24 Incredible Photos That Best Sum Up 2016

A seemingly endless stream of beloved celebrities and artists left us in 2016. One of the earliest and most influential deaths was that of renowned musician David Bowie on Jan. 10 at the age of 69. Among the many other talents we mourned this year were musicians Prince (57) and Leonard Cohen (82), actor Alan Rickman (69), and boxer Muhammad Ali (74).

Beyoncé made waves with her performance of "Formation" at Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7. The song, its choreography, and its costumes were an empowering ode to blackness.

There was some controversy about the lack of diversity among the Oscar nominees this year, prompting the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. The Feb. 28 award show also got attention because Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar for best actor in The Revenant, after five previous nominations in various categories over the years.

There seems to be no end to the horrors taking place within the war in Syria. Throughout the year, we have seen countless heartbreaking images and footage of civilians stricken with terror, grief, and despair.

On Feb. 11, the LIGO Scientific Collaboration revealed that they had detected ripples in the curvature of space-time known as gravitational waves. This was a major discovery because it confirmed Einstein's theory of relativity
.

On March 9, a stunning total solar eclipse was visible from Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean. The next total eclipse will occur on Aug. 17, 2017, and will be visible from parts of the United States.

In 2016, a disquieting number of black civilians were shot by police officers. Some of the shootings were fatal and seemingly unprovoked, as in the cases of Alton Sterling (whose son is seen above), and Philando Castile, whose death was filmed by his girlfriend and posted on Facebook. These deaths provoked angry nationwide protests, many as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

On March 22, two suicide bombs exploded at the Brussels airport in Zaventem, and a third was detonated inside a subway station, killing 32 people and wounding 300. The attack was claimed by ISIS.

The forecast was bleak right before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this Summer thanks the threat of the Zika virus and popular unrest in Brazil about the costs of hosting this event. But the Games unrolled successfully, featuring the highest ever number of female Olympic athletes.

It may be a sign that everyone was in need of some lighthearted animation, or proof of how fondly we all remember Finding Nemo, but Disney Pixar's Finding Dory (released on June 8) was the highest-grossing movie in the United States this year. On the global scale, it came in second behind Captain America: Civil War.

On June 12, an armed man entered the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, FL, and fired into the crowd, killing 49 people. The victims were mourned worldwide.

In a shocking referendum result, the United Kingdom voted on June 23 to leave the European Union. Many believe this choice was guided by xenophobia and the belief that the UK was economically weakened and restricted by belonging to the EU.

Tragedy struck France when a terrorist drove a truck into a crowd in the city of Nice during celebrations for the National Day on July 14, injuring hundreds and killing 86 people.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus was a major source of concern this year. If transmitted to a pregnant woman, the virus can cause birth defects in the baby, such as microcephaly. There were particular concerns regarding Brazil, where the current epidemic originated, and where the Olympics were scheduled to take place.

This year saw a continuation of the European refugee crisis. Migrants fleeing violence in Africa and the Middle East sought to reach Europe, often by dangerous means. Once there, their accommodation and integration proved challenging.

Matthew, a category 5 hurricane, raged from late September to early October. One of the hardest hit areas was Haiti, where 1,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands were displaced. The country, which had not yet entirely recovered from the devastating 2010 earthquake, is now still grappling with the consequences of this latest disaster.

While she did not win the election, Hillary Clinton inspired millions of women when she became the first female presidential candidate for a major American political party on July 26.

Although the polls gave Hillary Clinton a considerable lead right up to the Nov. 8 election, Donald Trump shocked the nation when he emerged victorious. His behavior since continues to defy convention.

This year had the highest temperatures on record, which is alarming news for the environment. One consequence was increased rainfall and flooding in areas like Louisiana. This is even worse news in light of Donald Trump's cabinet picks, featuring a number of climate change deniers.

While the Black Lives Matter movement took to the streets to protest unprovoked shootings of black citizens by police, San Francisco 49ers football player Colin Kaepernick chose to protest in a peaceful manner by refusing to stand during the pregame national anthem. His decision caused much controversy and debate.

Fidel Castro, the former president of Cuba, passed away on Nov. 25 at the age of 90. Although he had relinquished power to his brother Raul in 2008, he remained an emblematic, albeit controversial figure who shaped decades of Cuba's history. While he was mourned in his country, many Cuban-Americans who had fled his regime rejoiced over his death in the streets of Miami.

On Nov. 2, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time since 1908. Among the many who exuberantly celebrated this victory was actor Bill Murray, a lifelong Cubs fan, who was moved to tears.

For months, protesters marched at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline due to environmental concerns. Protests were also organized in solidarity across the United States. On Dec. 4, the Army announced it would halt construction of the project
.

Yes, we know, the Obamas haven't left the building yet. But the fact that they are on their way out is on everybody's mind as the year winds down. Let's use these final days of Obama's term to think back on his accomplishments as president.