
4. The Discovery of the Higgs Boson: Scientists at CERN announce the discovery of the “God Particle,” a massive milestone in understanding the fabric of the universe.
5. Superstorm Sandy: In October, the massive “Frankenstorm” hits the East Coast, flooding NYC subways and leaving millions without power, sparking intense debates on climate change.
6. The Sandy Hook Tragedy: A devastating school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in December leaves the nation in mourning and reignites a fierce national debate over gun control.
7. The “End of the World” Craze: As December 21 approaches, pop culture obsesses over the Mayan Long Count calendar, leading to “apocalypse parties” across the country.
8. The Felix Baumgartner Space Jump: Sponsored by Red Bull, the Austrian skydiver breaks the sound barrier in a freefall from the edge of space, watched live by millions on YouTube.
9. The Rise of Tesla: The Tesla Model S is released this year, proving that electric cars can be high-performance luxury vehicles and changing the auto industry forever.
10. The Trayvon Martin Case: The shooting of an unarmed teenager in Florida sparks a national conversation about racial profiling and leads to the birth of the #BlackLives Matter movement.

Full 2012 Observational List (USA Life & Style)

11. Technology: Facebook officially goes public with its IPO and crosses the milestone of 1 billion active users.
12. Music: PSY’s “Gangnam Style” becomes the first YouTube video to hit 1 billion views, sparking a global dance craze.
13. Cinema: The Avengers unites the Marvel universe on screen, becoming the first Marvel movie to cross $1 billion and cementing the “MCU” era.
14. Sports: The Miami Heat win the NBA Championship, giving LeBron James his first-ever ring.
15. Pop Culture: The “Hunger Games” film franchise premieres, making Jennifer Lawrence a global superstar and launching a wave of dystopian YA adaptations.
16. Internet: “Grumpy Cat” becomes a viral sensation, becoming the face of internet cynicism for years to come.
17. Fashion: Neon colors and “galaxy print” leggings become the defining (and slightly regrettable) trends of the year.
18. Gaming: Candy Crush Saga is released on mobile, turning everyone’s smartphone into a digital addiction.
19. Automotive: The Toyota Camry remains the best-selling car in America, but compact SUVs like the Honda CR-V begin their market takeover.
20. Movies: The Dark Knight Rises concludes Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, becoming one of the most anticipated cinematic events of the decade.
21. Technology: Instagram is acquired by Facebook for $1 billion, despite having only 13 employees at the time.
22. Literature: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is released, sparking a massive “unreliable narrator” trend in thriller novels.
23. Music: Taylor Swift releases Red, shifting her sound toward pop and giving us “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
24. Gaming: Minecraft launches on Xbox 360, bringing the building phenomenon to living room consoles across America.
25. TV: Girls premieres on HBO, sparking endless think-pieces about Millennials and life in NYC.
26. Sports: The San Francisco Giants sweep the Detroit Tigers to win their second World Series title in three years.
27. Culture: “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) becomes the catchphrase of the year thanks to Drake’s song “The Motto.”
28. Science: James Cameron reaches the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the ocean, in a solo submarine.
29. Business: Disney acquires Lucasfilm for $4 billion, announcing a new era of Star Wars movies.
30. Movies: Skyfall becomes the highest-grossing James Bond film of all time, celebrating 50 years of 007.
31. Gaming: Journey is released on PlayStation 3, proving that video games can be profound, wordless works of art.
32. Music: Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” becomes the inescapable “breakup song” that everyone knows by heart.
33. Lifestyle: The “Paleo Diet” (eating like a caveman) explodes in popularity across US gyms and CrossFit boxes.
34. Technology: The iPad Mini is introduced, as Apple responds to the demand for smaller, more portable tablets.
35. Sports: The NHL lockout cancels nearly half of the 2012-2013 season, leaving hockey fans devastated for months.
36. Politics: The “Binders full of women” comment by Mitt Romney during a debate becomes the first major political meme of the election cycle.
37. Law: Washington and Colorado become the first US states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
38. Music: Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” becomes the song of the summer, spawning thousands of parody videos.
39. Cinema: Pitch Perfect brings a cappella music into the mainstream, making Anna Kendrick a household name.
40. Tech: The Raspberry Pi is launched, a $35 computer designed to promote basic computer science in schools.
41. Fashion: Peplum tops and dresses (with a flared ruffle at the waist) dominate the racks at every mall in America.
42. TV: Breaking Bad airs its “mid-season finale” of the final season, leaving fans in total suspense over the fate of Walter White.
43. Music: Whitney Houston passes away in February, leading to a powerful tribute at the Grammy Awards.
44. Business: Hostess, the maker of Twinkies, announces it is going out of business (temporarily), causing a nationwide “Twinkie hoarding” panic.
45. Lifestyle: The “Pinterest Wedding” becomes a thing, as brides-to-be obsessively pin rustic decor and mason jars.
46. Books: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is released, making a whole generation of teenagers (and adults) cry.
47. Sports: Bubba Watson wins The Masters in a dramatic playoff, featuring an incredible “hook shot” from the trees.
48. Music: Fun.’s “We Are Young” becomes an anthem for the year, blending indie-pop with a theatrical flair.
49. TV: Modern Family wins its third consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.
50. Movies: Magic Mike becomes a surprise hit, proving there is a massive market for male-led dance dramedies.
51. Environment: A record-breaking heatwave hits the US in July, making it the hottest month in American history at that point.
52. Celebrity: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes announce their divorce (“TomKat” ends), shocking the tabloid world.
53. Music: Mumford & Sons lead a “folk-rock” revival, making vests, banjos, and stomping beats trendy again.
54. Health: The “Pink Slime” controversy hits the beef industry, leading to major changes in how processed meat is labeled.
55. Tech: Nintendo releases the Wii U, the first console of the “eighth generation,” featuring a tablet-like controller.
56. Gaming: The Walking Dead by Telltale Games wins numerous Game of the Year awards for its emotional storytelling.
57. Movies: Life of Pi pushes the boundaries of 3D technology and visual effects.
58. Society: The “Fifty Shades of Grey” book trilogy sells over 100 million copies, becoming a cultural phenomenon in US suburbs.
59. Legacy: The year ends with the “Fiscal Cliff” negotiations, a tense political standoff that set the stage for years of budget battles in D.C.

Fun Fact from the World (Outside USA)

The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June celebrated her 60th year on the throne with a massive 1,000-boat flotilla on the River Thames—the largest such parade in 350 years.