Before queuing up "Auld Lang Syne," let's reflect on 2013.
The Year of the Selfie brought us a government shutdown, a new pope, intelligence leaks of unparalleled proportions, and the Hyperloop. Physics' greatest mystery — the theory of how particles acquire mass— was resolved. Some "leaned in," others twerked.
We collectively named "Satoshi Nakamoto," the anonymous inventor of Bitcoin, Business Insider's Person of the Year.
From politics to sports, entertainment, finance, and more, people have done extraordinary things this year. These are the people who impressed us the most (listed in alphabetical order).
"Satoshi Nakamoto," Bitcoin inventor
Most Impressive Person of the Year
Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym used by the anonymous inventor of Bitcoin, the electronic currency that seemingly came out of nowhere and has been taking over financial market headlines since.
Bitcoin is a form of digital currency that doesn't actually exist in the physical world, only as cryptic code in computers. Unlike the U.S. dollar, it's controlled privately, keeps no record of the identity of its owner, and can be transacted without the government's knowledge.
There have since been numerous attempts — comprehensively tracked by Hilary Sargent, AKA Chart Girl— to determine Nakamoto's identity, but nothing conclusive has yet emerged.
Click to get to know Satoshi Nakamoto, our Most Impressive Person of the Year »
Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pioneered a three-tier approach — nicknamed "Abenomics"— to get the Japanese economy humming again. The plan buoyed the Japanese stock market up more than 51% year to date.
Abe was elected in 2012 on the promise that he would pursue extremely aggressive stimulative policies, which included weakening the yen. The currency's plunge effectively makes the country's exports cheaper and stoked some moderate inflation.
It seems to be working. The Japanese stock market is at its highest level in almost six years and data shows the country is breaking out of its deflationary slump.
Click to see how Shinzo Abe radically transformed Japan's monetary policy »
Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke steered the U.S. out of the worst financial crisis and ensuing recession in the last 80 years.
The methods that Bernanke used to keep the economy going were untested — a highly accommodative monetary policy and near-zero interest-rate policy that's expected to outlast the man himself. His tenure as head of the U.S. central bank ends in January.
Bernanke made transparency and independence hallmarks of his leadership. He shocked market participants earlier this year with the decision not to taper despite pressure from more conservative economic thinkers.
Click for the 16 times when Ben Bernanke was a total badass »
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