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Sunset Challenge: TikTok's Visual Phenomenon Captures 3.2 Billion Views in 48 Hours

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/12 .. enon-captures-3-2-billion-views-in-48-hours.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Monday, December 22nd 2025 at 13:33 GMT by Deadline.com

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The 2025 Viral Landscape – A 2025 Retrospective from Deadline

In a feature that quickly became the go-to recap for social‑media junkies, Deadline.com’s “2025 Most Viral Social‑Media Moments” (published December 12, 2025) pulls together the year’s biggest digital buzz‑worthy moments and explains why they resonated across platforms. The piece not only lists the moments, but also provides context—links to the original posts, behind‑the‑scenes insights from the creators, and analysis of how each clip or meme captured the cultural zeitgeist. Below is a concise yet comprehensive summary of the article, its highlights, and the broader implications it drew for the entertainment and marketing worlds.

1. “Sunset Challenge” – TikTok’s Visual Phenomenon

The year opened with a simple yet visually stunning TikTok trend: the Sunset Challenge. Users filmed a quick time‑lapse of their favorite sunset, set to a new, soft‑melody track that was originally a background beat on Instagram Reels. Within 48 hours the challenge had over 3.2 billion views and 1.4 million new TikTok videos. Deadline notes that the trend’s appeal lay in its universal accessibility—anyone with a phone could join, and the resulting content was instantly shareable. The article links directly to the first viral entry (a clip from a 19‑year‑old TikToker in Hawaii) and to a “behind the scenes” Q&A with the creator, who explained how the simple premise allowed her to connect with millions in a single post.

2. “Reverse Food” – Instagram Reels Foodie Frenzy

Instagram Reels took its place in the spotlight with the Reverse Food trend. Influencers filmed a dish being placed upside‑down, then filmed the food “falling” into a bowl, all in reverse playback. The resulting videos looked both playful and slightly uncanny. Deadline’s piece highlighted that the trend was fueled by a viral “reverse” algorithm change on Reels, which promoted reverse‑motion content. The article links to a playlist of top Reverse Food videos and to a Reddit thread where food‑technologists discussed the physics of the illusion.

3. Joe Biden’s Climate Thread – Twitter’s Political Surge

A seemingly ordinary Twitter thread by President Joe Biden about climate policy became one of the most‑shared political moments of the year. In the thread, Biden outlined a new 2026 climate bill and included a short animation of carbon‑capture technology. The thread was shared over 8.5 million times, with the animation itself amassing 1.2 billion views across Twitter and TikTok. Deadline contextualized the reach by comparing it to previous presidential policy threads, noting that the visual component was key to driving engagement. The article contains a link to the original thread and to an expert commentary from a climate‑policy think‑tank.

4. “Gamer’s Reaction” – YouTube Meme Culture

YouTuber Mark “Glitch” Torres’ reaction video to a highly‑anticipated gaming release turned into a meme staple. After watching the game’s demo, Torres famously exclaimed, “This is the next level!”—a phrase that was instantly memed across Reddit, TikTok, and Twitter. Deadline’s piece includes a short excerpt from the original video and links to a fan‑made remix featuring the catchphrase. The article discusses how YouTube’s algorithm “boosted” the clip because of the rapid share‑rate spike.

5. “Cat in Glasses” Meme – Cross‑Platform Craze

No recap of viral moments would be complete without a nod to the “Cat in Glasses” meme. A photo of a ginger cat wearing a pair of tiny reading glasses was posted to Instagram by a pet‑lover and instantly shared worldwide. The meme spread through memes of people “glancing at the cat” to the cat’s “glance back.” Deadline links to the original Instagram post, a TikTok remix, and a feature in Vogue on the meme’s influence on pet‑wear marketing. The article notes that the meme’s reach surpassed 10 billion views across all platforms combined.

6. Lila’s “Dance of the Future” – TikTok’s Musical Breakout

The feature also spotlighted TikToker Lila Nguyen’s viral dance, the “Dance of the Future.” Using a new AI‑generated track, Lila choreographed a dance that incorporated subtle robotic movements. The dance trended on TikTok for six weeks, amassing 5 billion views and spawning thousands of user‑generated copies. Deadline linked to Lila’s original dance video and a YouTube tutorial on the choreography. It also cites an interview with Lila where she explains how her team used TikTok’s “Duet” feature to encourage participation.

7. Perseverance Rover’s Selfie – NASA’s Unofficial Moment

One of the most surprising viral moments came from NASA’s Perseverance rover when it captured a “selfie” of its own robotic arm against a Martian landscape. The clip was shared on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, earning 12 million likes in a single day. Deadline’s article includes a link to the NASA press release and to the original footage, as well as commentary from the rover’s lead engineer on the significance of the image. The piece highlights how the blend of scientific achievement with relatable social‑media aesthetics turned a technical milestone into a pop‑culture moment.

8. Reddit AMA with Stephen King – Literary Viral Surge

Deadline’s roundup features a less conventional but equally viral moment: a Reddit AMA with author Stephen King that turned into a global event. Fans flooded the AMA with questions about his latest book, his creative process, and his thoughts on AI in storytelling. The AMA garnered 45 million comments and was later shared across Twitter and TikTok as short “quote” clips. Deadline links to the Reddit thread and to a series of King‑related TikTok videos, noting that the AMA’s success was partly due to King’s use of humor and a quick “answer‑back” feature that encouraged rapid user interaction.

9. “Cooking with Grandma” – TikTok’s Nostalgic Trend

The final highlighted trend was the “Cooking with Grandma” series, a set of TikTok videos where users replicated classic family recipes shared by their grandmothers. The trend resonated strongly with Gen‑Z and Millennial audiences, and the videos collectively garnered 3 billion views. Deadline provides a link to the original series’ first entry and to a compilation playlist. The article discusses how the trend leveraged nostalgia as a marketing lever, prompting several kitchen‑appliance brands to partner with creators for product placements.

Why These Moments Matter

Deadline’s article concludes by reflecting on the broader significance of these viral moments. The writer argues that 2025 was a year in which authenticity, simplicity, and cross‑platform synergy reigned supreme. The “Sunset Challenge” and “Reverse Food” trends illustrate the power of low‑barrier, visually appealing content, while the political thread and NASA selfie show that institutional content can also thrive when it’s presented in an engaging format. Moreover, the piece underscores how creators—whether they are a 19‑year‑old TikToker or a leading novelist—can transform their medium into a cultural touchstone by tapping into shared human experiences: beauty, humor, curiosity, and the desire for community.

By providing direct links to the original posts, the article not only offers readers a quick way to re‑watch the viral moments but also serves as a resource for marketers and content strategists looking to understand what drives share‑ability in a constantly evolving digital landscape. The piece has already become a reference point for industry professionals, with its data‑rich breakdown and curated multimedia links offering a snapshot of the year’s social‑media zeitgeist.