2022 was chock-full of crazy events and news headlines around the world. As the year comes to a close, here are some of the most significant events that occurred in the last 11 months.

January: US Covid-19 cases reach 1 million.

Despite the Covid-19 Pandemic hysteria somewhat calming this year, the numbers continue to rise. After a busy holiday season full of traveling, NBC news recorded over a million new Covid cases in the United States on January 3, 2022.

February: Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl.

The 2022 NFL season came to a close with the Super Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-21.

March: Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars.

After a joke regarding actor Will Smith’s wife, Jada Smith, comedian Chris Rock received a blow from Will Smith onstage, resulting in viral attention and Will Smith’s 10-year ban from the Oscars.

April: John C. Depp, II v. Amber Laura Heard defamation trial begins.

The viral trial between formerly married actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard officially began on April 11, 2022, and lasted until June 1, resulting in Heard’s liability in all three matters of defamation raised and Depp’s award of $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.

May: US Federal Reserve raises interest rate.

The interest rate hike on May 4, 2022, was the first raise since 2018 and the largest spike since 1982. The soaring prices were primarily due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

June: Golden State Warriors win the NBA Finals.

The NBA finals between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors resulted in a 103-90 victory for the latter in Game 6. Steph Curry of the Warriors was named NBA Finals MVP for the first time in his career.

July: James Webb Space Telescope captures its first interstellar images.

Seven months after its launch in December, NASA released the first 5 images of the James Webb telescope to the public. These images far surpassed NASA’s expectations and provided valuable information regarding the early universe, the birth and death of stars, collisions of galaxies, and the atmospheres of distant exoplanets.

August: Russian invasion of Ukraine reaches high tension.

The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia reached high tensions due to the seizing of the Zaporizhzhia plant in southeastern Ukraine, the first operating civil nuclear power plant to come under armed attack. Despite fighting of forces within the six-unit plant, no release of radioactive material occurred.

September: Queen Elizabeth II dies.

At 3:10 pm UK time on September 8, former Queen of England Elizabeth II died of old age at Balmoral Castle in Ballater, Scotland.

October: Elon Musk Purchases Twitter for $44 Billion.

After months of lawsuits, billionaire Elon Musk bought the social media platform Twitter, thrusting it into a new era. Some early changes Musk made to the platform were enforcement of absolute free speech & “reversing the permanent ban” of Donald Trump.

November: Joe Biden becomes the first 80 year old president of the United States.

On November 20, 2022, Joe Biden became the first octogenarian in the Oval Office. Biden had surpassed the record for oldest president sworn into office at 78 years 61 days old, previously held by Donald Trump at 70 years 220 days old.