It’s 2023, and like any other year, it’s definitely going to be one to remember!
We’re currently in week 40, celebrating the 276th day of the year. But there’s still so much to look forward to as we eagerly await what the future has in store for us!
We’re still working on 2023, but here are some highlights from the year so far! We’ll also delve into fascinating facts about the number 2023 and explore the captivating world of the Chinese zodiac for this year.
So, grab a comfy seat and join us as we dive into the incredible journey that is 2023!
Events
Here are some unforgettable events that have happened in the world in 2023 so far.
Jan 10
The UK’s Prince Harry published Spare, his tell-all memoir on his upbringing with the Royal Family.
Jan 24
The Doomsday Clock was set at 90 seconds to midnight after new escalations in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Doomsday Clock represents how close the world is to a major catastrophe or all-out nuclear war. This adjustment brought the clock the closest it had ever been to midnight since its creation in 1947.
Feb 1
Legendary rock singer Ozzy Osbourne announced his retirement from touring.
The 74-year-old had faced health complications for years, including a spine injury and a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. After a number of canceled shows, he made the hard decision to quit touring to take care of his health.
Feb 6
Turkey and Syria were struck by a catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake that killed 59,259 people.
Over the next three weeks, the region was hit with over 10,000 aftershocks. It was the deadliest earthquake in Turkey since 526 AD and Syria since 1822.
Feb 11
The Armenian-Turkish land border opened for the first time in 35 years.
The border was opened briefly to allow a convoy of vehicles carrying aid to disaster-struck areas of Turkey affected by the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake. The last time the border opened was in 1988 when Turkey sent aid to Armenia after another devastating earthquake.
Mar 9
The US record industry reported that for the first time since 1987, sales of vinyl records exceeded CD sales.
Mar 17
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The warrant was issued for the crime of forcefully deporting children from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia. A warrant for the same crime was also issued against Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights.
Mar 31
Italy banned the use of OpenAI’s ChatGPT over data security concerns.
Instead of responding to the concerns raised by Italy’s data privacy regulators, OpenAI simply pulled the plug for Italian users. ChatGPT was restored the following month with changes that allowed users to prevent the chatbot from using their data.
Apr 3
NASA announced the astronauts for the first trip to the moon in over 50 years.
Commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, flight engineer Christina Koch, and pilot Victor J. Glover were chosen for Artemis II, a fly-by mission to the moon.
Apr 20
SpaceX’s Starship rocket exploded four minutes into its first full flight test.
The Starship rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built, is set to one day carry human colonists to Mars. Despite the explosion, SpaceX’s engineers celebrated the launch, as it provided invaluable data.
Apr 29
Legendary country musician Willie Nelson held a two-day music concert for his 90th birthday party.
May 1
Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI,” resigned from Google amidst growing concerns over AI.
The so-called godfather, who gained his nickname for his pioneering work in the AI field, resigned to help spread the word about the dangers of the emerging technology.
May 2
The Writers Guild of America went on strike after a labor dispute.
The strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) was the largest stoppage interruption to US film and TV production since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Guild members headed to picket lines demanding increased wages and better job security.
Jun 16
The rules for the Grammy Awards were updated to restrict AI-generated songs.
The new rules clarified that songs that are fully generated by AI will not be considered for awards. Songs that are only partly written by AI and have “meaningful” human contributions are still allowed.
Jun 18
OceanGate’s Titan submersible imploded during an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic.
All contact with the submersible was lost just one hour and forty-five minutes after Titan dove below the surface. Four days later, Titan’s wreckage was found about 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the Titanic. All five of the expedition’s participants, including Oceangate CEO Paul-Henri Nargeolet, perished.
Jun 30
Harrison returned to our screens for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
The fifth and final installment of the Indiana Jones film series also starred John Rhys-Davies, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Antonio Banderas. It’s the only film in the series that Steven Spielberg didn’t direct.
Jul 21
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer opened in cinemas.
Many people flocked to cinemas to watch both films back-to-back, morphing the two films into a five-hour marathon delightfully coined as “Barbenheimer.”
Jul 22
Good Vibes Festival was canceled after The 1975’s lead singer kissed his bandmate on stage in protest of Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQIA+ laws.
Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country where homosexual activity is criminalized. Matty Healy, an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, kissed bassist Ross MacDonald to make a point and criticized the government’s stance on the matter.
Jul 26
Niger President Mohamed Bazoum was removed from office by a military coup.
This made the fifth coup in Niger since it gained independence from France in 1960. The coup was condemned by many of the world’s foremost institutions and political bodies, including the World Bank, the United Nations, and the African Union.
Aug 10
Two rival driverless taxi companies were given approval to operate 24/7 in San Francisco, California.
The two companies, Cruise and Waymo, had been testing their services in the city for a year before they were given full approval.
Aug 19
Russia’s Luna 25 lunar lander mission crash-landed on the Moon.
The mission was Roscosmos’ (Russia’s space agency) first attempt to send a spacecraft to the moon. The last Russian attempts occurred in the 70s under the Soviet space program.
Famous Deaths
Unfortunately, 2023 has also been a year we’ve had to say some goodbyes…
1939
2023
Tina Turner
Swiss
Singer
1939
2023
Tina Turner
Tina Turner was a Swiss singer born on November 26, 1939. She died on May 24, 2023, at age 83 in Küsnacht, Switzerland.
1968
2023
Lisa Marie Presley
American
Singer
1968
2023
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley was an American singer born on February 1, 1968. She died on January 12, 2023, at age 54 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
1966
2023
Sinéad O’Connor
Irish
Singer
1966
2023
Sinéad O’Connor
Sinéad O’Connor was an Irish singer born on December 8, 1966. She died on July 26, 2023, at age 56 in London, England, UK.
2023 In Music
Looking for some new songs for your 2023 playlist?
Well, here’s the official Billboard Hot 100 playlist, featuring this week’s most popular songs!
Album of the Year
Harry Styles’ vibrant and infectious pop album “Harry’s House” lit up the music scene in 2023, earning him the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and solidifying his status as a charismatic and talented artist.
Song of the Year
In 2023, Bonnie Raitt won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year with her catchy hit “Just Like That.”
Best New Artist
Samara Joy’s exceptional talent and captivating jazz performances have earned her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2023, establishing her as a rising star in the world of jazz music.
2023 in Numbers
Let’s dive into some interesting number facts!
If you’ve ever wondered how to write the year 2023 in Roman numerals, it’s MMXXIII. And, if you ever find yourself needing to know what 2023 looks like in binary, it’s 11111100111.
Harshad Number
2023 is a Harshad number, which is a number that can be evenly divided by the sum of its digits. It’s like a special math rule for some numbers.
To explain in more detail, we add up the digits (2 + 0 + 2 + 3), which equals 7. And now we see if 2023 can be divided evenly by 7, which it can! 2023 ÷ 7 = 289. So this makes 2023 a Harshad number.
Chinese Zodiac 2023
According to the Chinese calendar, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, which occurs every twelve years.
But did you know that the Chinese zodiac cycle also incorporates the five elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold (Metal), and Water? So 2023 is actually the Year of the Water Rabbit, which only occurs every sixty years!
Because the Chinese calendar works from the lunar cycle, the Chinese New Year for 2023 didn’t start on January 1st. Instead, it runs from January 22nd to February 9, 2024.
People born in the Year of the Rabbit tend to be gentle, compassionate, and artistic. They possess a harmonious nature, valuing peace and tranquility while showcasing their creativity and sensitivity.
Famous people born in Years of the Rabbit include Johnny Depp and DJ Khaled!
