Amphan Apocalypse

The Bay of Bengal’s fiercest storm this century, super-cyclone Amphan, slammed into the coast of eastern India and Bangladesh in May of 2020.

Beirut NH4NO3

In August 2020, a warehouse holding 3,030 tons of Ammonium Nitrate exploded in Beirut in one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.

Big Water

2020 saw record-breaking flooding across the world. 

Brain Eating Amoebas

Brain eating amoebas were found in bodies of water in both Florida and Texas, causing multiple deaths.

Chinese Mystery Seeds

The Bay of Bengal’s fiercest storm this century, super-cyclone Amphan, slammed into the coast of eastern India and Bangladesh in May of 2020.

Cicada Cic-ahhh-da

In May and June of 2020, 17-Year Cicadas (Magicicadas) emerged (quite noisily) in Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia.

Dirty 'Zilla

In June of 2020, a giant Saharan dust cloud (nicknamed "Godzilla") brought the largest cloud to hit the United States for 50 years.

Double Eyed Trouble

2020 had a record-breaking hurricane season, including the double threat of two potential hurricanes in the Gulf at once. Click here for more information on the 2020 hurricane season.

Earthquakes

Over a 3 week time period in early 2020, Puerto Rico recorded 571 earthquakes, including the strongest PR has seen in over a century.

Firenado

In the summer of 2020, wildfires ravaged the western United States, creating rare fire tornadoes.

Flying Ant Hordes

In July of 2020, a swarm of flying ants stretched for miles over the UK.

Galactic Murder Rocks

Multiple near-Earth asteroids were discovered in 2020.

Homeless Joeys

More than 46 million acres in Australia burned from November 2019 to March 2020.

Meth Gators

In July of 2020, police in Tennessee warned people not to flush their drugs, for fear of creating "methed up animals". 

Murder Hornets

Native to East Asia, "murder hornets" were spotted in North America in 2020.

Never Eat Green Snow

On the Antarctic Peninsula global warming has encouraged green snow algae growth that can be observed from space.

Plague Squirrels

Squirrels in Colorado test positive for bubonic plague.

RBG

In September of 2020, Supreme Court Justice and champion of women's rights, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, died at the age of 87.

Shut up, man!

During the first presidential debate of 2020, tired of Trump's interruptions and rambling, Biden proclaimed, "Will you shut up, man?!"

The Rona

In March of 2020, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, driving people world-wide into lockdown.

Toxic Toads

In June of 2020, toxic toads invaded Florida backyards, posing a threat especially to pets.

Unholy Locust Invaders

Desert locust swarms of biblical proportion descended upon the Horn of Africa in June of 2020.

Vampire Fish

Sea lamprey found spawning in Vermont waterways.

Yellowstone Big Mama

USGS monitoring detected 170 earthquakes near the Yellowstone caldera in the 28 days leading up to June 23, 2020.