Looking Back at 2021: the Breakthroughs, Highlights, and Discoveries
As 2021 comes to an end, we look back at this past year with wonder. It was indeed a crazy year that saw many breakthroughs, highlights, and discoveries happen in the name of science.
Let's begin by exploring some global firsts. Who could forget when the Ever Given container ship blocked the Suez Canal for an unprecedented six days resulting in $9.6 billion worth of cargo blockage per day?
New virtual worlds emerged such as the Omniverse and Metaverse. The first is a real-time simulation and collaboration platform that will be of particular use in building the second, a digital reality where people can work, have fun, and socialize.
An electric vehicle was unveiled featuring Michelin's revolutionary air tires, and an uncrewed ocean drone captured video footage from inside a category 4 hurricane. The Korean Institute of Fusion Energy set a record by running their artificial sun at 180 million °F (100 million °C) and China emerged as the world’s richest nation.
What else happened in 2021? What other firsts occurred? What were some of the low points? How did the world continue to grapple with COVID-19? We explore 2021 in detail, bringing you everything you need to know about what happened during the year we're leaving behind.