2021 – the year in infographics
From rocket launches to COP26 via horse-racing, ice-breaking and James Bond, we cast our minds back over 2021 in 12 infographics taken from Delayed Gratification magazine and our new book, An Answer for Everything
January: Who’s got the biggest rocket?
January saw Nasa run its final “hot fire” test of its huge new Space Launch System, designed to send crews to the Moon and Mars. But how does it compare to other mega rockets?
February: UFOs
February saw the latest in a long line of UFO sightings, prompting us to ask the question – what’s the most common shape of potential alien craft to spot in the sky?
March: For want of a better word
In March a raft of new words was introduced to the dictionary and we combed through suggested neologisms which have not yet made the grade
April: The Grand National
April saw Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to win the Grand National: we trace the story of women competing at the famous steeplechase
May: The iceberg cometh
An unsettling new record was set in May when a vast iceberg detached from Antarctica
June: The Euros
June saw the delayed Euro 2020 football tournament begin: Italy won, but everyone was best at something…
July: Burns night
As Independence Day celebrations took place in the States, we counted the cost in singed fingers
August: Summer reading
August saw the summer holidays kick into top gear, and us working out the ultimate sun lounger reading list 
September: The greatest tennis player of all time
On 11th September, Emma Raducanu became the first British woman in 44 years to win a Grand Slam. But who’s the best tennis player ever?
October: The best James Bond
October saw No Time to Die become the biggest film of the year after its opening weekend. It was Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond – but where does he stand in the rankings of every 007 to date?
November: Reaching net zero
The deliberations at Cop26 dominated the news agenda throughout much of November. But where do the UK’s emissions come from? And what would it take to get to net zero? We tackled both questions in this series of infographics in An Answer for Everything.
December: How do I write a Christmas hit?
Christmas is a time for family, celebration, and cashing in on festive sentimentality with expertly-crafted pop singles. In case you’d like to write your own Christmas hit, we’ve broken down the key components for you…
For more infographics grab a copy of our book An Answer For Everything or subscribe to Delayed Gratification, the Slow Journalism magazine. Use promo code SLOWNEWSDAY for ten percent off.
