Plenty of big news happened in 2024. A top presidential candidate dropped out of the race late; another survived two assassination attempts; and voters rejected the incumbent administration at the ballot box. This year also included conflicts abroad, the Summer Olympics and two (yes, two) Emmy Award ceremonies.
But between these major flash points were hundreds of smaller moments.
While viral videos like “demure” and beloved animals like Moo Deng were virtually unavoidable — and quickly became part of mainstream culture — it’s possible you didn’t hear about “yapping” or know that another Pigmy hippo, named Haggis, was also born this year.
Maybe you can’t forget that you, in fact, “exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you,” but are you “holding space” for P’Nut the squirrel? (And if you can comprehend that sentence, you might have “brain rot.”)
This is the year in micro news, an attempt to burst your algorithmic bubble and remind you of everything you already forgot about — or maybe never knew about in the first place.
The Olympic
Do You Know the Muffin Man?
Of the many foods served at the Olympic Village in Paris, a humble chocolate muffin was elevated to TikTok meme status thanks to Henrik Christiansen, a Norwegian swimmer who documented his obsession with the baked goods in videos throughout the Games. In one video, a muffin even held him hostage.
His Job Is Horse
Stephen Nedoroscik had just one job: pommel horse. A bespectacled Olympic gymnast, otherwise known as Pommel Horse Guy, helped the U.S. men’s team snag bronze, its first medal in 16 years. But it wasn’t just his award-winning routine that made him a viral sensation. Images of Mr. Nedoroscik sitting on the sidelines, eyes closed in deep focus while waiting for his moment to shine, circulated widely.
Hop, Hop, Hip, Hop
Dr. Rachael Gunn, a professor from Australia also known as B-girl Raygun, became a household name this summer for her performance in the inaugural Olympic breaking competition — though probably not for the reasons she may have been hoping. Her routine, which included kangaroolike hops, was subject to much scrutiny, and imitation, on social media.
She Shoots, She Scores
The South Korean sport shooter Kim Yeji didn’t win a gold medal, but she would have if medals were awarded based on style alone. A clip of Ms. Yeji from an earlier competition circulated online after her turn at the Olympics, earning her the admiration of those who loved her cool, stoic demeanor and her cyberpunk-esque glasses, which some athletes wear in shooting competitions.
The Wholesome
Internet Mystery, Solved
For years, Reddit sleuths have hunted for the identity of a mystery woman known only as Celebrity Number Six. Her face was printed on fabric with several other easily recognizable celebrities, like Adriana Lima and Orlando Bloom, but nobody could name the sixth person. Until now. Her name is Leticia Sarda, a former model who is a mother of two and lives on the Spanish island of Tenerife. She was shocked to find out that people had been searching for her, she told The New York Times.
Fish Doorbell
Ding-dong. Who’s there? A fish. A livestream of a river in the Dutch city of Utrecht allowed viewers to play a fun game with aquatic life while also helping fish procreate. When fish swim into frame, viewers press a button — a fish doorbell, if you will — to alert an employee to open up a dam to allow the creature to pass to shallower waters to spawn.
Pesto the Penguin
Though just a baby, Pesto, a king penguin at the Sea Life Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia, found fame for his overwhelming size. Weighing in at 46 pounds, the then-9-month-old bird developed a global fan base. (The aquarium later threw a gender reveal celebration for the penguin.)
She Screams, She Bites, She’s Adorable
Moo Deng, a pygmy hippopotamus born this summer at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, quickly stole hearts around the world, thanks mostly to her being tiny and moist and having a penchant for biting things. Her name translates to “bouncy pork,” and she even inspired a “Saturday Night Live” sketch.
Moo Deng? More Like Move Over.
Not to be outdone by a certain Thai creature, the Edinburgh Zoo jokingly began a small beef online with Moo Deng and her keepers after the birth of Haggis, another pygmy hippopotamus. “We were wrong to pit Haggis and Moo Deng against each other,” the zoo later wrote in a notes-app style apology posted online. “There is space in this world for two beautiful pygmy hippo divas, and we should celebrate them all.”
Fully Conscious Four Seasons Baby
“I have a question for everybody: Who wants to go to the Four Seasons Orlando?” Bailey Wise asked her family this year with the camera rolling. “Me,” her 1-year-old daughter exclaimed, with a focus and understanding of the question seemingly far greater than her age would suggest. The video went viral — and, yes, the family did go on that vacation.
The Aesthetic
Carmela Soprano Style
This microtrend, which came as quickly as it went, involved dressing like a stereotypical, cinematic so-called mob wife. Think fur coats, big hair, french manicures, heavy eyeliner and black dresses. Was it really a thing? For a moment, at least on TikTok, it was.
Bookshelf Wealth
Anxiety about status manifested itself in an internet-y design trend that can be boiled down to owning books and arranging them in a pleasing manner in your home. A viral how-to video spurred discourse about “bookshelf wealth,” with some railing against the idea of buying books for purely aesthetic purposes and others critiquing what they saw as a rampant consumerism.
Unexpected Red
An incredibly simple yet popular TikTok-fueled design theory: Any room looks better with a pop of red where you least expect it. It piggybacked on the “pop of red” trend for styling clothes.
Robot Baby
Schiaparelli rocked Paris couture week with a special star on its runway: a high-tech robot baby covered in electrical panels, cables and crystals. No Freudian preoccupations with our robotic future to see here, thanks.
The Earwormy
Think You Can Stop What They Do? I Doubt It.
A group of kids participating in a songwriting program at an arts nonprofit in Cork, Ireland, accidentally created a hit. Called “The Spark,” the song, which teetered right on the edge of sounding like something off a Kidz Bop album, captured hearts and ears around the world with its catchy drum-and-bass beat and earnest lyrics.
I Like My Sootcase
A resurfaced Larry King interview with Donald J. Trump from 2012 turned Mr. Trump’s son Barron into a viral celebrity. In a clip posted to TikTok by The Daily Mail, a young Barron, who is now a college student, is heard saying “I like my suitcase” in a Slovenian accent similar to his mother Melania’s. The clip was later remixed into a catchy song and inspired social media users to film themselves rolling around while zipped inside luggage.
Boots and a Slick Back Bun
A sing-songy internet trend born of a girl’s night out. Maisie Sellwood, Amelia Gregorian and Eloise Lord, three friends who live in London, filmed themselves chanting the details of their outfits — for example, “Boots and slicked-back bun. Boots and slicked-back bun.” The rest was history. Millions of people watched their video and were inspired to create their own, including Amy Poehler, who filmed a version with Rashida Jones, Rachel Dratch and Seth Meyers.
Manhunt
Megan Boni, a TikTok creator who goes by @Girl_On_Couch, joked that she had written the song of the summer when, in a video this April, she recited the words “I’m looking for a man in finance, 6-5, blue eyes” in a particularly melodic manner. She wasn’t entirely wrong. The tune took off, landed her a recording deal and inspired dating app profiles, think pieces and a club remix. A big year for tall guys in banking with recessive genes!
JoJo Siwa
The child star turned children’s entertainer kicked off her grown-up career as a musician this year with a barrage of social media posts and interviews. One in particular took off: a red carpet clip of Ms. Siwa, dressed in a sequined bodysuit and makeup a la the band Kiss, answering a question about her dream podcast guest.
The Linguistic
Mama, a Girl Behind You
A years-old Facebook video became a lexical meme this year. In the clip, which was posted to Facebook by Keirra Denee’ Smith in 2018, a child out of frame records Ms. Smith, who is posing in a yellow ensemble. Beside her is an animated augmented reality avatar, prompting the child to say “mama, a girl behind you.” Six years later, in 2024, people began using that phrase again, but this time to talk about whatever was behind or beside someone. (Just watch this.)
Loud Budgeting
A term coined on TikTok by the comedian Lukas Battle, “loud budgeting” came as an antidote to “quiet luxury,” which dominated 2023. If last year was about spending vast sums of money on, say, a simple pair of pants, in 2024 the trend — at least the one Mr. Battle tried to start — was being noisy about how much money you were saving and your financial goals.
Rawdogging
A word typically used to describe sexual intercourse without a condom became a popular term online to describe any situation without a buffer, like taking a long flight without bringing anything to entertain yourself.
Very Demure, Very Mindful
The online creator Jools Lebron popularized the word “demure” this year in a series of TikTok videos in which she offered instructions on how to embody the term, with tips for “demure” hair and makeup. Almost overnight it seemed as if the word was on everyone’s (“very cutesy”) lips, and brands swiftly seized on it. In December, Dictionary.com made “demure” its word of the year.
Yapping
An old word for talking took on new meaning. Yapping, at least according to many on TikTok, is talking ad nauseam, usually about something silly. “Somebody that just keeps on talking to fill the air — if it gets quiet, they just don’t stop talking,” Nicole Limas, an influencer and self-described yapper who lives in Chicago, explained to The Times.
Brainrot
If you know what this word means, you might already have it. Symptoms include endless scrolling on social media and hyper-fluency in every other micro-news item on this list.
The Political
Tim Walz Has a Hot Take
Adding to his image as a Minnesota dad and normal guy, Senator Tim Walz waxed poetic about the importance of gutter maintenance during an appearance on the TikTok show “Subway Takes,” hosted by Kareem Rahma.
Existing in a Context
We all do. But Vice President Kamala Harris reminded Americans of this fact in a now-famous clip of a speech she gave last year at a White House event. “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” she said, quoting her mother. “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” Though the speech went relatively unnoticed at the time, it took off online this year, and Ms. Harris’s words were remixed into pop songs by artists like Chappell Roan. Some Harris supporters even put coconut and palm tree emoji into their social media bios as a sign of solidarity.
All Things “Brat”
The hit album by Charli XCX became a meme in its own right, largely thanks to the putrid green color of the cover art and a TikTok dance to the song “Apple.” Both became inescapable this summer. “Brat” turned political after the singer wrote “kamala IS brat” in a post on X about Ms. Harris, whose campaign quickly seized on the verdant hue in its branding.
JD Vance Orders Doughnuts
Mr. Trump’s running mate had several viral moments this year, including a particularly memorable — and awkward, many on social media would say — visit to a doughnut shop on the campaign trail and an N.S.F.W. internet rumor about a couch.
Wolf Spritzer
The CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer had just sat down to enjoy a nice “Wolf Spritzer” at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., when the news broke that President Biden would no longer be seeking re-election. (Or, at least that was how the chronology appeared when Mr. Blitzer posted about his namesake beverage on X.) He was back in the studio soon after to cover the bombshell news. (By the way, that’s Aperol, mezcal, sparkling wine and lemon juice, if you’re looking to make one yourself.)
New York Is the _____ of America
This year, Mayor Eric Adams of New York adopted a strange signature catchphrase likening New York City to literally any other city. New York City is the Athens of America. The Islamabad of America. The Kyiv of America. The Mexico City of America. The Dublin of America. You get the idea.
The Cinematic
Twist Ending
Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, the romantic leads of “Twisters,” do NOT kiss in the end. Oh, sorry, spoiler alert. Now you know. People online were frustrated with the film’s anticlimactic ending.
Popcorn Buckets
The humble vessel got a slightly N.S.F.W. twist this year when AMC Theaters released a promotional popcorn bucket for “Dune: Part Two.” It was designed to look like a sandworm, but others saw something … quite different.
He Was in the Amazon with My Mom When She Was Researching Spiders Just Before She Died
There really isn’t anything to say other than: “He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders just before she died.” (Just kidding. This was a particularly ridiculous line from “Madame Web,” the mega-flop film that inspired as many memes as pan reviews.)
‘Holding Space’
The press tour for “Wicked” included a seemingly endless amount of interviews, but one stood out. In a brief and baffling sit-down with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, a journalist from Out magazine posed a nonquestion that birthed a viral catchphrase. “I’ve seen this week people are taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that and feeling power in that,” the journalist, Tracy E. Gilchrist, said. What exactly does it mean to “hold space?” Ms. Gilchrist has her own definition, but as the term spread across social media, it took on a life of its own.
Reesa Teesa
Rivaling Martin Scorsese, Tareasa Johnson, better known as Reesa Teesa, had millions of viewers on TikTok rapt this year as she produced a multipart drama detailing, over the course of 50 videos, her recollection of her wild and bizarre relationship with a man she called by the code name Legion. Now, her story is being adapted for television.
The Expected
Tradwives Rise
Content creators like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, known for her family business, Ballerina Farm, were seemingly everywhere this year, whipping up fresh bread and elaborate recipes for their husbands and children. From scratch, of course. Are they merely savvy influencers or are they, as some detractors have argued, bleak symbols of a rejection of modern feminism? At a time when many political debates center on gender, it’s little surprise these women have become lightning rods.
Airplane Cheater
The episode was a frightening reminder that we are all just going through our lives waiting to unwittingly become content. A passenger on a flight from Houston to New York City filmed and posted multiple TikTok videos of a man and a woman the passenger claimed were having an affair, even going so far as to call them out by name. The videos started a heated discussion online: Was it vigilante justice or a breach of privacy?
Thin Is In
Liv Schmidt became a controversial figure on TikTok this year, with some people accusing her of glorifying eating disorders with her dieting advice. The debate over Ms. Schmidt was just one of many that centered on so-called thinspo, as medications like Ozempic have become all but ubiquitous.
Slop at the Top
This was the year that search results went to hell thanks largely to the rise of “slop,” the A.I.-generated responses that now appear at the top of many a search engine and often leave a lot to be desired factually.
The Unexpected
New York Quake
For a brief moment in April, X shook itself back to something resembling what it was like in the olden days, when it was called Twitter and before Elon Musk owned it. All it took was a rare earthquake felt in New York City to get users posting like it was 2010. The memes that followed the magnitude-4.8 quake weren’t so bad, either.
Hawk Tuah Girl
She threw the ceremonial first pitch at a Mets game. She sold tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise. She hosts a podcast. It all started when Haliey Welch participated in a person-on-the-street interview in Nashville where she was asked to answer the question “What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” Her response was a guttural simulation of a sex act, best spelled phonetically as “hawk tuah.”
Willy Wonk-ish
A Willy Wonka-themed event in Glasgow promised “optical marvels” and fun for the whole family. Instead, the event, which amounted to a few jelly beans and some halfhearted costumes, was such a flop it made international news and closed early. Someone even called the police.
Somebody Dropped the Ball
After paying anywhere from $150 to as much as $1,000 a ticket, attendees had high hopes for a “Bridgerton”-themed ball held in Detroit this fall (an event notably not affiliated with Netflix). But when they arrived, some social media users said, they found a mostly empty hall with a solo violinist and a pole dancer who was bafflingly hired to work the event. (She was confused, too, she later said.)
Checking In
In January, the X account for Elmo of “Sesame Street” posted a simple question: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” What followed was a surprisingly tender flood of answers from people eager to let Elmo know that they weren’t doing that great, actually, but thanked him for asking.
The Bleak
The Curious Case of the Missing Princess
Before Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced her cancer diagnosis, wild and often cruel rumors about her whereabouts blanketed social media. These tall tales were only heightened after Kensington Palace issued and later withdrew a Mother’s Day photo of the princess with her children that had been edited.
A Nutty Tale
P’Nut, a pet squirrel with a popular Instagram account run by his owner, was seized by the authorities in New York State this fall and euthanized to test him for rabies after he was said to have bitten someone. His death prompted outcry from his many fans and turned him into a unifying symbol for Republicans, who said the episode was a prime example of government overreach.
Pookie and Jett
It was wholesome enough. Campbell and Jett Puckett first became known online for their videos in which Mr. Puckett hypes up his wife, whom he refers to affectionately as “Pookie.” But then internet sleuths uncovered photos of Ms. Puckett posing in front of a Confederate flag and wearing an old-fashioned gown that some online said was a costume for an “Old South” plantation-themed ball. (She later apologized for the photos in an email to The Times.)
The Portal
A piece of technology connecting two faraway cities in real time started out as a nice idea, but quickly soured after the art installation, in New York City and Dublin, was overrun by pranksters and violent imagery, like swastikas and footage from Sept. 11.
Too Young to Be So Old
Everyone worries about getting older, but add the ubiquity of cosmetic surgery and front-facing cameras to the mix, and it begins to explain why Gen Z has become perhaps uniquely preoccupied. This year, some online argued that today’s young people are aging more rapidly, thanks to swaths of early youth-prolonging cosmetic interventions. They call it “aging like milk.”
The Sock War
A new battlefield emerged this year in the ongoing intergenerational war. This fight played out on ankles, where the height of your sock was said to betray your age. Were you team ankle or team crew?
This Is Going to Ruin the Tour
These were the words that Justin Timberlake was said to have uttered to the police during his arrest in June on drunken-driving charges in the Hamptons, according to Page Six. “What tour,” the police asked the singer. “The world tour,” he responded, which, along with his mug shot, led to a thousand memes.
The Delightful
I Hate Gay Halloween
The rise of internet culture has made Halloween costumes increasingly specific and difficult to discern without the accompanying niche post or video that explains the bit. This year, the post itself became the costume, with a meme that affectionately skewered the idea of “gay Halloween,” a holiday for online gags targeting incredibly specific audiences.
Cucumber Boy
It’s pretty straightforward. Logan Moffitt was named “Cucumber Boy” after millions of people on TikTok watched him slice, salt and shake up various containers of cucumber salads this summer.
Tall Couple
He was a (tall) boy. She was a (tall) girl. Can I make it any more obvious? Sparks appeared to fly when Tyler Bergantino did a person-on-the-street interview with Gabby Gonzalez on TikTok. Viewers were struck by their flirty vibe and, notably, their similar statures.
One Million Checkboxes
One Million Checkboxes is a simple online game that asks players to click or unclick check boxes. See, simple! Designed by Nolen Royalty, a game developer in Brooklyn, the boxes brought joy to some players, who found them soothingly compelling, while others were stressed out by the endeavor since the boxes were constantly being checked and unchecked by thousands of people at a time.
Chicken Shop Date
Amelia Dimoldenberg does her best to cultivate a flirty vibe with all of the guests on her popular YouTube show “Chicken Shop Date,” but they don’t always dish it back. Her chemistry with Andrew Garfield, however, felt palpable to many.
Match My Freak
The Tinashe song “Nasty” inspired a TikTok trend in which people, using the lyrics “is somebody going to match my freak,” ask the internet if somebody would, please, match their freak. Except in these cases, “freak” usually meant something hyper-specific and mundane, like “drinking 8 diet cokes before noon and feeling nothing.”
Holding Even More Space
Steve Burns, who hosted the Nickelodeon children’s show “Blue’s Clues” from 1996 to 2002, has found a new calling as an empathetic TikTok star. In his videos, Mr. Burns simply sits quietly, offering the viewer a chance to talk to him about their lives and struggles. “They are deliberately simple,” Mr. Burns told The Times in September. “I try to do as little as possible on TikTok other than deeply listen.”
Attack of the Clones
An IRL viral phenomenon, celebrity look-alike competitions went global. One in Washington Square Park in New York City, for instance, sought to find the floppy-haired young man who looked the most like the actor Timothée Chalamet. A winner was crowned — amid scenes of chaos as the crowd kept growing in size and the police made arrests — but the true prize was an appearance by Mr. Chalamet himself.
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