21st century
34572
226044406
2008-07-16T16:05:50Z
Devahn58
290657
/* Television and film */
{{dablink|20XX redirects here. For other uses of both "20XX" and "21st century", see [[21st century (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Centurybox}}
The '''21st century''' is the current century of the [[Common Era]] in accordance with the [[Gregorian calendar]]. It began on [[January 1]], [[2001]] and will end [[December 31]], [[2100]]. <!-- 2001 and 2100 are the correct years, NOT 2000 or 2099. There was no year zero. -->
Technologically, the major differences to date from the [[20th century]] are the changes brought about by the [[digital revolution]] of the [[1980s]] and [[1990s]], and particularly the [[Internet]]. While the 20th century was marked by the rapid development of travel fueled mostly by [[petroleum]], the 21st century is marked by concern over how to cope with consequences of [[pollution]] and [[resource depletion]].
==Pronunciation==
Regarding pronunciation of 21st century years, academics suggest that since former years such as [[1805]] and [[1905]] were commonly pronounced as "eighteen oh" or "nineteen oh" five, the year [[2005]] should naturally have been pronounced as "twenty oh-five".<ref name="preferMC">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article376957.ece Experts clash over millennium bugbear] — [[The Times]]</ref> A less common variation would have been "twenty nought-five". Many experts agree that majority usage of "two thousand (and) '''X'''" is a result of influences from the [[Y2K]] hype, as well as the way "[[2001]]" was pronounced in the influential [[1968]] film, ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]''.
Many people, ranging from [[linguistic]] and [[academic]] experts to Internet [[blog]]gers, predict that the "twenty '''X'''" pronunciation method will eventually prevail, but a timeframe as to when this change will occur often differs. The year [[2010]] is suggested by many,<ref>http://maxspeak.org/mt/archives/002457.html</ref><ref>[http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0026Sg The Naughty Noughties, or something<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and the [[2010 Winter Olympics|Vancouver Olympics]], taking place in 2010, is being officially referred to by ''Vancouver 2010'' as "the twenty-ten olympics", while [[2011]]<ref name="preferMC" /> and [[2013]] are popular as well. The latest timeframes for change are usually placed at [[2020]].<ref name="preferMC" />
==Important developments, events, achievements==
===Politics===
*[[2001]] - The [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] precede the [[War on Terrorism]]. On [[October 7]], [[2001]] a [[United States|US]]-led coalition invades [[Afghanistan]].
*[[2002]] - [[East Timor]] gains independence from [[Indonesia]].
*[[2003]] - [[International Criminal Court]] opens. On [[March 20]], [[2003]] the United States and a "Coalition of the Willing" invade [[Iraq]], beginning Operation Iraqi Freedom, or the [[Iraq War]].
*[[2003]] - [[2005]] A series of [[nonviolence|nonviolent]] revolutions known as the [[colour revolution]]s overthrow governments in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Ukraine]], [[Kyrgyzstan]] and [[Lebanon]].
*[[2004]] - [[Enlargement of the European Union|EU Enlargement]]: 10 countries join, 8 of which are former [[Communist]] nations.
*[[2005]] - [[UN Security Council]] decides that [[war criminal]]s in [[Darfur]] will be tried by the International Criminal Court <ref>http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc_resolutions05.htm</ref>
*[[2006]] - [[Montenegro]] gains independence and becomes the 192nd member of the [[UN]].
*[[2006]] - [[North Korea]] conducts its [[2006 North Korean nuclear test|first nuclear test]].<ref>{{cite web |title=US confirms nuclear claim |publisher=New York Times |date=2006-10-15 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/16/world/asia/17koreacnd.html?hp&ex=1161057600&en=891cb4c4775510b3&ei=5094&partner=homepage |accessdate=2006-10-16}}</ref>
*[[2006]] - [[Saddam Hussein]], former president of [[Iraq]], is [[executed]] in [[Baghdad]].
*[[2007]] - [[Enlargement of the European Union|EU Enlargement]]: [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]] join the EU.
*[[2008]] - [[Kosovo]] declares independence from [[Serbia]], but remains unrecognized by many countries.
*[[2008]] - [[Barack Obama]] becomes the [[presumptive nominee]] of the United States [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008 presidential election]]. He is the first [[African American]] to win enough support for the nomination of any major U.S. political party.
===Science and technology===
====Space exploration====
*[[2001]] - [[Dennis Tito]] becomes the first [[space tourism|space tourist]] by paying $20 million to board the [[International Space Station]].
*[[2002]] - ''[[Mars Odyssey]]'' arrives in orbit around [[Mars]].
*[[2003]] - [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster]] [[February 1]].
*[[2003]] - The [[Space program of China|Chinese space program]] launches its first manned space flight, ''[[Shenzhou 5]]'' on [[October 15]].
*[[2004]] - [[Mars Exploration Rover]]s land on [[Mars]]; ''[[Opportunity (rover)|Opportunity]]'' discovers evidence that that area of [[Mars]] was once covered in water.
*[[2004]] - The ''[[Cassini-Huygens]]'' probe arrives at [[Saturn (planet)|Saturn]].
*[[2004]] - ''[[Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne|SpaceShipOne]]'' makes the first privately-funded [[human spaceflight]], [[June 21]]
*[[2005]] - The ''[[Huygens probe|Huygens]]'' probe lands on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], the largest of Saturn's moons, [[January 14]].
*[[2005]] - The ''[[Deep Impact (space mission)|Deep Impact]]'' probe impacts [[Comet Tempel 1]], [[July 4]].
*[[2006]] - ''[[New Horizons]]'' is launched on a 9 year voyage to [[Pluto]], [[January 19]].
*[[2006]] - The ''[[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]]'' arrives at [[Mars]].
*[[2006]] - [[Pluto]] is reclassified from a [[planet]] to a [[dwarf planet]], leaving the solar system with eight planets.
*[[2008]] - [[NASA]]'s [[MESSENGER]] flies by Mercury, becoming the first spacecraft to do so in 33 years.
*[[2008]] - [[Phoenix Lander]] successfully arrives at Mars; later tests conducted by the spacecraft reveal evidence of ice on Mars.
====Medicine====
*[[2003]] - [[Dolly the sheep|Dolly the cloned sheep]] dies prematurely [[February 14]].
*[[2003]] - [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome]] (SARS) spreads around the globe.
*[[2005]] - The first successful partial [[face transplant]] is performed in [[France]].
*[[2006]] - [[Australian of the Year]] Dr [[Ian Frazer]] develops a [[vaccine]] for [[cervical cancer]].
====Personal technology====
* [[Mobile phone]] usage approaches 100% in Europe.<ref>http://www.mobiletracker.net/archives/2005/05/18/mobile-subcribers-worldwide</ref>
====Other====
*[[2003]] Discovery of an old dwarf human species, ''[[Homo floresiensis]]'' by modern humans (published in October, [[2004]]).
* Discovery of four [[chemical element]]s, of [[atomic number]] [[Ununtrium|113]], [[Ununpentium|115]], [[Ununhexium|116]] and [[Ununoctium|118]].
===Conflicts and civil unrest===
*[[Colombian Armed Conflict]] ([[1964]]-present)
*[[Sri Lankan Civil War]] (1983-present)
*[[September 11, 2001 attacks]] on [[USA]]
*[[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
*[[2002 Bali terrorist bombing|12 October 2002 Bali bombing]]
*[[Moscow theatre hostage crisis]] October 2002
*[[Iraq War]] (20 March 2003-present)
*[[Darfur conflict]] (2003-present)
*[[11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings]]
*[[September 2004]] [[Beslan hostage crisis]]
*[[7 July 2005 London bombings]]
*[[2005 civil unrest in France]]
*[[2006 East Timor crisis]]
*[[11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings]]
*[[2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict]]
*[[War in Chad (2005–present)|War in Chad]] (2005-present)
*[[War in Somalia (2006–present)]]
*[[War on Terrorism]] (2001-present)
*[[2006 Fijian coup d'état]]
====Worldwide deaths from war and terrorist attacks====
*[[Second Congo War]], approximately 1.8 million deaths (3.8 million since [[1998]])
*[[Iraq War]], a wide variation in the number of casualties quoted, ranging from the tens of thousands, up to approximately 1 million deaths<ref>[http://www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=88 Update on Iraqi Casualty Data] by Opinion Research Business, January 2008</ref>, [[Iraq Body Count]], [[ORB survey of casualties of the Iraq War]].
*[[Darfur conflict]], approximately 400,000 deaths
*Civil War in [[Côte d'Ivoire]], 3,000 deaths
*[[September 11, 2001 attacks]], 2,997 deaths, Twin Towers of the [[World Trade Center]] destroyed and [[The Pentagon]] damaged.
*December 13, 2001 attacks, [[Terrorist attack on Indian Parliament (2001)]], terrorists storm the Indian Parliament Building in [[New Delhi]] and kill six police officers.
*[[October 12]], [[2002]] [[2002 Bali terrorist bombing|Bali terrorist bombings]] kill 202 people.
*[[March 11, 2004]] terrorist attacks shake several train stations on Spain's capital [[Madrid]], killing 191 people and injuring 1,247.
*[[July 7, 2005]] suicide terrorist attacks shake [[London]] transport system killing 52 people and injuring 700.
*[[29 October 2005 Delhi Bombings]], terrorists attack various markets in [[New Delhi]], killing 61 people and injuring 188 more, right before the start of the festival season in India.
*[[July 11]], [[2006]] six bombs explode in train stations in [[Mumbai]], killing 190.
===Natural disasters===
* Up to 50,000 died in [[France]], [[Italy]], and other [[Europe]]an countries in the summer of [[2003]] due to a prolonged [[European heat wave of 2003|heat wave]] coinciding with a shortage of medical and nursing staff.
* [[Bam, Iran#2003 earthquake|Earthquake]] in [[Bam]], [[Iran]] on [[December 27]], [[2003]] killed more than 26,000.
* [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]]. On [[December 26]] an undersea earthquake in the [[Indian Ocean]] created a large [[tsunami]], which impacted land across the region and killed approximately 310,000 in [[Indonesia]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[India]], [[Thailand]] and other countries in the region.
* [[2004]] hurricanes [[Hurricane Charley|Charley]], [[Hurricane Frances|Frances]], [[Hurricane Ivan|Ivan]], and [[Hurricane Jeanne|Jeanne]] batter [[Florida]] and the [[Caribbean]] in [[August 2004|August]] and [[September 2004|September]], killing over 3,200, 3,000 of which resulted from Jeanne's torrential flooding rains in [[Haiti]]. The hurricanes caused a combined $50 billion in damage in the [[United States]].
* In [[2005]], [[Hurricane Katrina]] impacts the [[U.S. Gulf Coast]] as a strong Category 3 hurricane with top sustained winds before landfall near 125 mph, flooding [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], and causing significant damage in [[Mississippi]], [[Tennessee]], and [[Alabama]]. The hurricane killed 1,836 and surpassed [[Hurricane Andrew]] in cost of damage, approaching $75 billion and becoming the costliest natural disaster in U.S history.
* [[2005 Kashmir earthquake|Earthquake in Kashmir]] on [[October 8]], [[2005]], which has so far killed at least 87,350 in [[India]] and [[Pakistan]].
* [[Hurricane Stan]] hit [[Mexico]] along the [[Gulf of Campeche]] in October [[2005]] and moved into [[Guatemala]]. Hurricane Stan combined with powerful storms already occurring in the region and contributed to the deaths of 1,620.
* [[2007 Peru earthquake]]. On [[August 15]], an undersea earthquake in the [[Peru]]vian coast killed more than 500 and destroyed the coastal cities of [[Pisco]] and [[Chincha]].
*[[Cyclone Nargis]] strikes [[Myanmar]] from [[April 27]] - [[May 3]], [[2008]], killing more than 78,000, leaving 55,917 missing, and leaving 2.5 million homeless.
*[[2008 China earthquake]] on [[May 12]] [[2008]] kills over 70,000.
===Sports===
{{Expand list}}
{{Dynamic list}}
* [[2001]]- [[Tiger Woods]], [[United States|American]] [[professional golfer|golfer]], completes the [[Tiger Slam]], winning four golf majors in a row
* [[2001]]- [[NASCAR]] (American stock car) driver [[Dale Earnhardt]] dies after hitting the wall on the last lap of the [[Daytona 500]]. Earnhardt's son, [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]], claimed a tearful victory in the next race held at Daytona, less than four months later.
* [[2001]]- [[Rugby League]] [[Widnes Vikings]] gain their first entrance to the [[Super League (Europe)|Super League]].
* [[2002]]- [[Phil Taylor]] becomes the first player to win the World Darts Championship 10 times [PDC], following a 7-0 whitewash of [[Peter Manley]].
* [[2002]]- In the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]] held in [[South Korea]] and [[Japan]], [[Brazil]] won the [[Football World Cup]] becoming the first team to win the trophy 5 times.
* [[2002]]- [[Michael Schumacher]] wins his fifth [[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|Formula One World Drivers Championship]], becoming only the second driver after [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] to do so.
* [[2002]]- [[2002 Winter Olympics]] held in [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], [[United States]].
* [[2003]]- [[Michael Schumacher]] wins his record-breaking sixth [[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|Formula One World Drivers Championship]] title.
* [[2003]]- [[Roy Jones Jr.]] becomes the first former World Middleweight Boxing Champion in 106 years to win a portion of the World Heavyweight title, following his twelve-round unanimous decision over then-WBA champion [[John Ruiz]].
* [[2003]]- [[England national rugby union team|England]] wins the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]], becoming the first team from the [[northern hemisphere]] to win the cup.
* [[2004]]- [[Arsenal FC|Arsenal]] win the [[English Premier League]] without losing a single game, having the longest unbeaten league run of 49 games from May 2003 to October 2004. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3713537.stm]
* [[2004]]- [[Greece]] win the [[European Football Championship]] for the first time.
* [[2004]]- [[2004 Summer Olympics]] held in [[Athens, Greece]].
* [[2004]]- The [[Boston Red Sox]] defeat the [[Saint Louis Cardinals]] in the [[World Series]], for their first win in 86 years. The Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit in the penultimate series against their [[rival]], the [[New York Yankees]].
* [[2004]]- [[NASCAR]] [[Kurt Busch]] wins the first [[NASCAR Nextel Cup Series]] championship with the Chase points system.
* [[2005]]- [[Liverpool FC]] win the [[European Cup]] for the fifth time in their history, enabling them to keep the trophy permanently. In a dramatic final, they come from 3-0 down at half time to win 3-2 on [[Penalty kick (football)|penalties]] against [[AC Milan]].
* [[2005]]- American cyclist [[Lance Armstrong]] wins his seventh consecutive [[Tour de France]].
* [[2005]]- In [[cricket]], [[England]] wins [[The Ashes]] defeating [[Australia]] 2-1. This win is the first for England in 18 years.
* [[2005]]- [[Chicago White Sox]] win the [[World Series]] (4-0) over the [[Houston Astros]]. It was their first World Series win in 88 years.
* [[2005]]- [[Fernando Alonso]] became the youngest [[Formula One]] champion ever, grabbing 133 points to clinch the title.
* [[2006]]- [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] star [[Kobe Bryant]] scores 81 points in a [[Los Angeles Lakers|Lakers]] game on [[January 22]].
* [[2006]]- [[2006 Winter Olympics]] held in [[Torino, Italy|Torino]], [[Italy]].
* [[2006]]- [[Miami Heat]] win the NBA Finals against [[Dallas Mavericks]] 4 games to 2; after losing the first two games, and winning the last four straight.
* [[2006]]- [[Floyd Landis]] wins the [[Tour de France]], but not without [[Floyd Landis#Doping investigation|controversy]].
* [[2006]]- [[NASCAR]] driver [[Jimmie Johnson]] wins his first Nascar championship.
* [[2006]]- [[Michael Schumacher]] retires from [[Formula One]] racing after a record-breaking career, in which he broke 31 records in any racing class, including the record for most wins at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]].
* [[2007]]- [[Indianapolis Colts]] defeat the [[Chicago Bears]], 29-17, to claim the team's first Super Bowl in 36 years.
* [[2007]]- [[Thierry Henry]] leaves [[Arsenal FC]] to join [[FC Barcelona]] and is greeted by a record 30,000 fans (10,000 more than [[Ronaldinho]]) at the [[Camp Nou]] [http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/viewarticle.aspx?id=513868]
* [[2007]]- [[Barry Bonds]] of the [[San Francisco Giants]] breaks the all time career home run record with 756 career HR, the previous was 755 career HR held by [[Hank Aaron]]. Later in the year, Bonds is indicted for alleged [[perjury]], for lying about whether he had ever taken [[steroids]].
* [[2007]]- [[George J. Mitchell]] issues a report detailing the usage of [[steroids]] in [[Major League Baseball]], implicating several players, including [[Roger Clemens]].
* [[2007]]- The [[New England Patriots]] finish the [[NFL]] regular season 16-0, the first team to go undefeated in a sixteen-game season. The Patriots would go on to beat the Jaguars and Chargers in the playoffs. Despite being heavily favored to win the Super Bowl and complete a 19-0 Season, the Patriots would lose to the [[New York Giants]], 17-14. [[Eli Manning]] threw a game winning touchdown to [[Plaxico Burress]] with 35 seconds left.
*[[2007]]- [[India]] win the first [[ICC World Twenty20]] by defeating [[Pakistan]] in the finals.
*[[2008]]- [[The 2008 Summer Olympics]] commence in [[Beijing]] on [[8 August]], [[2008]] at 8:08:08 PM [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]+8.
==Issues and concerns==
{{Unreferencedsection|date=March 2008|date=March 2008}}
''There are several points-of-view pertaining to the following items, all of which should be considered accordingly.''
Issues that have been frequently discussed and debated so far in this century include:
*'''[[Globalization]].''' Advances in [[telecommunications]] and [[transportation]], the expansion of [[capitalism]] and [[democratization|democracy]], and [[free trade]] agreements have resulted in unprecedented global economic and cultural integration. This has caused (and is continuing to cause) economic and cultural shifts which have been the subject of considerable controversy.
*'''[[Overpopulation]].''' The [[United Nations]] [http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/24/un.population/ estimates] that [[world population]] will reach 9.1 billion by mid-century. Such growth raises questions of ecological [[sustainability]] and creates many [[economic]] and [[political]] disruptions. In response, many countries have adopted policies which either force or encourage their citizens to have fewer children, and others have limited [[immigration]]. Considerable debate exists over what the ultimate carrying capacity of the planet may be; whether or not population growth containment policies are necessary; to what degree growth can safely occur thanks to increased economic and ecological efficiency; and how markets should accommodate demographic shifts. Evidence suggests that developed countries (such as [[Japan]]) suffer population ''implosion,'' and the population debate is strongly tied with poverty.
*'''[[Poverty]].''' Poverty remains the root cause of many of the world's other ills, including [[famine]], [[disease]], and insufficient [[education]]. Poverty contains many self-reinforcing elements (for instance, poverty can make education an unaffordable luxury, which tends to result in continuing poverty) that various aid groups hope to rectify in this century. [[Microcredit]] lending has also started to gain a profile as a useful anti-poverty tool.
*'''[[Politics|Political issues]]''', such as [[Mass media|media]] content, [[gay rights]], and [[abortion]] continue from the [[1990s]].
*'''[[Disease]].''' [[AIDS]], [[tuberculosis]] and [[malaria]] each kill over a million people annually. [[HIV]] remains without a cure or vaccine, and is growing rapidly in [[India]] and much of the [[Africa]]n continent. [[Antibiotic resistance]] is a growing concern for organisms such as [[tuberculosis]]. Other diseases, such as [[SARS]], [[ebola]], and [[flu]] variations, are also causes for concern. The [[World Health Organization]] has [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3524824.stm warned] of a possible coming flu [[pandemic]] resulting from [[Avian influenza|bird flu]] [[mutation]]s.
*'''[[War]] and [[terrorism]].''' [[Ongoing wars|Active conflicts]] continue around the world, including civil wars in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (the largest war since [[World War II]]), [[Chechnya]], [[Côte d'Ivoire]], [[Somalia]], [[Senegal]], [[Colombia]], and [[Sudan]] (mainly in [[Darfur]]). The [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11 terrorist attacks]] triggered invasions of [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]] and partially and controversially [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq]]. The [[War on Terrorism]] has seen controversies over [[civil liberties]], accusations of [[torture]], continued terrorist attacks and ongoing instability, violence, and military occupation. Violence continues in the [[Arab-Israeli conflict]]. Considerable concern remains about [[nuclear proliferation]], especially in [[Iran]] and [[North Korea]], and the availability of [[weapons of mass destruction]] to rogue groups.
* '''[[Global warming]].''' Most climate scientists concur that the earth is currently undergoing significant [[anthropogenic]] (human-induced) [[global warming]]. [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686] The resulting economic and ecological costs are hard to predict, and by the end of the 21st century could be quite severe. However, predictions have become more dramatic in recent years. Some scientists argue that human-induced global warming risks considerable losses in biodiversity and ecosystem services unless considerable sociopolitical changes are introduced, particularly in patterns of mass consumption. On the other hand, climate change has already begun to wreak havoc on entire communities on the fringes of the developing world.
*'''Other environmental changes.''' Trends such as increased [[pollution]], [[deforestation]] and [[biodiversity]] loss occurring in the 20th century are likely to continue into the 21st century.
* '''Global power.''' Issues surrounding the cultural, economic, and military dominance of the [[United States]] and its role in the world community have become even more pointed given its recent military activities, problematic relations with the [[United Nations]], disagreement over several international treaties, and its economic policies with regard to globalization. Integration of the [[European Union]] and the [[African Union]] have proceeded.
* '''[[Intellectual property]].''' The increasing popularity of digital formats for entertainment media such as movies and music, and the ease of copying and distributing it via the [[Internet]] and [[peer-to-peer]] networks, has raised concerns in the media industry about [[copyright infringement]]. Much debate is proceeding about the proper bounds between protection of [[copyright]], [[trademark]] and [[patent]] rights versus [[fair use]] and the [[public domain]], where some argue that such laws have shifted greatly towards intellectual property owners and away from the interests of the general public in recent years, while others say that such legal change is needed to deal with the threat of new technologies against the rights of authors and artists (or, as others put it, against the outmoded business models of the current entertainment industry). [[Domain name]] "cybersquatting" and access to patented drugs to combat epidemics in third-world countries are other IP concerns.
* '''[[Technology]]''' developments show no sign of ending. [[Cybernetics|Communications and control]] technology continues to augment the intelligence of individual humans, collections of humans, and machines. Cultures are forced into the position of sharply defining humanity and determining boundaries on desire, thought, communication, behavior, and manufacturing. Some, notably [[Ray Kurzweil]] have predicted that by the middle of the century there will be a [[Technological Singularity]] if [[artificial intelligence]] that outsmart humans is created. If these AIs then create even smarter AI's technological change will accelerate in ways that are impossible for us to foresee. (However, gradual and simultaneous use of AI technology to increase our own intelligence might prevent this from ever occurring.)
* '''[[Fossil fuel]]s''' are becoming scarce and more expensive, due to the escalating [[demand (economics)|demand]] for [[petroleum]] ("oil") and oil-based products such as [[gasoline]] and [[kerosene]], unmatched by production. Discovery of new [[oil fields]] has not been sufficient to sustain current levels of production, and some fear that the earth may be running out of economically viable oil.
The [[United Nations]] lists global issues on its [http://www.un.org/issues/ agenda] and lists a set of [http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ Millennium Development Goals] ([[Millennium Development Goals|MDG]]s) to attempt to address some of these issues.
==Astronomical events==
* Tuesday, [[June 8]], [[2004]]: First [[transit of Venus]] for 122 years.
* [[November 8]], [[2006]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* [[December 23]], [[2007]]: [[Conjunction (astronomy and astrology)#2007|grand conjunction]] a galactic conjunction which happens every 26000 years.
* [[2009]]: [[Triple conjunction]] [[Jupiter (planet)|Jupiter]]-[[Neptune (planet)|Neptune]].
* 2010/2011: Triple conjunction Jupiter-[[Uranus (planet)|Uranus]].
* [[July 12]] [[2011]]: Neptune completes its first orbit since its discovery in [[1846]].
* Wednesday, [[June 6]], [[2012]]: Transit of [[Venus (planet)|Venus]] to occur a second time (and last time) this century.
* [[May 9]], [[2016]]: Transit of [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]].
* Monday, [[August 21]], [[2017]] [http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/5MCSEmap/2001-2100/2017-08-21.gif] : First total [[solar eclipse]] of the 21st century for the [[United States]], and the first visible in the continental US since [[February 26]], [[1979]] [http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/5MCSEmap/1901-2000/1979-02-26.gif].
* [[November 11]], [[2019]]: [[Transit of Mercury.]]
* 2024 (plus or minus 5 years): Next predicted return of Comet [[12P/Pons-Brooks]].
* 2025/2026: Triple conjunction [[Saturn (planet)|Saturn]]-Neptune.
* Friday, [[April 13]], [[2029]]: The [[asteroid]] [[99942 Apophis]] (previously better known by its [[provisional designation]] 2004 MN<sub>4</sub>) will pass within 30,000 km (18,600 mi) of the Earth.
* [[November 13]], [[2032]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* 2037/2038: Triple conjunction Jupiter-Uranus.
* [[November 7]], [[2039]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* 2041/2042: Triple conjunction [[Mars]]-Uranus.
* [[October 1]], [[2044]]: [[Occultation]] of [[Regulus]] by Venus. The last was on [[July 7]], [[1959]]. After 2044 the next occultation of Regulus by Venus will occur on [[October 21]], [[3187]], although some sources claim it will occur again on [[October 6]], [[2271]].
* 2047/2048: Triple conjunction Jupiter-Neptune.
* [[May 7]], [[2049]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* [[November 9]], [[2052]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* July 2061: Next return of [[Halley's Comet]].
* 2063: Triple conjunction Mars-Uranus.
* [[November 11]], [[2065]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* [[November 22]], [[2065]]: At 12:45 UTC, Venus will occult Jupiter. This event will be the first [[occultation]] of a planet by another since [[January 3]], [[1818]]. This event will be very difficult to observe, because the elongation of Venus and Jupiter from the Sun on that date will be only 7 degrees.
* 2066: Triple conjunction Jupiter-Uranus.
* [[July 15]], [[2067]]: At 11:56 UTC, Mercury will occult Neptune. This rare event will be very difficult to observe, because of the constant low elongation of Mercury from the Sun, and the magnitude of Neptune always under the limit of visibility with the naked eye.
* 2071/2072: Triple conjunction Mars-Neptune.
* [[November 14]], [[2078]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* 2079: Triple conjunction Saturn-Uranus.
* [[August 11]], [[2079]]: At 01:30 UTC, Mercury will occult [[Mars]].
* Friday, [[November 10]], [[2084]]: [[Transit of Earth from Mars|Transit of Earth]] as seen from Mars, the first and the only one in this century.
* [[November 7]], [[2085]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* 2085/2086: Triple conjunction Jupiter-Neptune.
* [[October 27]], [[2088]]: At 13:43 UTC, Mercury will occult Jupiter.
* 2088/2089: Triple conjunction Mars-Neptune.
* 2093: Triple conjunction Jupiter-Uranus.
* [[April 7]], [[2094]]: At 10:48 UTC, Mercury will occult Jupiter.
* [[May 8]], [[2095]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
* [[November 10]], [[2098]]: [[Transit of Mercury]].
==Significant figures==
{{Expand list}}
{{Dynamic list}}
<!-- Please note that this is a list of people from various spheres who are considered to be significant to the ENTIRE 21ST CENTURY. This means that any additions to this list should be supported with a citation indicating as such, even if it seems "obvious" to you that a person is significant. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYONE from this list without discussion on the talk page first. -->
<!-- Please add new persons at the end of this list. -->
* [[Rudolph Giuliani]], Mayor of [[New York City]] during the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]<ref name="TimePOY">[http://history1900s.about.com/library/weekly/aa050400a.htm TIME's Man of the Year List<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[George W. Bush]], [[President of the United States]] from 2001-2009<ref name="TimePOY"/>
* [[Bill Gates]], founder and former CEO of [[Microsoft]], philanthropist<ref name="TimePOY"/>
* [[Melinda Gates]], philanthropist<ref name="TimePOY"/>
* [[Vladimir Putin]], [[President of Russia]] from 1999-2008<ref name="TimePOY"/>
* [[Tony Blair]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] from 1997-2007{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
* [[Gerhard Ertl]], physical chemist<ref name="Nobel">[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/ All Nobel Laureates<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[Leonid Hurwicz]], economist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Eric S. Maskin]], economist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Roger B. Myerson]], economist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Doris Lessing]], writer<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Mario R. Capecchi]], molecular geneticist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Martin J. Evans]], geneticist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Oliver Smithies]], geneticist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Albert Fert]], physicist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Ronald Collé]], research radiochemist{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
* [[Peter Grünberg]], physicist<ref name="Nobel" />
* [[Cormac McCarthy]], writer<ref name="Pulitzer">[http://www.pulitzer.org/2007/2007.html The Pulitzer Prizes - 2007 Winners<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[David Lindsay-Abaire]], playwright<ref name="Pulitzer" />
* [[Gene Roberts]], historian<ref name="Pulitzer" />
* [[Hank Klibanoff]], historian<ref name="Pulitzer" />
* [[Natasha Trethewey]], poet<ref name="Pulitzer" />
* [[Lawrence Wright]], writer<ref name="Pulitzer" />
* [[Ornette Coleman]], musician<ref name="Pulitzer" />
* [[Bono]], musician, activist<ref name="TimePOY"/>
* [[Al Gore]], [[Vice President of the United States]] from 1993-2001, [[Environmentalism|environmental activist]]<ref name="Nobel" />
<!-- Please note that this is a list of people from various spheres who are considered to be significant to the ENTIRE 21ST CENTURY. This means that any additions to this list should be supported with a citation indicating as such, even if it seems "obvious" to you that a person is significant. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYONE from this list without discussion on the talk page first. -->
==Pop cultural references to the remaining years of the 21st century==
===Television and film===
* The new series of [[Doctor Who]] which began in [[2005]] has events that take place (more or less) in the 21st century.
* ''[[seaQuest DSV]]'' takes place between the years [[2018]] and [[2032]].
* In the sequel to ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', a joint American-Soviet space expedition is sent to Jupiter in ''[[2010 (film)|2010]]''.
* The popular [[adult swim]] series [[Sealab 2021]] takes place in the year 2021.
* The events of ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' continue into the early 21st century.
* ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'' is set in the early 21st century.
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': is set in the year 2005. The subsequent third season of the [[The Transformers (TV series)|Transformers series]] takes place after the events of the movie.
* The Japanese anime show ''[[The Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'' spans the years [[1999]] to [[2012]] (its final episode takes place in January of 2012, and a direct to video epilogue featurette takes place in September 2012). Its prequel and sequels take place in [[2008]] (''[[Macross Zero]]''), [[2040]] (''[[Macross Plus]]'') and [[2045]]-[[2046]] (''[[Macross 7]]''). A dramatized historical fiction movie about the First Space War, ''[[The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?]]'', premieres in [[2031]].
* The American cartoon show ''[[Robotech]]'', composed from the footage of three unrelated anime series (including ''[[The Super Dimension Fortress Macross|Macross]]'', above) spans the years 1999 to [[2015]], [[2030]]-[[2031]] and [[2044]]-[[2045]].
* Part of the sequel ''[[Back to the Future Part II]]'' is set in [[2015]].
* The Japanese anime series ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV)|Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' is also set in [[2015]].
* The modern classic film ''[[Blade Runner]]'' takes place in November, [[2019]].
* The [[cult television|cult]] series ''[[Dark Angel (TV series)|Dark Angel]]'' is set in [[2019]].
* The film ''[[The Running Man]]'' starring [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] is set in 2019.
* Both parts of the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' episode "[[Past Tense (DS9 episode)|Past Tense]]" take place in [[2024]].
* The dystopic sci-fi novel and film ''[[Metropolis (film)|Metropolis]]'' takes place in [[2026]].
* The film ''[[Children of Men]]'' is set in [[2027]].
* The [[anime]] universe of ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]'', its sequel ''[[Ghost in the Shell: Innocence]]'', and anime television series based on the same premise (''[[Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex]]'' and ''[[Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GiG]]''), are centered somewhere around [[2029]].
* ''[[The Terminator]]'' is set up during the early years of the 21st century in terms of the wars between humans & Skynet. Some of the intervening years are dealt with by the two sequels, ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'' and ''[[Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines]]'', with the whole [[Media franchise|franchise]] building to a conclusion of the War in [[2029]].
* The 2002 version of ''[[The Time Machine]]'' has scenes that take place in the [[2030s]].
* The [[Doctor Who]] story ''[[The Enemy of the World]]'' is set in [[Australia]] in [[2030]].
* The anime OAV series ''[[Bubblegum Crisis]]'' (2032-33), its sequel ''[[Bubblegum Crash]]'' (2034), and its TV-series re-imagining ''[[Bubblegum Crisis 2040]]'' (2040).
* ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]'' is set in [[2032]].
* ''[[I, Robot]]'' was set in [[2035]].
* Deep space vessel [[Event Horizon (film)|''Event Horizon'']] was sent to test an artificial wormhole ([[black hole]]) in deep space in the year [[2040]]. The lost ship is found 7 years later by a rescue team on board the ship ''Lewis and Clark'' on low orbit around the planet [[Neptune]].
* ''[[The Outward Urge]]'' has a major nuclear war in [[2044]] and the first manned landing on [[Mars]] in [[2094]].
*[[Bollywood]] movie [[Love Story 2050]] was partly set in 2050.
* ''[[Minority Report]]'' was set in [[2054]].
* World War III ends in [[2056]] according to ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'', with 600,000,000 dead and most major cities destroyed.
* The 1998 remake of ''[[Lost in Space]]'' was set in [[2058]].
* Most of ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'' takes place in [[2063]]. In Star Trek canon, the human [[Zefram Cochrane]] develops faster-than-light travel and makes first contact with [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|an alien race]] during this year.
*''[[Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within]]'' is set in 2065.
* The [[Doctor Who]] story ''[[The Moonbase]]'' is set in [[2070]].
* The Japanese anime show ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' is set in [[2071]].
* The Nickelodeon cartoon ''[[My Life as a Teenage Robot]]'' is set in [[2072]].
* ''[[Equilibrium (2002 movie)|Equilibrium]]'' is set in 2072.
* The [[Doctor Who]] story ''[[Day of the Daleks]]'' is set in [[2073]], albeit in an alternative [[Alternate history (fiction)|timeline]].
* The film ''[[Total Recall (film)|Total Recall]]'', and the [[Doctor Who]] story ''[[Warriors of the Deep]]'' is set in [[2084]].
* In ''[[Star Trek: Insurrection]]'', it is discovered that the [[Ba'ku]] moved to the [[Briar Patch (Star Trek)|Briar Patch]] at some point in this century.
* ''[[The Jetsons]]'' is supposed to take place in the late 21st century.
* ''[[Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (film)|Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century]]'' and its sequels takes place in the years 2049-2054.
* The final episode of ''[[The X-Files]]'' sets 2012 as the date for alien colonization.
* The CGI animated series ''[[Cubix: Robots for Everyone]]'' takes place in [[2040]].
* The [[Doctor Who]] story ''[[The Seeds of Death]]'' is set in [[2090]].
* The [[Doctor Who]] story ''[[Nightmare of Eden]]'' is set in [[2096]].
* The events of ''[[Leprechaun 4: In Space]]'' takes place in [[2096]].
* The [[2008]] [[Disney Channel]] movie ''[[Minutemen (film)|Minutemen]]'' is based between the dates [[September 3rd]] [[2005]] and [[September 8th]] [[2008]].
* The tagline of [[Torchwood]] series one is: "The 21st century is when everything changes. And we have to be ready." In series two, the second sentence changes to: "And Torchwood is ready."
===Computer and video games===
* The events of [[Metal Gear Solid]] take place in 2005, [[Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty]] takes places in the years 2007 (Tanker Chapter) and 2009 (Big Shell Chapter), and the events of [[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]] take place in 2014.
* ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]'' is set in the early 21st century and contains evidence (such as calendars) that suggest it is more specifically set in [[October]] or [[December]] [[2007]]
* ''[[Uplink (computer game)|Uplink]]'' is set on the internet of the year [[2010]].
* ''[[Perfect Dark Zero]]'' is set in [[2020]] and ''[[Perfect Dark]]'' is set in [[2023]].
* The races in ''[[San Francisco Rush 2049]]'' take place in [[2049]].
* The events of ''[[Deus Ex]]'' take place in [[2052]].
* The levels "Breaking and Entering" and "You Genius, U-Genix" in ''[[TimeSplitters: Future Perfect]]'' take place in [[2052]].
* ''[[System Shock]]'' is set in [[2072]].
* ''[[Future Cop: LAPD]]'' takes place in the year [[2098]].
* The discovery of the Zohar in ''[[Xenosaga]]'' takes place in 20XX.
* The [[Great War]] of the ''[[Fallout (computer game)|Fallout]]'' universe starts on [[October 23]], [[2077]]; [[nuclear bombs]] are launched, nobody knows who the aggressor was.
* The events of ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne]]'' occur in 20XX.
* In ''[[Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction]]'', the 2nd Korean War starts early in this century.
* ''[[Mercenaries 2: World in Flames]]'', will take place sometime around between 2008 and 2010.
* The [[Mega Man Classic]] series takes place in the 21st century.
* The [[MegaMan Battle Network]] series takes place in 20XX.
* The arcade game ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'' takes place in the year [[2084]].
* ''[[One Must Fall|One Must Fall: 2097]]'' takes place in [[2097]].
* The ''[[Mr. Driller]]'' series (and ''[[Dig Dug: Digging Strike]]'', a game in its related timeline) takes place in 20XX.
* The events of [[Half-Life 2]] and its [[expansion pack]]s takes place around th early 2020s.
* The video game and cartoon [[Homestar Runner#20X6|20X6]] of [[Homestar Runner]] supposedly takes place in the seventh year of an unspecified decade in the 21st century.
* The [[nuclear holocaust]] of the ''[[AquaNox]]'' universe takes place in mid-21st century, followed by the massive exodus of survivors underwater.
* ''[[Trauma Center: Under the Knife]]'' and ''[[Trauma Centre: Second Opinion]]'' take place in 2018, when AIDS and cancer supposedly have cures.
* The events of ''[[Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow]]'' takes place in this time; specifically 2035. The sequel, ''[[Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow]]'' takes place one year later, in 2036. These are the only two [[Castlevania]] titles to have taken place beyond the early to mid 20th century thus far.
* The events of ''[[Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift]]'' and ''[[Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2]]'' take place during 20XX, when Japanese highways have supposedly been opened as racing circuits.
* The events of ''[[Namco X Capcom]]'' takes place during 20XX.
* In the [[Command & Conquer: Tiberian series]], the 2nd Tiberium War between the [[Global Defense Initiative]] and the [[Brotherhood of Nod]] begins in [[2030]]. The 3rd Tiberium War takes place 17 years later in [[2047]], which also sees the arrival of the [[Scrin]] to Earth.
* ''Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2'' (GRAW 2) takes place in 2014
===Novels===
* [[Arthur C. Clarke]]'s ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', ''[[2010: Odyssey Two]]'' and ''[[2061: Odyssey Three]]''.
* [[Tad Williams]]' ''[[Otherland]]'' series is set at some undefined point in the 21st century
* [[Neal Stephenson]]'s ''[[The Diamond Age]]'' is also set in the 21st century, after some disaster befell the centralized telephone network. This led people to build a decentralized network, which they used to transfer money, thus destroying normal methods of taxation and bringing down most large governments.
* ''Red Mars'' of [[Kim Stanley Robinson]]'s [[Mars trilogy]] begins in [[2027]].
* Some books by [[Arkady and Boris Strugatsky]] are set in 21st century
* ''[[The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress]]'' by [[Robert A. Heinlein]] takes place in [[2075]].
* ''[[Turnabout]]'' by [[Margaret Peterson Haddix]], is set in 2005-06, 2057, and mainly [[2085]].
==Decades and years==
{{DecadesAndYears}}
{{Centuries}}
==See also==
*[[African Century]]
*[[American Century]]
*[[Asian Century]]
*[[Chinese Century]]
*[[European Century]]
*[[Indian Century]]
*[[Pacific Century]]
*[[Pax Americana]]
==References==
{{Refimprove|date=November 2006}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://stateoftheworld.reuters.com Reuters - The State of the World] The story of the 21st century
*[http://www.longbets.org/ Long Bets] Foundation to promote long-term thinking
*[http://www.longnow.org/ Long Now] Long-term cultural institution
*[http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=00031010-F7DA-1304-B72683414B7F0000 Scientific American Magazine (September 2005 Issue) The Climax of Humanity]
[[Category:21st century| ]]
[[Category:3rd millennium]]
[[Category:Centuries]]
[[af:21ste eeu]]
[[als:21. Jahrhundert]]
[[ar:قرن 21]]
[[an:Sieglo XXI]]
[[ast:Sieglu XXI]]
[[az:XXI əsr]]
[[zh-min-nan:21 sè-kí]]
[[be:21 стагоддзе]]
[[be-x-old:21 стагодзьдзе]]
[[bs:21. vijek]]
[[br:XXIvet kantved]]
[[bg:21 век]]
[[ca:Segle XXI]]
[[cv:XXI ĕмĕр]]
[[cs:21. století]]
[[cy:21ain ganrif]]
[[da:21. århundrede]]
[[de:21. Jahrhundert]]
[[et:21. sajand]]
[[el:21ος αιώνας]]
[[es:Siglo XXI]]
[[eo:21-a jarcento]]
[[eu:XXI. mendea]]
[[fa:سده ۲۱ (میلادی)]]
[[fo:21. øld]]
[[fr:XXIe siècle]]
[[fy:21e ieu]]
[[ga:21ú haois]]
[[gv:21oo eash]]
[[gd:21mh Linn]]
[[gl:Século XXI]]
[[gan:21世紀]]
[[ko:21세기]]
[[hy:21-րդ դար]]
[[hr:21. stoljeće]]
[[io:21ma yar-cento]]
[[id:Abad ke-21]]
[[ia:Seculo 21]]
[[os:XXI æнус]]
[[is:21. öldin]]
[[it:XXI secolo]]
[[he:המאה ה-21]]
[[jv:Abad kaping 21]]
[[ka:XXI საუკუნე]]
[[kk:21 ғ.]]
[[kw:21ns kansblydhen]]
[[ku:Sedsala 21'an]]
[[la:Saeculum 21]]
[[lv:21. gadsimts]]
[[lb:21. Joerhonnert]]
[[lt:XXI amžius]]
[[lij:XXI secolo]]
[[li:Einentwintegste iew]]
[[hu:21. század]]
[[mk:21 век]]
[[mi:Rautau 21]]
[[mr:इ.स.चे २१ वे शतक]]
[[ms:Abad ke-21]]
[[nl:21e eeuw]]
[[nds-nl:21e eeuw]]
[[ja:21世紀]]
[[no:21. århundre]]
[[nn:2000-talet]]
[[nrm:XXIe s.]]
[[nov:21esmi sekle]]
[[oc:Sègle XXI]]
[[uz:XXI asr]]
[[nds:21. Johrhunnert]]
[[pl:XXI wiek]]
[[pt:Século XXI]]
[[ksh:21. Joohunndot]]
[[ro:Secolul al XXI-lea]]
[[ru:XXI век]]
[[sah:XXI үйэ]]
[[sq:Shekulli XXI]]
[[scn:Sèculu XXI]]
[[simple:21st century]]
[[sk:21. storočie]]
[[sl:21. stoletje]]
[[sr:21. век]]
[[sh:21. stoljeće]]
[[stq:21. Jierhunnert]]
[[su:Abad ka-21]]
[[fi:2000-luku]]
[[sv:2000-talet]]
[[ta:21ம் நூற்றாண்டு]]
[[kab:Lqern wis XXI]]
[[tt:21. yöz]]
[[th:คริสต์ศตวรรษที่ 21]]
[[vi:Thế kỷ 21]]
[[tr:21. yüzyıl]]
[[uk:21 століття]]
[[ur:2000صبم]]
[[vec:XXI secoło]]
[[fiu-vro:21. aastagasada]]
[[wa:21inme sieke]]
[[yi:21טער י"ה]]
[[zh-yue:21世紀]]
[[bat-smg:XXI omžios]]
[[zh:21世纪]]