The 2010s put smartphones in nearly every pocket and gave us streaming marathons, viral dances, and more prestige television than anyone could reasonably finish.
Scroll back through the decade and see whether your memory deserves a blue check.
Headlines That Shaped the Decade
Begin with the big picture, then keep roaming through our world history trivia.
- Which massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in March 2011?
Answer: The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. - What protest movement began in New York’s financial district in 2011?
Answer: Occupy Wall Street. - Which city hosted the 2015 climate conference that produced the Paris Agreement?
Answer: Paris. - What name was given to the wave of uprisings across the Arab world beginning in 2010?
Answer: The Arab Spring. - Which country voted to leave the European Union in 2016?
Answer: The United Kingdom. - Who became the first woman elected chancellor of Germany before the decade and served throughout it?
Answer: Angela Merkel. - Which British prince married Meghan Markle in 2018?
Answer: Prince Harry. - What Chilean rescue captured global attention in 2010?
Answer: The rescue of 33 miners from the San José mine. - Which pope resigned in 2013?
Answer: Pope Benedict XVI. - Who succeeded him as pope?
Answer: Pope Francis.
Phones, Apps, and the Connected Life
This round remembers when every new app felt like a tiny cultural earthquake.
- Which photo-sharing app launched in 2010?
Answer: Instagram. - What disappearing-message app originally launched as Picaboo?
Answer: Snapchat. - Which short-video app merged with Musical.ly in 2018?
Answer: TikTok. - What Nintendo console launched in 2017?
Answer: The Nintendo Switch. - Which voice assistant debuted with the iPhone 4S?
Answer: Siri. - What augmented-reality mobile game sent players searching for creatures outdoors in 2016?
Answer: Pokémon Go. - Which company acquired WhatsApp in 2014?
Answer: Facebook. - What crowdfunding platform helped creators fund projects throughout the decade?
Answer: Kickstarter. - Which app made five-star ride ratings part of everyday conversation?
Answer: Uber. - What hashtag symbol became central to organizing conversations on social media?
Answer: The number sign, or hashtag.
Streaming and Peak Television
The remote had competition from autoplay, and our TV show trivia has even more episodes to revisit.
- Which fantasy series concluded its television run in 2019?
Answer: Game of Thrones. - What Netflix series followed inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary?
Answer: Orange Is the New Black. - Which drama starred Rami Malek as hacker Elliot Alderson?
Answer: Mr. Robot. - What series introduced viewers to the Upside Down?
Answer: Stranger Things. - Which comedy featured the employees of the Parks Department in Pawnee?
Answer: Parks and Recreation. - Who created and starred in Fleabag?
Answer: Phoebe Waller-Bridge. - Which anthology series opened with the episode “The National Anthem”?
Answer: Black Mirror. - What drama centered on advertising executive Don Draper and ended in 2015?
Answer: Mad Men. - Which sitcom followed the Rose family after they lost their fortune?
Answer: Schitt’s Creek. - What streaming service launched The Mandalorian in 2019?
Answer: Disney+.
Blockbusters and Awards Season
Superheroes assembled, animation flourished, and one musical number got announced too early.
- Which 2012 Marvel film united Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye?
Answer: The Avengers. - Who directed Get Out?
Answer: Jordan Peele. - Which South Korean film won the Palme d’Or in 2019?
Answer: Parasite. - What animated Disney film featured sisters Elsa and Anna?
Answer: Frozen. - Which musical was mistakenly announced as Best Picture before Moonlight won?
Answer: La La Land. - Who played Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road?
Answer: Charlize Theron. - Which Pixar film takes place largely inside Riley’s mind?
Answer: Inside Out. - What 2017 superhero film starred Gal Gadot and was directed by Patty Jenkins?
Answer: Wonder Woman. - Which actor played Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody?
Answer: Rami Malek. - What 2014 film follows a boy named Mason across twelve years?
Answer: Boyhood.
Songs That Lived on Repeat
Ready for another chorus? Our music trivia keeps the speakers busy.
- Who released “Rolling in the Deep”?
Answer: Adele. - Which singer’s album 1989 included “Blank Space”?
Answer: Taylor Swift. - Who performed “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson?
Answer: Bruno Mars. - Which Canadian artist released “Call Me Maybe”?
Answer: Carly Rae Jepsen. - What Luis Fonsi hit featured Daddy Yankee?
Answer: “Despacito.” - Who sang “Royals”?
Answer: Lorde. - Which Childish Gambino video became a major cultural talking point in 2018?
Answer: “This Is America.” - What Daft Punk song featured Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers?
Answer: “Get Lucky.” - Who released the visual album Lemonade?
Answer: Beyoncé. - Which Psy hit became a global dance phenomenon in 2012?
Answer: “Gangnam Style.”
Sports Moments and Champions
From penalty kicks to perfect routines, the decade supplied highlight reels for every taste.
- Which country won the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
Answer: Spain. - Which country won the 2014 FIFA World Cup?
Answer: Germany. - Who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
Answer: France. - Which gymnast won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics?
Answer: Simone Biles. - What NBA team overcame a 3-1 deficit to win the 2016 Finals?
Answer: The Cleveland Cavaliers. - Which baseball team ended a 108-year championship drought in 2016?
Answer: The Chicago Cubs. - Who became the first man to run a marathon under two hours in an unofficial event in 2019?
Answer: Eliud Kipchoge. - Which tennis player won the women’s singles title at the 2018 US Open?
Answer: Naomi Osaka. - What city hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics?
Answer: London. - Which quarterback led the New England Patriots’ comeback in Super Bowl LI?
Answer: Tom Brady.
Science, Space, and New Discoveries
Big data met very big telescopes in a decade full of genuine wonder.
- Which particle was discovered at CERN in 2012?
Answer: The Higgs boson. - What rover landed on Mars in 2012?
Answer: Curiosity. - Which spacecraft flew past Pluto in 2015?
Answer: New Horizons. - What phenomenon did LIGO announce it had directly detected in 2016?
Answer: Gravitational waves. - Which gene-editing technique became a major scientific breakthrough during the decade?
Answer: CRISPR-Cas9. - What was photographed for the first time by the Event Horizon Telescope in 2019?
Answer: A black hole’s shadow. - Which private company landed an orbital-class rocket booster in 2015?
Answer: SpaceX. - What interstellar object discovered in 2017 was named ʻOumuamua?
Answer: The first detected interstellar object passing through our solar system. - Which NASA mission ended with a plunge into Saturn in 2017?
Answer: Cassini. - What global citizen-science project lets players classify galaxies online?
Answer: Galaxy Zoo.
Games and Geek Culture
Controllers charged, fandom shirts on, and absolutely no shame about checking the wiki.
- Which block-building game received its full release in 2011?
Answer: Minecraft. - What 2013 game follows Joel and Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States?
Answer: The Last of Us. - Which battle royale game popularized the floss dance?
Answer: Fortnite. - What fantasy role-playing game introduced the shout “Fus Ro Dah”?
Answer: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. - Which indie game features a child traveling through the Underground?
Answer: Undertale. - What BioWare trilogy concluded with Mass Effect 3 in 2012?
Answer: The original Mass Effect trilogy. - Which 2016 game brought back Doom Slayer?
Answer: Doom. - What farming simulation was created primarily by Eric Barone?
Answer: Stardew Valley. - Which game featured android protagonists Connor, Kara, and Markus?
Answer: Detroit: Become Human. - What 2018 game sent Kratos and Atreus into Norse mythology?
Answer: God of War.
Memes, Words, and Viral Moments
The internet had jokes, and then the jokes acquired sequels, remixes, and branded merchandise.
- What color debate surrounded a viral dress in 2015?
Answer: Whether it was blue and black or white and gold. - Which dance challenge accompanied Drake’s “In My Feelings”?
Answer: The Kiki Challenge. - What phrase did DJ Khaled repeat to celebrate continued success?
Answer: “Another one.” - Which distracted stock-photo character became a meme in 2017?
Answer: Distracted Boyfriend. - What 2013 dance-meme format began with one person dancing before a chaotic group cut?
Answer: The Harlem Shake. - Which frog character became a widely used internet meme?
Answer: Pepe the Frog. - What word describes the fear of missing out?
Answer: FOMO. - Which phrase from RuPaul’s Drag Race became shorthand for revealing hidden truth?
Answer: “The tea,” often paired with “spill the tea.” - What 2019 meme proposed raiding a secretive Nevada military site?
Answer: Storm Area 51. - Which looping video platform shut down in 2017?
Answer: Vine.
Everyday Culture Time Capsule
Finish with objects, trends, and treats that instantly reopen the decade.
- Which reusable bottle brand became a colorful campus staple late in the decade?
Answer: Hydro Flask. - What spinning toy craze peaked in 2017?
Answer: Fidget spinners. - Which coffee preparation made cold brew a common menu item?
Answer: Steeping coffee grounds in cool water for many hours. - What meal-delivery trend sent preportioned ingredients to subscribers?
Answer: Meal kits. - Which Marie Kondo phrase asked whether an item inspired happiness?
Answer: “Does it spark joy?” - What electric self-balancing scooter became a holiday craze in 2015?
Answer: The hoverboard. - Which plant-based burger company launched the Impossible Burger in 2016?
Answer: Impossible Foods. - What patterned adult coloring activity surged in popularity around 2015?
Answer: Adult coloring books. - Which unicorn-themed food trend filled social feeds with rainbow colors?
Answer: Unicorn food. - What subscription model delivered monthly boxes of themed products?
Answer: Subscription boxes.
Sources and Further Reading
- United Nations 2010s timeline and news
- NASA missions
- CERN Higgs boson overview
- Olympics results and history
- Academy Awards database
Ellie Ewert is the founder and author of RandomTrivia.co, blending her passion for research with years of experience in content creation to deliver accurate, engaging, and well-sourced trivia. Dedicated to providing readers with trustworthy and entertaining facts, she applies meticulous fact-checking and SEO expertise to ensure every article meets the highest standards. Read more about our high standards in our Editorial Guidelines.