A free-fall from space, Gangnam Style, ridiculously long-lived Iowans and a very long high-speed rail line: the records 2012 broke.
Enlarge
Felix Baumgartner of Austria jumps out of a capsule during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos on Oct. 14, 2012, in space. Baumgartner broke the world record for the highest free fall in history after making a 23-mile ascent in the capsule attached to a massive balloon. (Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Stratos/AFP/Getty Images)
2012 was a year of record-breakers, from Olympic swimming stars to remarkably long-lived Iowans. Felix Baumgartner jumped from the edge of space, South Korean musician spy waged a aural war of attrition on Youtube, and scientists actually managed to land a successful rover on the Red Planet—among other scientific accomplishments. Here's some of 2012's most significant (or at least amusing) firsts.
More
Follow us: