The Fear Index: What to Freak Out About in 2016

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MOST LIKELY

Jon Snow is alive–maybe

Marketing for Game of Thrones suggests that Jon Snow may still be alive in Season 6, out in April. But it’s hard to imagine surviving that many stab wounds, so his fate might not be what viewers hope.

Rio gridlock

Rio de Janeiro is already the third most congested city in the world when it comes to traffic, and it’s likely to get even worse during the 2016 Olympics.

Adele blackout

The singer said she may allow 25 onto subscription streaming services, which could cause an Internet outage when everyone tries to listen at once.

New summer temperature records

2014 and 2015 were the hottest years on record. It’s safe to assume 2016 will be a scorcher.

The stock market won’t soar

Analysts say the stock market is unlikely to make a major comeback in 2016. Looks like another meh year for investors.

LEAST SCARY

MOST SCARY

Bernie Sanders gets an HBO talk show

The Democratic socialist’s rants would make John Oliver look sleepy by comparison.

Kim Kardashian West quits social media for Saint

The reality star would shock the world by parenting her baby boy in private.

D.C. rebrands

After targeting former Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Jefferson for their racist views, activists could take aim at slave-owning George Washington.

Google buys Twitter

The Circle will be one step closer to reality if this real-world rumor comes to pass.

The Pacific Northwest crumbles

Large swaths of the bucolic region sit on a fault line, making it very likely that the home of Portlandia and Starbucks will experience a massive earthquake in the next 50 years.

LEAST LIKELY