With tweets flying through cyberspace every second of the day, we're writing history with the touch of our fingertips. In 2012, Users documented events, political battles and heart-wrenching moments throughout the past year, and Twitter itself made history on a few occasions.
Here's a look back at the nine biggest Twitter milestones of 2012.
Twitter's Sixth Birthday
Single-digit birthdays are usually celebrated with cake, balloons and confetti, but on March 21, 2012, founder Jack Dorsey, recognized Twitter's six-year accomplishment with a tweet — what else would you expect?
It's 12:50. Happy 6th Birthday @twitter. From 1 tweet to over 1 billion every 3 days. I'm so proud of our users and our team.— Jack Dorsey (@jack) March 21, 2012
James Cameron's Deepest Tweet
Take a moment to once again recover from the shock of reliable cellphone service at the bottom of the ocean. (Seriously, what provider does he have?) As if James Cameron isn't busy enough smashing box office records and thriving in his creative genius, he also sent a message from 35,755 feet below the surface.
Just arrived at the ocean's deepest pt. Hitting bottom never felt so good. Can't wait to share what I'm seeing w/ you @deepchallenge— James Cameron (@JimCameron) March 25, 2012
Rumor has it the next Avatar movie will have some deep underwater footage, but we highly doubt the Na'vi will communicate in 140-character language.
Tailored Suggestions
At one point in time, Twitter recommended that each user follow similar people, regardless of his or her musical taste, location or any other indicator.
In May, the social media website announced a tailored suggested follower experience, based on a user's browsing history and integrated websites.
Header Image
While Twitter is known for simplicity, a major change came to individual profiles this year: the header image.
If you're Ryan Seacrest, that meant getting creative. If you're Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, you painted yourself amidst scenery. If you're ignoring the feature, you sure won't notice a difference.
Overall, reactions to Twitter's new header seemed positive, and unlike its competitors' major changes, the feature eased into Twitter feeds.
Obama's Record-Breaking Tweet
Four more years. twitter.com/BarackObama/st…— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 7, 2012
The majority of Americans may have re-elected President Obama for another term, but this photo will live in social media history as the most retweeted image — for the foreseeable future.
With more than 817,000 retweets and 300,000 favorites, it might take another monumental election (unless you're Justin Bieber) to smash the record.
Twitter Fiction Festival
You may be aware that the Library of Congress is archiving Twitter data for the history books. And this fall, users had a chance to create their own interactive stories on the platform.
The three-day Twitter Fiction Festival
And some users are still keeping the #twitterfiction hashtag alive:
He was having a good time. Everything was coming his way. He was in the wrong lane, though. #Shorties #twitterFiction— Blessen Varghese (@blessenv) December 17, 2012
"There are no words to describe how much of an impact you've made in my life," she admitted. "Don't leave me." #vss #twitterfiction— Jane Roussak (@JaneRoussak) December 17, 2012
The Pope Joins
The pope's first tweet on Dec. 12 spread around the Twittersphere, earning more than 60,000 retweets. He currently has approximately 1.2 million followers.
Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
Don't worry, non-English speaking tweeters; he's available in seven other languages.
Baby Hashtag
While this event wasn't technically related to Twitter, it's nonetheless a notable event when someone allegedly names her eight-pound newborn after the Twitter hashtag.
The announcement came on Facebook instead of 140 characters, but we'll #hashtag in her honor anyway.
Instagram Blocking/Twitter's Own Photo Edits
Around the time Instagram cut off Twitter cards, Aviary paired with Twitter to create unique photo effects and filters for the social network.
With the backlash against Instagram's new terms of service, it might mean Twitter takes a new role in photography.