By AJ Willingham, CNN – Whether you've arrived at the finish line fresh and invigorated for another trip around the sun, or are so exhausted you may wheeze out your actual soul, 2017 is DONE.
Luckily, there are all kinds of cool and important things to look forward to in 2018 to mitigate all of the things you'll inevitably come to loathe and dread as the year progresses.
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So next time someone says, "Do we really have to go on living for another whole YEAR?" comfort them by mentioning these existence-friendly events, innovations and observances.
1. The Winter Olympics
Once every four years, the global powers of the world band together in an ongoing diplomatic effort to decide what, exactly, curling is and how it ever became a thing people did. 2018's festivities will take over the city of PyeongChang, South Korea, for two weeks in February. One extremely chill story to look out for: The women's Nigerian (!) bobsled (!!) team will compete, marking the first-ever time (!!!) the African nation is represented at the Winter Games. GET THEM A MOVIE NOW.
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2017 is coming to an end, but here 18 things to look forward to in the new year.Several new films will hit movie theaters in 2018 including: "Black Panther," "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom."In TV: Long-running TV show "American Idol" returns in March, the last season of "Veep" and another season of "A Handmaid's Tale" will keep people entertained.Disney's "Frozen" will move to Broadway in March for a musical.2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. 2018 also makes the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.In May, Blue Marble Private will offer dive trips of the Titanic wreck site. The trip will set you back about $105,129 per person.The first commercial flights to Antarctica are coming. Tourists will be dropped off at an Argentinian base on Seymour Island.Moon travel: Silicon Valley company Moon Express says it'll land on the moon. It would be the first private company to land on the moon.Bitcoin price surged in 2017, some investors believe the cryptocurrency will continue to hit records highs in 2018.2017 set the the record for the number of stores closing. Will 2018 see the trend continue?Esports, or competitive video gaming, will debut at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta.U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis will host Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4.The 2018 Winter Olympics start Feb. 9, and run through Feb. 25, in Pyeongchang, South Korea.Prince William and Duchess Catherine are expecting their third child in April.A Royal Wedding as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will get married on May 19.Women will be allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia starting June 24.The FIFA World Cup takes place from June 14 through July 15 in Russia.NASA will launch the Parker Solar Probe in the summer of 2018. According to NASA, it will be the first-ever mission to "touch" the sun.The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 6. All 435 seats in the U.S. House and 33 seats in the U.S. Senate will be up for grabs.
2017 is coming to an end, but here 18 things to look forward to in the new year.
2. A royal wedding
Prince Harry and literal American dream Meghan Markle will get hitched in May. Reports are, it will be an intimate, casual ceremony at a rustic little chapel in Windsor Castle. Just your typical pastoral burlap-and-mason jar fête, you know. For Americans, it's a fantastic excuse to wear a funny hat and drink alcohol before noon. As is tradition, the Brits will pretend not to care, but the sudden boom in royal wedding-themed collectible plates and caganers will prove otherwise.
3. Really, really good movies
If you want to make the most of 2018, you should probably just glue yourself to a movie theater seat. "Black Panther" comes for your soul in February, and anything it leaves behind will surely be snatched up by "Avengers: Infinity War" in May. Elsewhere, "A Wrinkle in Time" drops in March, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" comes out in June and -- this is the one you've all been waiting for -- the awkward conclusion of the deeply unsexy "Fifty Shades" oeuvre will grace theaters in February, just months before it's scheduled to show up in one of our 3 a.m. self-loathing Netflix binges.
4. The "Frozen" musical
"Frozen" hype is an infinitely renewable resource, and next year the feature-length earworm will come TO BROADWAYYY! While this is very exciting and cool, please remember to be safe. Seek immediate medical help for a "Let It Go" singalong lasting more than four hours.
5. The World Cup
Just because we're not GOING doesn't mean we can't have a GOOD TIME, okay? This is like the royal wedding of soccer. We are not invited, it has nothing to do with us, but we'll still wear silly hats and cheer like the loud, spectacle-loving people we are. Mark your calendars and choose your teams, America. June and July belong to the World (minus us) Cup.
6. Regular people going to the moon
In 2018, Silicon Valley startup Moon Express (slogan: "The Moon is Me") says it'll "definitely" land a craft on the moon, paving the way for a generation of rich space casuals to populate it like it's the latest trendy New York City borough. If Moon Mission is successful, it would be the first private company to land a craft on the moon. The company's final goal? To get folks on the moon and mine it for natural resources.
If this sounds like literal reach-for-the-moon talk, take this quote from Moon Express' Chairman, Naveen Jain, as a chaser:
"We are really looking good and we are still hoping to launch the lander next year," Jain told CNBC in November. "And when we launch and land on the moon, not only (do) we become the first company to do so, we actually symbolically become the fourth superpower."
Haha, weird!
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There was no shortage of headline-making news in 2017. From hurricanes to mass murders to politics, the news came both fast and furious. Let's take a look at some of 2017's top news stories.No description foundAn Army veteran who said the government was controlling his mind opened fire in the baggage claim area at the Fort Lauderdale airport, killing five and wounding eight.Donald John Trump takes the oath of office as the 45th President of the United States.The Women's March on Washington draws millions of protesters who were joined by rallies in more than 30 countries in defense of women's and human rights following Trump's inauguration.White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer lies to the media in his first official press briefing, saying "This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe." White House counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway later claims Spicer presented "alternative facts."Trump withdraws the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.Trump incorrectly claims 3 million to 5 million illegal votes cost him the popular vote, then announces a commission to investigate alleged voter fraud.Trump signs an order to suspend admission of all refugees for 120 days while a new system is developed that tightens vetting for those from predominantly Muslim countries. Thousands rally nationwide. Trump then fires acting Attorney General Sally Yates after she ordered the Department of Justice not to enforce the ban due to doubts over its legality. The ban was blocked by the federal court, then revamped twice by the administration before being allowed to take effect late in the year.No description foundQuarterback Tom Brady orchestrates the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history by digging the New England Patriots out of a 25-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-28.National Security Adviser Michael Flynn quits his job after 24 days after admitting he gave an inaccurate account of potentially illegal conversations he had with Russia's ambassador.The Senate confirms Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education by a vote of 5150, with Mike Pence becoming the first vice president since 1945 to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm a Cabinet member.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, is killed in Malaysia with VX nerve agent by two women -- Doan Thi Huong, left and Siti Aisyah -- who said they thought they were playing a prank for a hidden-camera television show.Trump removes protection for transgender students who want to use school bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.Trump tweets about "dishonest media," calls a wide range of mainstream news organizations "the enemy of the American people," then for a time bans the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the BBC, CNN, and several other outlets from White House press briefings.Astronomers find a solar system 39 light years away that contains seven warm, rocky, Earthlike planets -- the first time astronomers have detected so many terrestrial planets orbiting a single star.In an Oscar-night slipup, "La La Land" was first announced winner of the Best Picture award, then halfway through their acceptance speech, producers were told the actual winner was "Moonlight."No description foundAttorney General Jeff Sessions recuses himself from investigations related to Russian interference in 2016 presidential campaign after it was found he twice met with Russia's ambassador during the campaign and did not disclose the meetings during his confirmation hearing.Trump accuses President Barack Obama of tapping his phone during the 2016 campaign. The claim was later found to be baseless.WikiLeaks posts thousands of files revealing the CIA's computer hacking arsenal, including how the agency converts cellphones, televisions and other devices into implements of espionage.House and Senate Republicans suffer their first defeat in attempts to dismantle Obama's signature health care law. The GOP would continue to address this issue for months to come.A man drives a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, then stabs a police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament. Five people were killed, including the assailant, and 40 others were injured.No description foundA bomb blast on a subway train in St. Petersburg, Russia kills 11 and wounds about 40.The Senate approves Neil Gorsuch's appointment to the Supreme Court, succeeding Justice Antonin Scalia. Obama's pick for the same position, Merrick Garland, never received a hearing from the Republican-controlled Senate.More than 80, including at least 30 children and 20 women, are killed in a chemical attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun. The U.S. launches missile strikes in retaliation.The U.S. drops a 22,000-pound bomb on Afghanistan, the biggest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed.United Airlines forcibly evicts a paying customer from his seat on an overbooked plane in Chicago. Dr. David Dao suffered a broken nose, a concussion and lost teeth.Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez hangs himself in prison where he was serving a life sentence for murder.Fox News fires Bill O'Reilly following reports he and Fox News paid $13 million in settlements against women who have accused him of sexual harassment or abusive behavior.No description foundTrump fires FBI Director James Comey during an investigation into whether Trump's campaign had ties to Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. election.A suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, leaves 22 dead and dozens injured, many of them children.Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appoints former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special prosecutor for an investigation into Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. election.Trump tweets about "negative press covfefe."No description foundTrump announces he is withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate accord. After fellow holdouts Syria and Nicaragua sign the accord, the U.S. is the only nation not to sign.Attackers kill six and injure more than 30 in a series of vehicle and knife attacks in London before police shoot them dead. First, a van barreled into pedestrians on London Bridge. Three men armed with knives then attacked people in nearby Borough Market.At least 70 are killed and 70 injured in a fire at the 24-story residential Grenfell Tower in London.A man opens fire on Republican congressmen practicing baseball in Virginia. Rep. Steve Scalise, a congressional staffer, a lobbyist and a member of the Capitol police force were shot.A Japanese container ship collides with a Navy destroyer, the USS Fitzgerald, off Japan's coast, killing seven of the destroyer's crew. In August, another destroyer, the USS McCain, collides with a merchant ship off Singapore, killing 10 crewmembers.A jury deadlocks on charges that comedian and actor Bill Cosby drugged and molested a woman more than a decade ago.White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer abruptly resigns after Trump hires Anthony Scaramucci to lead the White House communications team. Scaramucci was fired 10 days later.No description foundAt least nine die in a tractor-trailer parked outside a Walmart in San Antonio, Texas. Authorities call it an immigrant smuggling attempt gone wrong.The British parents of infant Charlie Gard withdrew their court fight seeking permission to take the child to the United States for experimental medical treatment for his rare genetic condition. The battle pitted parental rights against doctor's advice.No description foundTrump vows to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea if it continues to develop nuclear weapons and delivery rockets.Venezuela's ruling party installs a super assembly that immediately selects a loyal follower of President Nicolas Maduro as its head. Huge anti-government demonstrations ensue.Neo-Nazis, alt-Right, and white supremacists hold a "Unite the Right" rally to protest plans by Charlottesville to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, during which a car rammed into a crowd of anti-Nazi protesters, killing a woman. Trump later insists there were "two sides to the story."For the first time, drug-overdose deaths exceed the number of people dying in car crashes or from gunshots in the U.S. The rise is blamed on opioid addiction.The first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years zooms across the country.Amazon buys grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.7 billion. They immediately lower prices.In central and south Texas, an area the size of Michigan is flooded by Hurricane Harvey. The damage could exceed $100 billion.The 400-mile-wide Hurricane Irma pummels Florida from the Keys and up the Atlantic coast with winds up to 130 mph.No description foundHurricane Maria decimates Puerto Rico, destroying the island's infrastructure and forcing the government to rebuild dozens of communities.More than 225 die in Mexico's deadliest earthquake in decades.Trump announces plans to end deportation protection for 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.Six NFL players protest racial discrimination by kneeling during the national anthem. After Trump criticizes the players in a series of tweets, more than 200 NFL players sit, kneel or raise their fists in protest the following week.No description foundCatalonia votes in favor of declaring independence from Spain. The Spanish government responds by dissolving the Catalonia Parliament and ordering an election.A man opens fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel onto a crowd of 22,000 music fans in Las Vegas, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500. The gunman had stockpiled 23 guns, a dozen of them modified to fire continuously like an automatic weapon. It is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.More than 75 women accuse movie producer Harvey Weinstein of behavior ranging from intimidating sexual advances to rape. The move sparks women to come forward to tell of sexual abuse by powerful men in entertainment, business, politics and the news media.Twenty-two of the 42 deaths in California's October fires happened in a Sonoma County wildfire, making it the third-deadliest in California history.No description foundEight are killed and 12 injured when a man drives a truck onto a Manhattan bike path.More than 24 are killed by a gunman during Sunday services in Sutherland Springs, Texas.North Korea claims to have successfully tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, topped with a "super-large heavy warhead" which is capable of striking the US mainland.Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader for nearly four decades, resigns after being sidelined by the military.Former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia's ambassador.No description foundDemocrat Doug Jones is the first Democrat in 20 years to win a Senate seat in Alabama, beating Republican Roy Moore who was backed by Trump despite being accused of sexual misconduct with underaged girls.The International Olympic Committee suspends Russia's Olympic team from competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics over the country's doping scandal.Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota) will resign after seven women came forward and said he groped or tried to forcibly kiss them.The Iraqi military announces that the country has been "fully liberated" from ISIS. Three years earlier, ISIS had controlled 40 percent of the country, according to Iraqi officials.Fires in California have torched more than 250,000 acres, destroyed more than 1,000 homes and displaced more than 100,000 residents.Federal regulators vote to allow Internet providers to speed up service for some apps and websites and block or slow down others, ending Obama-era net neutrality regulations.House and Senate Republicans reach an agreement to lower the corporate tax rate to 21 percent beginning in 2018, a central component of a $1.5 trillion tax plan.
There was no shortage of headline-making news in 2017. From hurricanes to mass murders to politics, the news came both fast and furious. Let's take a look at some of 2017's top news stories.
7. Must-see TV
It'll be a good year to vegetate in front of your television or chosen device if and when reality gets unbearable. Steel yourself for more "Black Mirror" and "A Handmaid's Tale," as well as the last season of "Veep," the return of "Westworld" and [checks giant Mayan calendar] Season 16 of "American Idol."
Some noteworthy new shows to look out for: " Black Lightning," a "Dynasty" reboot and "The Alienist."
8. Petting a headless robot cat and shaming yourself into eating better
Do we live in a world of transcendent progress and innovation, or an increasingly inhuman techno-dystopia? These are the types of questions you can ponder as you stroke your headless, purring therapy cat; one of the many new tech gadgets from Japan that'll make its way into the mainstream next year.
Other innovations include a scanner that can count calories, a robot babysitter that appears to be a highly evolved Roomba and the advent of earprints -- as opposed to fingerprints -- as a security method. Fascinating.
9. A royal baby
As if the British monarchy hasn't entertained us enough lately, Prince William and Duchess Catherine are expecting their third child in April. They've already done this twice, so royal baby fever is well past its half life. Here are some baby name odds for your amusement. We've got $100 on Henrietta or Boris.
10. Tesla's truck stuff
WHERE ARE YOUR STEREOTYPES NOW, AMERICA? A pickup truck and other larger vehicle concepts from the eccentric duke of electric cars have been a long-rumored, oft-ridiculed concept. Even if trucks aren't produced in 2018, we'll get some solid details.
11. Midterm elections
Okay, are you necessarily looking forward to even more political rancor? No, of course not. But the midterm elections will be one of the most talked-about events of the year, not to mention the perfect opportunity for you to exercise your American right and VOTE.
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From Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington to the devastating wildfires in California, 2017 was a year packed with news and memorable images.January 20: President Donald Trump delivers his inauguration address in Washington, DC.January 21: More than 1 million people participate in the Women's March on Washington to show support for women's rights and express their discontent over Trump's election.January 30: Protests break out at airports across the country following President Trump's executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and suspending admission of refugees.February 12: North Korea test-fires a new ballistic missile. More than a dozen tests in 2017 stoked concerns that Pyongyang may be close to developing a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile.March 25: A supporter of President Trump is punched in the face at a pro-Trump rally in Huntington Beach, California.May 3: A demonstrator catches on fire during anti-government protests in Caracas, Venezuela. More than 125 people were killed this year in violent protests aimed at forcing President Nicolas Maduro from office.May 10: President Trump meets in the Oval Office with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States. The president reportedly told the Russians that former FBI Director James Comey was 'a real nut job.'May 17: The Justice Department names Robert S. Mueller III as special counsel to oversee the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as whether President Trump obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey.May 23: Twenty-two people are killed and hundreds injured when a suicide bomber detonated a homemade explosive device at Manchester Arena following a concert by singer Ariana Grande.June 8: One month after being fired by President Trump, former FBI Director James Comey testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the Russia investigation and his private interactions with the president.June 15: A prayer is held before the start of the annual Congressional Baseball Game, one day after a gunman opened fire at a GOP practice, critically wounding Rep. Steve Scalise and injuring several others.July 20: O.J. Simpson is granted parole after serving nine years for his role in a 2007 armed robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas. The former NFL star was released in October.July 21: Anthony Scaramucci answers reporters' questions after he was named new White House communications director. He was fired 10 days later.August 11: White nationalists wielding Tiki torches march through the University of Virginia's Charlottesville campus, chanting "blood and soil" and "you will not replace us." Charlottesville became a battleground over the removal of Confederate monuments around the country.August 12: White nationalist Richard Spencer and his supporters clash with police at a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal, was killed and more than a dozen were injured when a far-right protester drove his car into a group of counterprotestors.August 12: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt injures his left hamstring in his final race, the 4x100 relay at the World Championships in London. Bolt won eight world championships and eight Olympic golds during his career.August 21: Millions of people don special glasses to watch 'The Great American Eclipse,' the first time a total solar eclipse's 'path of totality' was visible in the US from coast to coast.August 26: Floyd Mayweather Jr. lands a right hand against Conor McGregor, a mixed martial artist making his debut as a professional boxer. Mayweather stopped McGregor in the 10th round.August 27: Houston resident Andrew White helps a neighbor down a street flooded by catastrophic rains from Hurricane Harvey. At least 82 people died, tens of thousands were displaced and more than 200,000 structures were damaged.September 15: Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, launched in October 1997, is purposely driven into Saturn's atmosphere, ending its historic mission to study the ringed planet and its moons.September 15: Eleven-year-old Frank Giaccio fulfills his wish to mow the White House lawn. In a letter to President Trump, he wrote, "I would like to show the nation what young people like me are ready for." He waived his usual $8 fee.September 16: Demonstrators confront police in St. Louis after a judge acquitted Jason Stockley, a former police officer who was accused of murder in the death of Anthony Lamar Smith, an unarmed black man.September 19: Rescuers work in the rubble after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Mexico City, killing hundreds of people. including at least 19 children.September 20: A Rohingya refugee boy cries as he climbs on a truck distributing aid in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. More than half a million Rohingya refugees have flooded into Bangladesh to flee an offensive by Myanmar's military that the United Nations has called 'a textbook example of ethnic cleansing'.September 21: Hurricane Maria makes landfall in Puerto Rico, knocking out power to 80 percent of the island and leaving half its 3.4 million residents with no running water. Officially, the storm claimed 58 lives, although the death toll is likely much higher, and parts of the island still have no power or drinkable water.September 24: Days after President Trump harshly criticized NFL players who take a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality, players, coaches and some team owners join together in a show of solidarity. The protests have continued, and so has the president's criticism of them.October 1: At least 58 people are killed and more than 500 injured when Stephen Paddock opens fire from his Las Vegas hotel room on a crowd attending a country music concert on the Las Vegas strip. It is the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.October 8: Protesters gather in Barcelona to support the unity of Spain. Leaders in the autonomous region of Catalonia would vote to declare independence, a move that prompted Spain's central government to dissolve the regional Parliament.OCTOBER 18: U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he refused to discuss his conversations with President Trump about Russian interference in the election or the firing of FBI Director James Comey.October 21: Myeshia Johnson kisses the casket of her husband, US Army Sgt. La David Johnson, at his burial service in Florida. Johnson and three other American soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger on October 4.October 27: Actress Rose McGowan speaks at The Women's Convention in Detroit. McGowan is one of dozens of women who have accused Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of inappropriate behavior, including harassment and sexual assault.October 30: In the first charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller, former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort was indicted on charges of funneling millions of dollars through overseas shell companies. He pleaded not guilty.November 5: Shalane Flanagan becomes the first American since 1977 to win the women's title at the New York City Marathon.November 11: After meeting informally with Vladimir Putin at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam, President Trump said he believes the Russian president's denials about meddling in the US election.November 27: Britain's Prince Harry and his girlfriend, actress Meghan Markle, announce their engagement at Kensington Palace. The couple will exchange vows May 19.December 1: Former national security advisor Michael Flynn pleads guilty to one count of making a false statement to the FBI. Flynn said he would cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.December 5: A half dozen wind-whipped wildfires in Southern California forced the evacuation of thousands of residents in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The largest inferno, the Thomas fire, scorched some 232,000 acres and destroyed 800 structures.December 7: Minnesota Demnocratic Sen. Al Franken announced that he will resign from the Senate following numerous allegations of inappropriate conduct with women.December 12: Democrat Doug Jones defeats GOP candidate Roy Moore in the special election for the Alabama Senate seat. Moore had the backing of President Trump, despite allegations from at least 9 women that Moore had pursued them when they were in their teens and he was in his 30s.
From Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington to the devastating wildfires in California, 2017 was a year packed with news and memorable images.
12. Scalp cooling for chemo patients
You may have heard of this new medical breakthrough before -- basically, it's a cooling cap that's worn before, during and after chemotherapy treatments, and it may reduce the likelihood of hair loss. The FDA approved the system in May 2017, and it's one of the coolest and most highly-anticipated medical breakthroughs of 2018.
13. Maybe a new Game of Thrones book?
We predicted "Winds of Winter," the next book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga, would be released in 2017. It wasn't. And with no new "Game of Thrones" set to bless our HBO logins in 2018, it's going to be a long, content-free winter if George R.R. Martin doesn't get on it and PUBLISH THE DARNED BOOK. George, you cruel master!
If that doesn't happen, we can at least soothe our wounded hearts by re-reading Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," which turns 200 next year.
14. Flights to Antarctica
Prior to 2018, in order to fly to Antarctica you either had to be a paying customer on a chartered flight or an extremely misdirected bird. Starting next year, the first EVER commercial flights will head out from the southernmost part of Argentina, and drop you at an Argentinian base on Seymour Island near the Antarctic peninsula. It's good news for penguins -- with the expected tourist boom, their property values are gonna go way up.
15. A time capsule opening
The Helium Time Columns Monument in Amarillo, Texas, is a neat structure that not only commemorates the discovery of helium, it also serves as an extremely fancy version of a time-honored middle school tradition: The time capsule. When the monument was erected in 1968, a few time capsules were placed inside to be opened at 25, 50, 100 and 1,000 years. So, obviously, in 2018, the 50-year capsule will be opened, and we can all ponder the last half-century of progress with an equal mix of awe and regret.
16. A Titanic diving trip
Most people find the Titanic disaster at least marginally interesting, but if you're one of the special few who're really, REALLY into its history and lore (and you're super rich), this news is for you. Starting in May 2018, super fans will get an opportunity to take diving trips to the wreck site. Sure, the underwater postmortem will set you back more than $100,000, but travel company Blue Marble Private says the price tag is actually equivalent, after inflation, to what first class Titanic passengers paid for their tickets way back in 1912. Cool! A little morbid, but cool!
17. ESports take a world stage
For the uninitiated, "ESports" is the sexy term for what is essentially competitive video gaming and yes, it's an increasingly popular and well-respected thing. In fact, next year ESports will debut at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta. The Asian Games are touted as the "biggest multi-sport games after the Olympic Games," so safe to say, the inclusion of button-mashing and screen-staring is a huge step for this burgeoning movement.
18. Historical anniversaries
Lastly, let us mark our tenuous, yet immortal hope for the future by looking back at the past. 2018 will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. It will also mark the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
So that's your goal for next year -- do something in 2018 that our ancestors will observe fondly every decade or century for ages to come.
