History Buffs: Has there ever been year as "WTF?!?" as 2020?

[DrNewGod]

Pandemics. Murder Hornets. Trade Wars. Asteroids.

2020 has been busy. Is it the champ, or is there a contender?

[BeastieRunner]

Murder Hornets aren't bad ... that's terrible journalism.

That aside, yes.

1215.

1438.

1337-38.

1452-53.

1776.

1938-39.

1968 is widely regarded as the most eventful year in history. Prior to that is was 1864 and 1860.

I'd say it's a contender for top 10 in US history but world? Depends on 2021. IF the pandemic reboots or gets worse I'd say you're looking at one of the worst biennial periods ever. 1337-38 was the beginning of the 100 year war and the plague, 1938-39 Hitler's rise to power and the broken economy, and depending on how things go ... 2020-21 could easily be up there.

[Scott Taylor]

In terms of WTF years in my lifetime (in a bad way, rather than an eventful way):

1973 - Oil crisis, killer bees
1980 - John Lennon Died
1986 - Challenger exploding
1999 - Y2K
2001 - 9/11

Thats about it. Probably before that its arguably the Summer of Love (1967) and the year JFK died (1963).

Difficult question, as events effect everyone differently.

[Joker]

The year is only half over, and we still have a presidential election in November. So it's impossible to rate this year yet. Could still get worse, better or just "more interesting."

Difficult question, as events effect everyone differently.

For example: Y2K.

Unless you worked on it not happening, it was a big nothing.

[seismic-2]

1968 is certainly the one I remember as the most turbulent.

[Riv86672]

Y2K and 2012...we barely survived.

[Panfoot]

Given the trends of "--- can't be as bad as ----" starting in 2016, look forward to WW3, and alien invasion or two, and the Apes taking over next year.

[Gray Lensman]

We haven't hit 536 yet.

[Kirby101]

There was this year about 65,000,000 years ago that was pretty bad.

[Gray Lensman]

There was this year about 65,000,000 years ago that was pretty bad.

I was hoping to keep it to recorded human history. There were even bigger problems than even the one you listed. Something called The Great Dying, or the Permian Extinction event 252 million years ago. By the time that was over 70% of all land species were extinct, and a mind boggling 96% of all aquatic species. It makes the asteroid impact look tame.

[Kirby101]

I was hoping to keep it to recorded human history. There were even bigger problems than even the one you listed. Something called The Great Dying, or the Permian Extinction event 252 million years ago. By the time that was over 70% of all land species were extinct, and a mind boggling 96% of all aquatic species. It makes the asteroid impact look tame.

That was worst, but still the KT extinction was 75% of all living things.

[nx01a]

Thanks for remind me that we can also add the ongoing Sixth Extinction to the list of horrible things for 2020.

[DrNewGod]

Thanks for remind me that we can also add the ongoing Sixth Extinction to the list of horrible things for 2020.

I do what I can.

[Scott Taylor]

There was this one year with a big asteroid that hit what is now the Yucatan Peninsula. That one sucked.

edit: oh is that the 65,000,000 years ago? Hah!

[Moon Ronin]

There was that year that the Eagles won the Super Bowl...