Ah, 2016. The year that killed David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Harambe and Vine. The year that brought on Brexit and Donald Trump. The year that can most appropriately be described as a long, drawn-out sigh. Yet, despite the devastating moments, a handful of news stories and small battles showed that humanity still has a lot of hope and heart. Even though this past year gave us all a serious case of the blues, let's take a walk down memory lane and look at the silver linings.

1. The hole in the ozone layer showed signs of healing for the first time

Nearly 30 years after the international community signed an agreement – the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete The Ozone Layer – the Earth's ozone layer showed its first signs of recovery during the summer of 2016. Scientists found that the hole in the ozone had shrunk by 1.5 million square miles, putting the planet on a significant path to recovery.

2. A new era of Harry Potter began

Just when we thought we would never experience it again, five years later our movie screens were once more illuminated with the Warner Brothers logo, accompanied by the most magical soundtrack ever written.J.K Rowling also revealed that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was just the beginning of a five-part installment! Always? Always.

3. Sri Lanka eradicated Malaria

After a long struggle, Sri Lanka was officially declared free of Malaria in September. Through the 1940s, Sri Lanka routinely had a million cases of malaria a year. Many campaigns succeeded in decreasing these numbers to an extent, but eradicating this highly-contagious disease in a country of two million people characterized by civil wars and poverty, was not an easy task. Three years after the Sri Lankan government began to offer free Malaria care, the country finally succeeded. “This is a big success story,” said Dr. Pedro L. Alonso, the director of the W.H.O.’s global malaria program. “And it’s an example for other countries.”

4. Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Academy Award

2016 was a significant year for many reasons, but it may go down in history as the year the internet needed to create a new Leonardo DiCaprio meme. In February, after 27 years in Hollywood, six Academy Award nominations, one digested bison liver, 100 interviews about aforementioned bison liver and one graphic bear attack, Leonardo DiCaprio finally beat his "curse" and won a best actor Oscar for his performance in The Revenant. It's too bad we can't say we have the same number of Academy Awards as Leonardo Dicaprio anymore.

5. The Cubs won the World Series

Speaking of curses being lifted, the Chicago Cubs shattered their 108-year wait for a World Series title in an epic eight-to-seven, 10th inning victory over the Cleveland Indians this November. Thousands of fans lingered for hours at the stadium, singing the victory anthem "Go Cubs Go" and holding signs with saying such as "Now I can die in peace." After years – generations – of heartbreak, the Cubs finally beat back at the ghost of playoffs past.

6. Mutant snail Jeremy found love

Finding a soul mate is certainly not easy, and it becomes a little harder when you're a sinistral mutant. Jeremy, a common garden snail, was born with a condition that affects one in a million: his shell twists to the left and his organs are on the abnormal side of his body – essentially an involuntary vow of chastity. But sometimes, miracles happen. On Twitter. Jeremy's condition captured the hearts of UK citizens and spawned the worldwide hashtag #snaillove. The hashtag found Jade Sanchez Melton, the owner of a rare – you guessed it – sinistral garden snail named Lefty; Jeremy was transported to Lefty's habitat in November. The compatible snails also allowed scientists a rare opportunity to study and understand these atypical snails.

7. Tiger, manatee and panda numbers increased

2016 was a big year for animals. For the first time in 100 years, wild tiger populations were on the rise. Despite constant pressures from poachers, deforestation and development – the worst of which resulted in the extinction of Cambodia's tiger population – and through conservation commitments and enhanced protections, the estimated number of wild tigers rose from 3,200 to 3,890 in 2016. Conservation efforts also significantly benefited manatees and giant pandas this year, which rebounded 500 percent and 17 percent, respectively, and are no longer classified as "endangered." A lot of hope may have been lost in 2016, but hope for threatened wildlife certainly wasn't!

8. Netflix added offline downloads

As of 2016, you can finally take Netflix with you on an airplane or the subway. In November, the company announced that it's launching offline playback for many of our favorite TV shows and movies. Right now, that selection includes Netflix originals (Stranger Things, The Crown, Narcos, Orange is the New Black, etc) and many, many other random selections such as Minions and Kung Fu Panda Three. Offline playback is a feature Netflix executives previously said the company was unlikely to embrace, so the decision came us a pleasant (and entertaining) surprise.

9. Six women made history on Election Night

Despite the shocking election results that saw Donald Trump win the 2016 Presidential Election, there were some positively exciting moments of the night, including the incredible women that made history. Kamala Harris became the second black woman to be elected to the Senate, and she is the first to be elected as California attorney general; Catherine Cortez Masto made history by becoming the first Latina woman senator in U.S. history; Pramila Jayapal became the first South Asian woman to be elected to Congress; Ilhan Omar made history as the first Somali-American legislator; Kate Brown was elected the first openly LGBTQ+ governor in the United States; and Stephanie Murphy made history as the first Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress. These inspirational and brilliant women could help shape the future of America for the better, so let's celebrate.

10. Zootopia addressed real world issues

Disney's 55th animated film debuted to critical acclaim and a 73 million dollar box office debut, and it was stunningly different from any Disney animated film we've ever seen. It might take place in a society full of talking creatures great and small, but at the core of Disney's Zootopia are real-world human issues. Tackling issues such as racism and even drug policy in a quirky, powerful and entertaining way, all while earning millions of dollars, Zootopia changed the face of animated film.

11. California powered six million homes with solar power

In another massive win for the environment during 2016, a new renewable energy record came to light. Thanks to a heat wave, California shattered a state energy record and powered over 6 million homes using solar power; several large solar plants throughout the state produced over 8,030 megawatts of electricity. This significant record significantly layed the groundwork for a plausible, healthy and sustainable future using solar power.

12. The gene responsible for ALS was found

People thought it was silly two summers ago – a perfect example of internet slacktivism if you will – but the Ice Bucket Challenge Internet sensation actually gathered enough funds to make an important breakthrough in ALS research. With the one million dollars donated to finding a cure for ALS, the University of Massachusetts medical researchers were able to locate and research the gene responsible for ALS. Simply speaking, we are one significant step closer to finding a cure for a terrible disease because a lot of people poured water on themselves and talked about it online. All hail the internet!

13. Volunteers in India planted 50 million trees in 24 hours

As part of the Paris Climate Agreement signed on Earth Day 2016, India designated $6.2 billion towards an afforestation effort across India to bring India's forest cover to 235 million acres by 2030. In accordance with this agreement, more than 800,000 people from Uttar Pradesh took part in planting trees around India's northern states. The timing couldn't have been more necessary, with six out of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world coming from India, and this feat sets an important precedent for a future with increased air quality and abundant habitats for wildlife.

14. Harriet Tubman was chosen to replace Andrew Jackson on the 20 dollar bill

The long attempt by the U.S. Treasury Department to select a woman whose face will appear on future American banknotes came to a close in 2016 with the news that Harriet Tubman will be replacing Andrew Jackson as the face of the 20 dollar bill. Tubman's achievements were notable for the multiple obstacles she faced, and her position on American currency provides long-overdue representation for women of color in the United States.

15. Pokemon Go helped shelter dogs get exercise

Muncie Animal Shelter in Indiana found the perfect use for the influx of people wandering the city playing Pokemon Go – dog-walkers! The initiative attracted lines of people to the shelter, looking at adoptable dogs and taking the energetic puppies out for walks. People enjoyed taking dogs out on their hunts, and pictures of "Pokemon Go puppies" got thousands of retweets and garnered exposure for the shelter. In fact, many also found themselves falling in love with the excited, fun-loving animals they were spending time with and ended up adopting the dog they met.

16. Portugal ran its entire nation solely on renewable energy for four days

Portugal kept its lights on and its country functioning with renewable energy alone for four consecutive days in May, achieving a zero-emission milestone which could completely change the way our planet functions in the upcoming years. Electricity consumption in the country was fully covered by solar, wind and hydropower in an extraordinary 107-hour run that lasted from 6:45 a.m on May 7 until 5: 45 p.m the following Wednesday. Scientists hope that this feat is only the beginning of a future powered entirely by clean energy; hopefully what seems extraordinary today will be commonplace across Europe in just a few years.

2016 was a year filled with small battles and small victories, whether they made it past the election coverage on the news or not. Like this four year old who befriended a lonely man who recently lost his wife and helped him heal. Or this teacher who received a pair of Vans for Christmas from his students. Or this teen battling cancer who married his sweetheart. Or these two brothers who saw color for the first time thanks to special glasses. This year families grew, people survived cancer and overcame depression, kids and adults met their new best friends and puppies were born. Any kind of victory, even if it affects only one person, is a victory. If you look past the negativity, that's what 2016 was all about.

"Happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." – Frederick Keonig