Skip to content
Back Then

Your time capsule is ready

In your 16 years you’ve been around for…

  • 6 Prime Ministers
  • 2 monarchs
  • 4 World Cups
  • +1.2 billion people on Earth

2010

The world you arrived into

2010

An Icelandic volcano grounded Europe

In April 2010, ash from Eyjafjallajökull closed airspace across northern Europe for days.

2010

Britain’s first coalition since the war

The 2010 election produced a Conservative–Liberal Democrat government in May.

2010

What people were listening to

Now playing in 2010

  • Tinie Tempah’s "Pass Out"

    The debut single kicked off 2010’s British pop-rap moment.

  • Eminem and Rihanna topped charts

    "Love the Way You Lie" was one of 2010’s biggest singles.

2010

At the cinema and on television

movies

Inception

Nolan’s spinning top arrived in July 2010 and argued about endings ever since.

movies

The King’s Speech

The story of George VI’s stammer premiered in 2010 and went on to win Best Picture.

2010

Technology looked very different

  1. The iPad was announced

    Apple’s tablet arrived in April 2010 and created a category overnight.

  2. Instagram launched

    The first photo — a dog and a foot — was posted in October 2010.

2010

What things cost

  • An average UK house about £170,000
  • A pint of beer about £2.80
  • A litre of petrol about £1.20

Indicative UK averages from sample data — being verified and expanded.

When these arrived

You were only…

  • 12 ChatGPT arrived 2022
  • 2 The London Olympics 2012
  • 7 TikTok went global 2017
  • 10 The UK left the EU 2020

A gentle reality check

Things that are younger than you

  • 2012 The London Olympics
  • 2017 TikTok went global
  • 2020 The UK left the EU
  • 2022 ChatGPT arrived
See all 4 things younger than you →

2010 vs today

A few things have changed since you arrived

A few things 2010 Today
  • An average UK house about £170,000 about £290,000
  • A pint about £2.80 about £4.60
  • Petrol about £1.20 about £1.40 a litre
  • Everyone on Earth about 7.0 billion about 8.2 billion

Indicative sample data — being verified and expanded.

See the full Then vs Now →

Pick the version you want to share

My year

Know someone born in 2010? Send them their year — or see every way to explore 2010.

Keep exploring