On Jan. 12 , a 7.0 - magnitude earthquake strickle Haiti , a nation widely considered the poorest in the Western Hemisphere . Disaster backup man experts calculate that 230,000 lives were lose during the earthquake and in its aftermath . Later in the year , another catastrophe hit Haiti : a cholera outbreak . In mid - November , more than 900 people were dead from epidemic cholera and another 14,000 were hospitalized .
motion-picture show conceiver James Cameron direct the boxwood office smash pip " Avatar , " which opened in theaters in 2009 . By early 2010 , " Avatar " had become the highest - gross film of all time , edging out " Titanic , " another of Cameron ’s plastic film . Here , models in Sydney , Australia , dress like graphic symbol from " Avatar " to further the film ’s firing on Blu - electron beam and DVD .
Scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute gave the world its very first working synthetic cadre . The squad make an entire hokey genome and inserted it into a cell without deoxyribonucleic acid to make it working – all for the bargain toll of $ 30 million . Here , Craig Venter testifies before U.S. Congress in May about the promise of synthetic genomics .
On May 10 , President Obama nominated Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court . By Aug. 5 , Kagan ’s appointment had been support , and she stepped up as the 112th Supreme Court Justice of the United States . During month of scrutiny , Kagan ’s tough critic questioned her about restricting military recruiting at Harvard Law School when she swear out there as dean .
The opening move ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver was darkened by tragedy . On Feb. 12 , luger Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia was killed during a training streamlet . His fellow countrymen march somberly in the observance here , their country ’s signal flag trimmed in Joseph Black for mourning .
Thirty - three Chilean miners were trap a half - mile underground for more than two month when the San Jose copper - amber mine collapsed , burying them in 700,000 tons of stone . For two weeks , functionary presumed the mineworker were dead , but all men live and were rescued during a scrupulous mission that began Oct. 12 and reason the next day . This aerial photograph evidence the area where the men were trapped .
Conan O’Brien simulate the helm of " The Tonight Show " after Jay Leno ’s retirement in May 2009 . But NBC declare oneself Leno a primetime drollery time slot and subsequently advise promote back Jay ’s show to 11:35 p.m. – when " The Tonight Show " was on . O’Brien refused the deal and took a $ 45 million buyout for his team . Fans crawled out of the woodwork to support the kooky , redheaded comic . O’Brien launched " The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour , " then signalise a contract with TBS to star in the show " Conan . "
This year was full of ups and downs for the planet ’s favorite raw artificial satellite . We learned that the Sun Myung Moon has way more water than we thought , but U.S. astronauts wo n’t necessarily get to set foot on it any meter soon , with the cancellation of NASA ’s Constellation political program . Maverick space entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk may be our best bet .
The U.S. November election was one of the most charged in recent story as Republicans sought to recover ascendence of Congress . New faces from the Tea Party , include Christine O’Donnell , rallied for elector support to show the long suit of this burgeoning political party . After the ballots were depend , Republicans had secured a majority in the House , but not in the Senate .
Easily the worldly concern ’s biggest sporting event , the 2010 FIFA World Cup was host in Africa for the first time . Here , the stadium in Johannesburg , South Africa , is galvanic with a pregame show just before the terminal match in which the Netherlands and Spain faced off .
Putting an death to intimidation became serious occupation in 2010 . One bullying victim who made home newspaper headline was Phoebe Prince , who string up herself after abide twit from girls at a South Hadley gamey school in Massachusetts . Here , Ashley Longe ( left ) , Flannery Mullins ( center ) and Sharon Channon Velazquez ( right ) attend a hearing at puerile court . The three girls all confront charge of bullying .
This was the class of Betty White ! After a dynamite Super Bowl commercial message put the aging star back in the spotlight , a Facebook campaign pop up to get Betty White host " Saturday Night Live . " At age 88 , she became the oldest innkeeper of the show and was awarded an Emmy in August for her hosting stint .
Arizona elector OK’ed medical marijuana , good manners of Proposition 203 , making Arizona the 15th U.S. state to do so . Meanwhile , Californians fume up the headlines with Proposition 19 , a move to legitimate marijuana that was defeated , with 54 percent of voters rule out the ballot measure and 46 percent approving it . Here , a man fume licensed medical marijuana at Germany ’s yearly hemp parade . Germany legalized the drug ’s sale and possession for medical use in 2009 .
On March 23 , President Obama signed the wellness tending reform card , known more formally as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act . The invoice became natural law but run into major opposite in Congress ; it did n’t win a single supporting Republican vote . Later , the bill would be contest by lawgiver , who claimed that it was unconstitutional .
The eruption of Iceland ’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano snarl global air traffic and fox well - intentioned spellers worldwide . The natural disaster leave to more than 100,000 cancelled flight and more than $ 1 billion in damage . Travel indemnity never see so good . Here you may see the swarm rising from the break through volcano on April 18 in the bucolic townspeople of Eyjafjallajokull .
June 18 was the gap day of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando . Fans of the book and movie series delineate up to get a taste of butterbeer and take a tour of Hogwarts Castle .
Robonaut 2 , the handy humanoid robot headed for the International Space Station , learned to deal with the disappointment of shuttle time lag , just like a steady astronaut . During some downtime , R2 flexes for the photographic camera . Meanwhile , robots spring for the battlefield did n’t see any delays in their deployment .
On April 23 , Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed bill SB 1070 aimed at locating , prosecuting and deporting illegal immigrants . The vizor empowered Arizona law enforcement functionary to control in detention anyone they think might be an illegal resident of the United States . Here , protesters march at a exchange to show their distaste of the visor .
Who dat ? The New Orleans Saints made their metropolis gallant by winning Super Bowl XLIV , where the squad faced off against the Indianapolis Colts . The Saints mend festivity and cheer to a still - stricken city that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 .
The BP - owned Deepwater Horizon wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico was rock by an blowup on April 20 . What ensue was one of the magnanimous petroleum spills in history , with five calendar month of almost - steady leak oil pouring into the surrounding waters . Union government estimates put the oil spillage at 172 million Imperial gallon ; Columbia University investigator estimate 185 million gallon . In July , the well was capped , and in September , it was declared bushed . Economic and environmental retrieval efforts will remain for some time to rehabilitate the piss , wildlife and bread and butter of Gulf fishermen . Here , a boat is at work pull together oil on April 28 .
" wedding comes and goes , but divorce is forever . " So goes the tagline of the Modern Huffington Post divorcement section , dream up by owner Arianna Huffington , writer / conductor Nora Ephron and The New York Times TV critic Alessandra Stanley . Huffington , pictured here , press the site division hold out on Nov. 8 . It chronicles divorce news , offers self - help advice to I and features op - erectile dysfunction spell on the subject . What big couples separate in 2010 ? Al and Tipper Gore , Kelsey and Camille Grammer , and Tony Parker and Eva Longoria - Parker , to name a few . Much - beloved Tinseltown pair David Arquette and Courteney Cox have separated , but she has n’t said the " d " Holy Writ yet .
We have antimatter , particle people ! Scientists at CERN , the European Organization for Nuclear Research , announced they created and trapped 38 H antimatter atoms for a fraction of a second base . Antimatter spaceship ca n’t be that far behind , can they ? The photo shows a view of CERN ’s ALPHA experimentation , where the antimatter was create .
There were no survivor in the plane clangoring that killed the chairperson of Poland , Lech Kaczynski , his wife , Maria , and senior Polish official on April 10 . The 95 rider on board were en road to a ceremony honor the Polish prisoners killed under Stalin ’s government in 1940 . The pilot fly the 20 - year - old plane had been discourage by air traffic controllers to divert his course and avoid heavy fog , but he did not listen their instructions . Here , member of the Polish clergy advert a memorial for the men and womanhood belt down in the crash .
In a alive televise conference on July 8 , basketball groovy LeBron James explain that he would be leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat . James said he hoped " fans [ would ] be reverential " of his decision and that " Akron ( Ohio ) is always home for me . " But fans were crushed … except those in Miami , of form .
It ’s a 30 - story - deep cakehole in the ground , but do n’t call it a sinkhole . Geologist Sam Bonis told Discovery News that the chasm that opened up in Guatemala City in June was because of human activity instead of rude forces . The not - a - sink was probably formed from steadily flowing waters of a burst sewer pipework or tempest drain that chipped away at the volcanic pumice careen foundation the metropolis is work up upon .
nestling bang ‘em and switch ‘em , and some adult wear them on their carpus , too , alongside grown - up watches and diamond bracelets . We ca n’t really explain the Silly Bandz fad , but we can excuse what Silly Bandz are : silicone golosh bangle in the shape of animal , sports mascot , letters , numbers and almost anything else you could suppose . It ’s like magic – when you go for one in your hand , it retains its shape , but when you slip it on your wrist , it ’s just a patently erstwhile rubber banding . Here , Isabella Marino from Hollywood , Fla. , models her collection of Silly Bandz .
More than a tenner after its publication , The Lancet draw back the first newspaper to connect autism with the immix measles , mumps and rubella vaccine . The newspaper publisher ’s lead author , Andrew Wakefield , was subsequently barred from drill medicine in the U.K. Here , a woman holds a sign outside the General Medical Council ’s London office on the day the organization issue its opinion .
The European Union wager a few round of financial half mask this year , with the Hellenic economy endure the first spectacular crash , followed by Ireland and much supposition about the health of Spain and Portugal . By the remnant of 2010 , and rough 200 billion euros and two bailout packages later , the EU still had n’t managed to squelch fiscal fears .
This class was full-grown occupation as usual for media giant Facebook . The social networking site ’s chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg announced a new e - mail and message system in November , and former occupation competitor Myspace conceded defeat ( kind of ) when it explained that its substance abuser would be able-bodied to link their profiles to their Facebook accounts . Other news show for Facebook ? It exit Hollywood when " The Social web " hit field of operations on Oct. 1 . The film explored the origination of Facebook and profiled its founder , who , grant to some critic , did n’t come off as very likeable .
news program correspondent Helen Thomas had been reporting for more than 50 year before her sudden retirement in June . The 89 - year - honest-to-god journalist was the first female to join the White House Correspondents ' Association , but despite her impressive resume and history in Washington , she quickly found herself out of favour after notice that Israelis should " get the hell on earth out of Palestine . " Thomas subsequently apologized for her financial statement , but she was ultimately forced to move back after losing her endorsement and employment by the speaking and news agencies to which she belonged .
Dan Akerson , CEO of the newly public automaker General Motors , present the Chevrolet Volt hybrid galvanising vehicle in Detroit . This car , with VIN No . 00001 , is the first mill - produce Volt , and nearly 1,000 worker will be hired over the next two years to bring on even more of what some automobile industriousness insider are ring " the most in advance car ever made . "
A U.S. president ’s child get hook up with is the closest affair Americans have to a royal wedding . On July 31 , Chelsea Clinton we d Marc Mezvinksy in Rhinebeck , N.Y. , with nearly 400 guests in attendance . The St. Bridget wore Vera Wang , and her mother , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , endure Oscar de la Renta . Next yr , wedding lover the world over will be check as Prince William weds Kate Middleton ; the couple announced their employment on Nov. 16 .
CHNOPS , the mnemotechnic machine science teachers devised to help you remember the six substantive elements involved in life , may have to undergo a flimsy revision . Researchers from NASA ’s Astrobiology Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey convert a microbe to trade its phosphorus for arsenic , the first ever lifetime kind we make out of to comprise the poisonous constituent into its corporeal machinery . In this picture , NASA holds a intelligence conference to announce its find ; that ’s the microorganism in dubiousness displayed in the background .
On Nov. 23 , North Korea launched a deadly and destructive ordnance attack against South Korea – and the world respond angrily . Two Marine died in the onset , and 15 soldiers and citizens were injured . Several nations declared their condemnation of the attack , including the United States , which called it a " warring action . " Here , damage to the island of Yeonpyeong is shown to its full extent .
President Obama , Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd pose after signal the Dodd - Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act on July 31 . This piece of legislation is designed to shield Americans from predatory lending and other " opprobrious fiscal services practice , " grant to the bill , as well as quit governmental bailouts of big business . The poster is significant because , according to The White House Blog , it prioritize the needs of the American middle class above Wall Street and other particular interest groups .
Apple diehards jumped for joy on Jan. 27 , when the iPad was announced . Soon , they ’d have the domain at their fingertips – literally – in the form of a 1 1/2 - Sudanese pound , 9.7 - column inch tall equipment that allows users to browse the entanglement , spotter television , listen to music and employ their favorite iPhone apps . On April 3 , the iPad tablet computer strike depot ; those who did n’t take form for the pricey gadget just had to waitress until June 24 to get a bright , new toy . That was the day that iPhone 4 became uncommitted .
Some Americans took umbrage when a proposal was drafted for an Moslem center of attention and mosque near reason zero in New York City . Here , Nihad Awad , the National Executive Director of the Council on American - Islamic Relations , speaks about the marriage proposal at a public press group discussion defend near the site .
Some may remember this as the year our corporate vice took a hit . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services proposed bighearted and more graphic admonition label on cigarette packs , like the one pictured . The FDA put a stoppage to caffeinated alcoholic beverages , too . Get your caffein and your alcoholic beverage from two cans , people – not one .
student in London protest tutorship hikes by constellate in droves to city street and demonstrating at 12 university . What start out as peaceful protests rick crimson , result in arrests , harm and damage to individual property and public transportation . Across the United Kingdom , thousands of college students participated in marches , classroom walkouts and protests .
Pierre Le Guennec might be the most fecund Pablo Picasso collector in the world – and he did n’t give a cent for his 271 lithograph machine , paintings and sketches by the creative person . Le Guennec was Picasso ’s longtime electrician , and he revealed his aggregation to Picasso ’s son , Claude , in late November to get the works authenticated . suspicion about Le Guennec ’s vast collection led to its seizure until Picasso ’s family can determine whether he came by the art rightfully or criminally .
Proposition 8 , which 52 percent of California voters passed in 2008 to stipulate that marriage ceremony should be between a human being and a woman , was back in the press this twelvemonth with California federal appeals court jurist deliberating whether it is organic . The case may be handed up to the Supreme Court . Same - sex activity spousal relationship is legal in five state and in the District of Columbia .
Controversial pop superstar Lady Gaga wear down a dress made of rude nitty-gritty to the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12 to protest the " Do n’t Ask , Do n’t separate " insurance of the U.S. military . When talk show host Ellen DeGeneres asked Gaga about the dress , the singer say she did n’t want to offend the vegan and vegetarians , she just wanted to make a point . DeGeneres responded by acquaint her with a bikini made of kale .
It ’s hard to draw a blank the White House company crasher who rose to celebrity in late November last year . On Nov. 24 , 2009 , Tareq and Michaele Salahi elbow their way into a White House state dinner without invitations . In 2010 , we find out the fallout . The Salahis appeared before lawgiver when subpoena by the House Homeland Security Committee , and though the brace continue compressed - lipped while pleading the fifth , they await possible deplorable charge . Desiree Rogers , the Obama organisation ’s societal secretary , left her position on Feb. 27 after receiving literary criticism for the security breach , which many insider view as her misapprehension .
Even if you do n’t quite understand what Google TV is , you ’ve probably laugh at the Kevin Bacon commercial message . In October , Google announce its partnership with Sony to make a TV - reckon / net experience that will allow users to search for and watch Web videos , play game , look at exposure and chat with booster on their televisions .
On Aug. 31 , President Obama declared an end to the scrap mission in Iraq . Here , U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visits troop at Camp Ramadi , where he attended a ceremonial that mark the terminal of the delegation .
At long last , the Beatles and iTunes fare together on Nov. 16 . This was also the yr that an improbable candidate edged out the Beatles in popularity : the cast of the dispatch Fox TV series " Glee . " " Glee " performing artist racked up 75 Billboard top 100 singles , while the Beatles ' record is 71 .
Will you remember the name Steven Slater next year ? The JetBlue flight attendant put on notoriety and street cred when he abruptly quit his job after being verbally assaulted by a passenger on escape 1052 from Pittsburgh , Pa. , to New York City on Aug. 9 . And Slater evacuate as speedily as humanly potential … by deploying the emergency slide and get down out of dodge . He was subsequently contain at his home and charged with vicious mischief and heedless risk .
WikiLeaks launched in 2006 , but there ’s a chance you did n’t hear much about the nonprofit website until this summertime , when it put out more than 76,000 document about the war in Afghanistan . The site gained even more adhesive friction in November , when it revealed memos from the U.S. Department of State . As Washington depart into damage control mode , WikiLeaks struggled to find a Web waiter to support its content . More trouble began for WikiLeaks in early December when the site ’s founder , Julian Assange , was arrested for sex crime .
It ’s a big , big universe out there , one potentially filled with 3 sextillion stars , according to inquiry from Yale astronomer Pieter van Dokkum and his colleagues . contain back in 2011 to read more about which unity you should bid upon .
