The 10 positive things that 2020 brought us

I think I speak for the whole world when I say that 2020 is not exactly a top year. Definitely one for the books, but it will go down in history as ‘the most sour surprise of the century’ or ‘disappointment’. Because honestly: in January, not much was going on. Yes, okay, there was a little virus in China, but China is super far away and come on, that will never reach us, right? Well, two lockdowns later and we still haven't gotten rid of that virus. No, 2020, you did not treat us well.

But with the coronavirus still dominating the news, I thought we could use some positive news. Because not everything is doom and gloom. Well, a lot is at the moment, I admit that. I had to look a bit, but voilà: 10 positive things that 2020 has also brought us.

1. Animal shelters have never been so empty in Western countries. This has of course to do with corona; everyone is at home and a pet is just much more fun.

2. Canada has become the first country in the world to decide to ban all ‘single-use’ plastic items by 2021. Yay for the environment.

3. For the first time, a planet was discovered that could possibly be habitable (11 light-years away from us, which is very little in terms of space) and there may be life on Venus. So if this virus never goes away, we know where to go.

4. After ten years of urging, without success, two pandas in a zoo in Hong Kong have finally had sex. Mini pandas incoming and a reminder that panda points are rightly named after the panda.

5. SpaceX successfully flew into space (yes, I am extremely fascinated by space). This is the first time ever that a commercial spacecraft has sent astronauts into space. A little vacation to Bali? No way, I'm just taking a trip around the Earth. Maybe a round trip to the Moon.

6. Nature is very happy with the lack of tourism, as they have had a pretty tough time with it. The flora and fauna are happier and I am also happy when I see those videos of the — for the first time — crystal clear blue water in Venice.

7. Finland has implemented that fathers get as much paternity leave as mothers.

8. Another space fact, sorry: NASA has announced that the hole in the ozone layer has never been so small since they discovered it in 1982.

9. Africa is completely free of polio. Nigeria was the last country where this disease still occurred, and it is completely gone there too. Only Afghanistan and Pakistan to go, and then polio will be gone from the face of the earth.

10. A (hopeful) prediction: this year we will also say goodbye to Trump as president. YAY.

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