And That’s a Wrap for 2015

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[2015 comes to a close] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via the creative commons license.

2015: a year of technological advances, space exploration, fear of growing terrorist groups, shocking national upsets, local shootings, and the rise of the man-bun.  Granted, Dick Clark said it every year at the Big Apple’s Ball Drop; but I’ll keep to tradition by saying that we’ve had another great year.  So the big news? We’ve all heard it… or maybe not.  Nevertheless, here’s just a short list of some of the things you missed and possibly a few of the news stories you’ve gotten tired of hearing.

February 12:  At a conference in Minsk, Belarus, Ukrainian, Russian, German, and French leaders agreed to end the prolonged fighting in eastern Ukraine.

[World's First Solar Aircraft] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via the Creative Commons License.
[World’s First Solar Aircraft] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via the Creative Commons License.
March: From early March to July, the world’s first solar powered aircraft made a trip around the globe.  Could this be a revolutionary breakthrough?

[Donald Trump] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via Flickr through the Creative Commons License,
[Donald Trump] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via Flickr through the Creative Commons License,
April 16: Former New England Patriots’ tight end, Aaron Hernandez is sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murdering Odin Lloyd.

June 16: Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the 2016 presidential election.  What started almost as a joke to much of America, has surprisingly evolved into a serious possibility.  Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing… well I guess that’s for next year’s list.

June 26: The United States Supreme Court ruled in  Obergefell v. Hodges that state-wide bans on same-sex marriages are unconstitutional.

July 14: New Horizons, a NASA spacecraft, held true to its name with its close-up flyby of Pluto.  We’ve never been so close to this former planet. 

[Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees, May 8, 2007] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via Wikimedia Creative Commons License.
[Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees, May 8, 2007] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via Wikimedia Creative Commons License.
July 29: Windows 10 brings a new look to computer screens at home and on the go.

September 10: Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in British history.  

In late September:  Pope Francis visited the Washington D.C. performing mass at The Catholic University of America.

September 28:  We could have neighbors!!  I’m guessing the potential life source has been there for a while, but on September 28, NASA announced their discovery of water on the surface of Mars.

September 28: Millions turned their eyes to the sky as the ‘super blood moon’ made its rare appearance.

October 30:  A Russian passenger plane was downed in Sinai, Egypt when another terrorist attack struck.

November 13:  Hearts went out to even more victims of the growing Islamic terrorist group, as ISIS turned a festive city into chaos with six separate attacks throughout Paris, France, killing 130 people.

[Star Wars: Episode VII] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via the Creative Commons License.
[Star Wars: Episode VII] Photo accessed on December 1, 2015 via the Creative Commons License.
December 18:  The highly anticipated Star Wars: Episode VII hits theaters 30 years after Luke Skywalker defeated the Galactic Empire.

December: By the end of 2015, over one million electric cars were owned worldwide. That number is still growing exponentially.

Whether globally, nationally, locally, or individually, 2015 was full of surprises, scares, and answered prayers. Here’s to another year of even greater success stories and terrible hairstyles.