The 10 Most Insane Things That Happened In Iowa In 2015
×
Michaela Kendall
Author
This year was a busy one for us Iowans. We saw all sorts of things happen – the good, the bad, and even the crazy. As we recount what 2015 brought us, it’s hard not to remember these insane, groundbreaking things that happened in Iowa:
Early this summer, scientists found evidence of a giant scorpion-like animal that roamed the seas hundreds of millions of years before the dinosaurs. A total of 30 specimens were found in Northeast Iowa, at a site called the Winneshiek Shale, which is within an ancient meteorite impact crater and is mostly submerged by the Upper Iowa River. The creature, named Pentecopterus Decorahenis, lived about 450 million years ago, and is the earliest known member of an extinct group of animals known as eurypterids, which are related to hermit crabs, spiders and scorpions. These beasts grew up to 6-feet-tall and hunted other creatures on the sea floor, using their massive, spined front limbs to catch prey.
The Northern Lights are a magical, natural phenomenon that many people travel thousands of miles to see, but this year in Iowa, we were lucky enough to see them right at home. In June, and then again in November, the Northern Lights were visible over the state.
Advertisement
Late this summer, 15-year-old Brady Olson, a farm kid from Wallingford, Iowa, became a viral sensation when he registered to run for president - making the ballot in 30 states and even garnering 7% support in one Iowa poll. Obviously, Deez Nutz had to drop out of the race for age reasons, being that he's only 15.
Advertisement
The Hawkeyes completed their undefeated regular season with a 28-20 win against Nebraska on November 27.
The last time the Hawkeyes went to the Rose Bowl was 1991, but the time before that (in 1986) was the bigger of the two events, as the Hawks were ranked No. 1 for several weeks, before losing to Ohio State and dropping to No. 2 before being beat by UCLA at the Rose Bowl. Currently, the Hawks sit at No. 4 in the polls, and with the next Rose Bowl just around the corner, it's another exciting time for Hawkeye fans.
Related Stories
11 Shocking Things You Had No Idea Happened In Iowa
These 14 Houses In Iowa From The 1930s And 40s Will Open Your Eyes To A Different Time
These 12 Photos Of Historical Hunks From Iowa Will Make You Swoon
Like deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fried nacho balls, and corn in a cup, to name a few. God bless the Iowa State Fair.
It's no surprise that the Iowa State Fair is a stomping ground for presidential candidates, but it was a bit surprising when actress Ellen Page, showed up (with film crew in tow) at the Iowa State Fair to pick a bone with the Texas senator.
This June, Fred "The Mayor" Hoiberg left Iowa State to become the head coach for the Chicago Bulls. Hoiberg was the fastest coach in Iowa State history to notch 100 wins (in 148 games), and in 2011-12, Hoiberg led the Cyclones to a 23-11 record and the program’s first NCAA Basketball Tournament appearance since 2005. The season also included the team’s first ranking in the AP Top 25 poll since 2005. Hoiberg was named 2012 Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year after winning nine more games during the 2012 conference season than in 2011, the largest season-to-season improvement in Big 12 history.
Advertisement
This summer was a rough one for Iowa farmers, as the Avian Influenza virus ravaged through the state, costing more than $1.2 billion in damage as a result of lost livestock. In Iowa, over 33.7 million chickens and turkeys died of the disease or were euthanized to prevent its spread, and an estimated 8,400 workers lost their jobs. At one point, Governor Branstad even requested that four counties be declared federal disaster areas.
On a happier note, we got to experience a rare and beautiful super moon eclipse this September. This type of eclipse last happened in 1982, and won't happen again until 2033.
What are some more crazy things that happened in Iowa this year? Share your thoughts with us!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.