61 Fun Facts: The 2018 Year of the Floss Dance & The Royal Wedding 2.0 Edition

Introduction & Context: 2018 was a year where the digital and physical worlds danced together—literally. It was the year Fortnite and the “Floss” dance took over every playground in America, while the world tuned in for another grand Royal Wedding, this time for Harry and Meghan. While scientists celebrated the discovery of a massive lake on Mars, pop culture was defined by the “Yanny vs. Laurel” debate and the groundbreaking success of Black Panther. From the dramatic rescue of a Thai soccer team to the rise of TikTok’s global dominance, 2018 was a high-stakes year of emotional highs, viral trends, and cultural milestones.

Top 10 Iconic Moments (USA Focus)

1. The Royal Wedding of Harry & Meghan: In May, American actress Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry, bringing a touch of Hollywood to Windsor Castle.
2. The “Black Panther” Phenomenon: Marvel’s masterpiece becomes a cultural landmark, breaking box office records and sparking a global conversation on representation.
3. The Thai Cave Rescue: The world watches breathlessly in July as all 12 boys and their coach are miraculously rescued from a flooded cave by an international team.
4. The Fortnite Fever: The game reaches 200 million players, making the “Floss” and “Orange Justice” dances unavoidable in everyday life.
5. The Rise of TikTok: ByteDance merges Musical.ly into TikTok, creating the short-form video giant that would soon dominate the social media landscape.
6. The Midterm Elections: A “Blue Wave” sees Democrats retake the House of Representatives, featuring a record number of women elected to Congress.
7. The Death of Aretha Franklin: The “Queen of Soul” passes away in August, leading to a week of musical tributes and a legendary funeral service.
8. The “Yanny vs. Laurel” Debate: A short audio clip divides the internet as people hear two completely different names, echoing “The Dress” from 2015.
9. The Parkland Shooting & March for Our Lives: A tragic school shooting in Florida sparks a massive youth-led movement demanding stricter gun control laws.
10. The Death of Stephen Hawking: The world-renowned physicist passes away at 76, leaving behind a legacy that changed our understanding of the universe.

Full 2018 Observational List (USA Life & Style)

11. Technology: Apple becomes the first US public company to reach a $1 trillion market value.
12. Music: Drake’s “In My Feelings” sparks the “Kiki Challenge,” with people jumping out of moving cars to dance.
13. Cinema: Avengers: Infinity War shocks audiences with an ending that sees half the universe turn to dust.
14. Sports: The Philadelphia Eagles defeat the New England Patriots to win their first-ever Super Bowl (LII).
15. Pop Culture: The “Tide Pod Challenge” reaches a dangerous peak, forcing the government and celebrities to issue urgent warnings.
16. Internet: “Baby Shark” enters the Billboard Hot 100, beginning its reign as the ultimate earworm for parents everywhere.
17. Fashion: “Bike shorts” worn with oversized blazers and chunky “ugly” sneakers become the top street-style trends.
18. Gaming: Red Dead Redemption 2 launches, featuring a level of detail and realism that sets a new bar for open-world games.
19. Automotive: Elon Musk launches his personal Tesla Roadster into space on the Falcon Heavy rocket, playing Bowie on loop.
20. Movies: A Star Is Born makes everyone cry and convinces the world that Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are the ultimate duo.
21. Technology: Google celebrates its 20th anniversary, having evolved from a search engine to an inescapable part of life.
22. Literature: Becoming by Michelle Obama is released, quickly becoming the best-selling book of the year in the US.
23. Music: Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” debuts at #1, with a powerful music video that sparks endless analysis.
24. Gaming: Spider-Man for PS4 becomes a massive hit, allowing players to swing through a perfectly recreated NYC.
25. TV: Roseanne is revived and then abruptly canceled following a controversial tweet by its star, leading to the spin-off The Conners.
26. Sports: LeBron James signs with the Los Angeles Lakers, moving his “talents” to the West Coast.
27. Culture: The “IHOb” marketing stunt (International House of Burgers) briefly confuses the nation before reverting to IHOP.
28. Science: NASA’s InSight lander touches down on Mars to study the planet’s deep interior.
29. Business: Toys “R” Us closes its final US stores, marking a somber end for the iconic toy retailer.
30. Movies: Crazy Rich Asians becomes the first major Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast in 25 years, topping the box office.
31. Gaming: The “Bowsette” meme takes over the internet, showing the power of fan-created content in the Nintendo fandom.
32. Music: Ariana Grande releases “thank u, next,” turning her personal life into a chart-topping anthem of self-love.
33. Lifestyle: The “Keto Diet” becomes the most-searched diet on Google as Americans swap carbs for fats.
34. Technology: Screen Time tools are introduced by Apple and Google to help people manage their growing smartphone addiction.
35. Sports: Chloe Kim becomes the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal at the Pyeongchang Winter Games.
36. Politics: The confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court polarize the nation.
37. Law: The European Union implements GDPR, changing how the entire world handles data privacy online.
38. Music: Cardi B releases Invasion of Privacy, cementing her status as the new queen of hip-hop.
39. Cinema: A Quiet Place turns silence into a terrifying theatrical experience and a massive hit.
40. Tech: The “Smart Home” war heats up as Amazon and Google release smaller, cheaper versions of their smart speakers.
41. Fashion: Tiny sunglasses (90s style) become the must-have accessory for celebrities and influencers.
42. TV: Queer Eye is rebooted on Netflix, introducing the “Fab Five” and making “French tuck” a household term.
43. Music: Post Malone’s “Beerbongs & Bentleys” breaks streaming records, blending rock, trap, and pop.
44. Business: Sears files for bankruptcy, another victim of the “retail apocalypse” and the rise of Amazon.
45. Lifestyle: “ASMR” videos move from a niche subculture to a mainstream sleep and relaxation aid.
46. Books: Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward sells 750,000 copies in its first day.
47. Sports: The Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup, led by Alex Ovechkin’s legendary celebration tour.
48. Music: Travis Scott releases ASTROWORLD, accompanied by a massive festival and a renewed hype for “psychedelic rap.”
49. TV: Succession premieres on HBO, slowly beginning its climb to becoming the most talked-about drama on TV.
50. Movies: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse changes the face of animation and wins an Oscar.
51. Environment: The “Camp Fire” in California becomes the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history.
52. Celebrity: Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin get married in a secret courthouse ceremony.
53. Music: Mac Miller’s tragic passing leads to a massive resurgence of his final album, Swimming.
54. Health: “Juul” becomes a household name as the FDA declares teenage vaping an “epidemic.”
55. Tech: Fortnite’s “Marshmello” concert becomes the first major live music event inside a video game.
56. Gaming: Among Us is released; though it wouldn’t go viral until 2020, it begins its quiet journey on mobile.
57. Movies: Bird Box becomes a Netflix sensation, leading to the “Bird Box Challenge” where people did tasks blindfolded.
58. Society: The “Surprised Pikachu” meme becomes the go-to reaction for obvious outcomes.
59. Legacy: “Toxic” is named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries.
60. Social Media: Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger resign from Facebook due to tensions with Mark Zuckerberg.
61. Space: Scientists discover a 12-mile wide liquid water lake beneath the southern ice cap of Mars.

Fun Fact from the World (Outside USA)

In 2018, Saudi Arabia officially lifted the world’s only ban on women drivers, a historic move for women’s rights in the kingdom.