Photograph by Marco Grob for TIME
TIME

2014: User’s Guide

“Prediction is very difficult,” physicist Niels Bohr wrote, “especially when it’s about the future.” Will this be the year we find a second Earth? Approve a malaria vaccine? See U.S. unemployment drop to 6%? Making accurate predictions–whether they’re about the markets, the climate or the World Cup–helps us thrive. TIME predicts the pages that follow will prepare you well for the year ahead.

New ways to pay

What to fear now

The raging pot wars

Major league star search

Where to travel this year

Women’s ski jumping

Hunting Earth 2.0

Every TV show, movie and album you’ll want

Tech’s biggest promises

Yellen takes on jobs

Rebooting late-night TV

Global hot spots

New drugs, old foes

A wageless recovery

Leaving Afghanistan

The return of El Niño

Kale’s rival

Center stage for the world cup

Newborns of 2014

New Olympic sports

Private rockets rising

Ballot battles

100% accurate predictions by Joel Stein

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