2021
Taliban return to Kabul
As the last American troops withdrew, the Taliban swept through Afghanistan's provinces in days and entered Kabul without a fight.
U.S. Capitol stormed
A pro-Trump mob, summoned to Washington to protest the certification of Joe Biden's electoral victory, broke past police lines and ransacked the U.S.
Myanmar coup
Hours before parliament was to convene, the Tatmadaw arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and her cabinet and declared a state of emergency.
Omicron variant emerges
South African scientists alerted the world to a new coronavirus variant carrying an alarming number of mutations.
Squid Game eats the world
A bleak Korean survival drama in which indebted contestants play deadly children's games for cash became, within a month, the most-watched show in Netflix's…
Ever Given blocks the Suez
A 1,300-foot container ship called the Ever Given turned sideways in the Suez Canal during a sandstorm and lodged itself between the banks.
James Webb Space Telescope launches
After two decades of development, $10 billion in costs, and dozens of delays that nearly killed the program, NASA's successor to Hubble lifted off from French…
Perseverance lands on Mars
Tokyo Olympics open, late
Want 2021 in context? Print the whole 21st century as a one-sheet timeline chart.
Frequently asked
What happened in the year 2021?
Saeculum lists 9 events from 2021. The most significant is Taliban return to Kabul: As the last American troops withdrew, the Taliban swept through Afghanistan's provinces in days and entered Kabul without a fight.
What era was 2021 part of?
2021 falls within the Contemporary (2001-2026). Networks, climate, and the new uncertainty.
Which regions saw notable events in 2021?
The events from 2021 span Central Asia, North America, Southeast Asia, Africa, East Asia and Middle East.