61 Fun Facts: The 2019 Year of the Egg & The Endgame Edition

Introduction & Context: 2019 was a year of epic conclusions and viral absurdities. It was the year a simple photo of an egg broke the internet, and the decade-long journey of the Avengers reached its emotional “Endgame.” While the world marveled at the first-ever image of a black hole, millions of people joked about “storming” Area 51. From the rise of “Old Town Road” to the launch of Disney+, 2019 felt like a grand finale for the 2010s—a final burst of high-energy pop culture and technological leaps before the world changed forever.

Top 10 Iconic Moments (USA Focus)

1. Avengers: Endgame: In April, Marvel’s 22-film saga culminates in a massive cinematic event, briefly becoming the highest-grossing film of all time.
2. The World Record Egg: In January, a photo of a single brown egg becomes the most-liked post on Instagram, surpassing Kylie Jenner just to prove it could.
3. The First Black Hole Image: Scientists reveal the first-ever photograph of a black hole (in the M87 galaxy), a historic milestone for astrophysics.
4. The Rise of “Old Town Road”: Lil Nas X blends country and trap, staying at #1 for a record-breaking 19 weeks and redefining how hits are made on TikTok.
5. The Launch of Disney+: Disney enters the streaming wars in November, gaining 10 million subscribers in its first day and introducing Baby Yoda to the world.
6. The “Storm Area 51” Event: What started as a joke Facebook event—”They Can’t Stop All of Us”—leads to millions of RSVPs and a small, peaceful festival in the Nevada desert.
7. The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich War: In August, a single tweet from Popeyes ignites a national frenzy for their new sandwich, leading to sell-outs and long lines.
8. The Impeachment of Donald Trump: In December, the House of Representatives votes to impeach President Trump, making him the third president in US history to face a Senate trial.
9. The Death of Nipsey Hussle: The rapper and community activist is tragically killed in LA, sparking a massive conversation about hip-hop’s role in neighborhood empowerment.
10. The Climate Strike: Inspired by Greta Thunberg, millions of people (led by youth) take to the streets across the US and the world to demand action on climate change.

Full 2019 Observational List (USA Life & Style)

11. Technology: The first foldable smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, are released to a mix of wonder and technical glitches.
12. Music: Billie Eilish sweeps the charts with When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, bringing “dark-pop” to the mainstream.
13. Cinema: Joker becomes the first R-rated movie to gross $1 billion, leading to endless debates about its social impact.
14. Sports: The US Women’s National Team wins the FIFA World Cup again, led by Megan Rapinoe’s iconic “arms wide” pose.
15. Pop Culture: “Baby Yoda” (The Child) from The Mandalorian becomes the biggest viral sensation of the year.
16. Internet: TikTok officially becomes the most downloaded app in the US, cementing its place as the center of youth culture.
17. Fashion: “VSCO Girls” (scrunchies, Hydro Flasks, and oversized tees) become the most talked-about aesthetic subculture.
18. Gaming: Apex Legends surprise-launches and gains 50 million players in its first month, challenging Fortnite’s dominance.
19. Automotive: The Tesla Cybertruck is unveiled, featuring a polarizing “low-poly” design and an accidental window-breaking demonstration.
20. Movies: Parasite premieres at film festivals, beginning its journey to becoming the first non-English film to win Best Picture.
21. Technology: Apple releases the iPhone 11 Pro, featuring a distinctive “triple-camera” setup that sparks “fidget spinner” memes.
22. Literature: Margaret Atwood releases The Testaments, the long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.
23. Music: Lizzo reaches superstar status as “Truth Hurts” (originally released in 2017) finally hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
24. Gaming: Untitled Goose Game lets everyone live out their dreams of being a “horrible goose,” becoming a viral meme hit.
25. TV: Game of Thrones concludes its final season, leaving millions of fans debating the ending for months.
26. Sports: The Toronto Raptors defeat the Golden State Warriors to win their first NBA Championship.
27. Culture: “OK Boomer” becomes the go-to retort for Gen Z and Millennials against older generations.
28. Science: NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir complete the first-ever all-female spacewalk.
29. Business: WeWork’s failed IPO leads to a massive collapse in the company’s valuation and the exit of its CEO.
30. Movies: The Lion King “live-action” remake hits $1.6 billion, despite debates over its hyper-realistic animation.
31. Gaming: Death Stranding is released, with Hideo Kojima creating a “walking simulator” about a futuristic delivery man.
32. Music: Taylor Swift begins the process of re-recording her first six albums after a public battle over her masters.
33. Lifestyle: “Hard Seltzer” (especially White Claw) becomes the drink of the summer, with the phrase “Ain’t no laws when you’re drinking Claws.”
34. Technology: The “FaceApp” aging filter goes viral, as everyone uses AI to see what they’ll look like in 40 years.
35. Sports: Tiger Woods completes one of the greatest comebacks in sports history by winning the 2019 Masters.
36. Politics: The Mueller Report is released, providing a detailed look at the 2016 election interference investigation.
37. Law: New York City officially bans the sale of foie gras, starting in 2022, citing animal cruelty.
38. Music: Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding proves he is one of the biggest hit-makers of the decade.
39. Cinema: Knives Out revitalizes the “whodunnit” genre and makes Chris Evans’ cable-knit sweater a fashion icon.
40. Tech: Google claims to have achieved “quantum supremacy” with a processor that solved a calculation in 200 seconds.
41. Fashion: “Tie-dye” makes a massive comeback as a mainstream fashion trend for all ages.
42. TV: Chernobyl on HBO becomes one of the highest-rated miniseries ever, sparking a spike in tourism to the exclusion zone.
43. Music: Ariana Grande releases thank u, next and 7 rings, dominating the top three spots on the Hot 100 simultaneously.
44. Business: Beyond Meat goes public, with its stock soaring as plant-based “meat” hits mainstream fast-food menus.
45. Lifestyle: Marie Kondo’s Netflix show inspires millions of Americans to declutter their homes and “spark joy.”
46. Books: Where the Crawdads Sing continues its multi-year run as a massive book club favorite.
47. Sports: The St. Louis Blues win their first-ever Stanley Cup, fueled by the song “Gloria.”
48. Music: The Jonas Brothers reunite after six years with “Sucker,” which debuts at #1.
49. TV: Fleabag Season 2 wins big at the Emmys, making Phoebe Waller-Bridge a household name.
50. Movies: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood brings Tarantino’s version of 1969 LA to the big screen.
51. Environment: Record-breaking fires in the Amazon rainforest spark global concern and #PrayForAmazonia trends.
52. Celebrity: Jennifer Aniston joins Instagram and breaks the app, gaining 1 million followers in just 5 hours.
53. Music: K-pop group BTS becomes the first group since The Beatles to earn three #1 albums in less than a year.
54. Health: “Vaping-related lung injuries” (EVALI) become a major health headline, leading to bans on flavored e-cigarettes.
55. Tech: Facebook announces “Libra” (later Diem), its ambitious but troubled plan for a global cryptocurrency.
56. Gaming: Ring Fit Adventure turns the Nintendo Switch into a fitness machine during the fall season.
57. Movies: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concludes the Skywalker Saga, receiving mixed reactions from the fanbase.
58. Society: The “Woman Yelling at a Cat” meme becomes the most versatile and beloved image format of the year.
59. Legacy: “They” is named Word of the Year by Merriam-Webster, reflecting its growing use as a non-binary pronoun.
60. Social Media: Instagram begins testing the removal of “Like” counts to reduce social pressure on the platform.
61. Space: The first “commercial crew” test flight (SpaceX Crew Dragon) successfully docks with the ISS.

Fun Fact from the World (Outside USA)

In 2019, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris suffered a devastating fire; however, firefighters and citizens managed to save the main structure and many priceless relics.