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There Are Plenty of Great Things in Store for Us This Year

It's always a good idea to look on the bright side of life, especially when a new year has just begun. Despite the challenges the last few years have thrown at us, there are several reasons to be hopeful for the year ahead of us. Here are 10 things to look forward to in 2024.

1. The Olympics and paralympics

Things to Look Forward to in 2024

This year, Paris is set to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games from July 26 to August 11, which will include breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing for the first time. Also, male and female Olympic athletes will be represented in equal quantities for the first time in the event.

Paris guarantees a one-of-a-kind spectacle with the Games thoughtfully designed for athletes, fans, and television audiences. The transformation of some of Paris' iconic landmarks into sporting venues will offer an unparalleled experience and serve as an ideal setting for the display of astonishing athletic skills.

2. A total solar eclipse

Things to Look Forward to in 2024
Brace yourselves for a celestial spectacle on April 8 as parts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada are set to experience a total solar eclipse. Total solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, throwing a complete shadow across the sun's face. Outside the direct line, observers can still see a partial solar eclipse, which is an awe-inspiring sight. Notably, this event marks the last of total solar eclipses in the United States until 2044.

3. Astronauts will go to the moon for the first time since 1972

Things to Look Forward to in 2024
After nearly five decades, NASA will return astronauts to the moon with the Artemis 2 lunar mission in 2024. Four astronauts are expected to perform a lunar flyby aboard an Orion spacecraft, powered by a Space Launch System rocket. Over the course of eight days, three NASA astronauts and one from the Canadian Space Agency will travel on a free-return trajectory around the moon. Artemis 2 is the final test flight before the crewed moon landing mission, Artemis 3, scheduled for 2025.

4. A leap year

Things to Look Forward to in 2024
2024 is a leap year, which means the second month of the new year will have one extra day. A leap year occurs to synchronize the calendar year with the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Earth takes approximately 365.25 days to complete its orbit, and an extra day is added every four years to account for the extra 0.25 days, resulting in a leap year of 366 days rather than the standard 365.

5. Plenty of copyrighted books, movies, and music are entering the public domain

Things to Look Forward to in 2024

With the start of a new year, an array of books, movies, and music enter the public domain. What does this mean exactly? Public domain works are those whose copyrights have expired, allowing the public to use them without restriction. 

"Public Domain Day" is held every year on January 1st to recognize the expiration of copyrights for older works. The length of legal protection varies per country. In 2024, this includes materials first published in 1928. When a work enters the public domain, people are free to use it in a variety of ways, from publishing their own versions to recreating characters and making art. However, before dealing with these works and personalities, it is essential to perform extensive research to determine the dos and don'ts.

This year's additions to the public domain hail from the 1920s, with the much-anticipated highlight being the 1928 Disney classic Steamboat Willie, which introduced an early iteration of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Joining the lineup are J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and A.A. Milne's The House at Pooh Corner, featuring the lively character Tigger. 

For a more mature audience, DH Lawrence's Lady Chatterly's Lover is also now freely accessible. Musical gems entering the public domain include Mack the KnifeI Wanna Be Loved By You, and Cole Porter's Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love).

6. Useful artificial intelligence

AI

Experts believe that AI will take center stage as the leading technology trend in 2024. The important question is how firms, inventors, and academics will use this technology. It is anticipated that the applications will range from enhanced AI assistants that will outperform Siri and Alexa to AI-driven investing tools, real-time language translations, and improved software development processes.

Related: These Mind-Based Goals Work Better Than Resolutions

7. A must-see art extravaganza

Things to Look Forward to in 2024
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist art exhibition, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is collaborating with the Musée d’Orsay in Paris to create a spectacular event. This dual-museum exhibition, titled 'Paris 1874: The Impressionist Movement,' will feature 130 paintings by masters such as Renoir, Monet, and Degas. The dual event, according to organizers, was created to closely resemble that historic 19th-century exhibit.

8. A new antimalarial vaccine

Things to Look Forward to in 2024
A groundbreaking antimalarial vaccine is set to reach various African countries in 2024, bolstering the fight against a disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives on the continent each year. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is the second malaria vaccine recommended by the WHO, following the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, which was approved by the organization in 2021. Studies show that it outperforms its predecessor in terms of efficacy.

9. Must-see films

Brace yourself for an exciting year at the movies in 2024 as a cascade of long-anticipated blockbusters finally graces the silver screen. Along with this, expect the release of long-awaited sequels and new films from Oscar-winning directors.

Our picks for this year's must-see flicks include Dune: Part Two (March 1), Beetlejuice 2 (September 6), Joker: Folie à Deux (October 4), and Gladiator 2 (November 22). Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 24), Inside Out 2 (June 14), and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (December 13) may also interest you.

10. Exciting TV shows

TV fans enjoyed a great year in 2023, but 2024 looks just as good, if not better. Here are some exciting news shows you can enjoy this year:

* Masters of the Air (Coming to Apple TV+ in January)

Loved Band of Brothers and The Pacific? With Masters of the Air, Steven Spielberg returns to finish his World War II trilogy. This series delves into the aerial warfare during World War II, as its name suggests. It focuses on an American bomber squadron at contributed to bringing Hitler's war to his doorstep.

* Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Coming to Prime Video in February) 

Donald Glover's long-awaited spy comedy series, based on the 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, has been in development for years. Set to air on Prime Video, the show promises to have a more comedic touch, with Glover as John Smith and Pen15 standout Maya Erse as Jane Smith.

* One Day (Coming to Netflix in February) 

One Day, based on a novel of the same name, tells the story of Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall), a long-term romantic couple. The two reconnected on the same day each year after meeting for the first time on July 15, 1988, the last day of university. Every episode explores a different July 15th as their love develops or breaks down.

* Death and Other Details (Coming to Hulu in January) 

Mandy Patinkin dons the detective hat once more, this time as Rufus Cotesworth, renowned as the world's greatest sleuth. Stranded on a lavish ocean liner with the globe's wealthiest and most influential individuals, he faces the daunting task of unmasking a potential murderer with his trusty sidekick by his side.

* Genius: MLK/X (Coming to NatGeo in February) 

This series will examine the formative years, accomplishments, dueling philosophies, and key personal relationships of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

* The Sympathizer (Coming to Max)

In this spy thriller/satire adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Robert Downey Jr. takes on multiple roles. Co-produced by acclaimed filmmakers Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, the series depicts the trials of a French-Vietnamese communist spy during the Vietnam War.

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