HispanicBusiness

Time magazine released its 2012 100 Most Influential People list this week and, as always, it's a mixed bag of greatness.

According to Time, the list contains people who "inspire us, entertain us, challenge us and change our world," and it invites readers to "meet the breakouts, pioneers, moguls, leaders and icons" who make up the list.

The magazine also used people who have entertained us to write the short stories that highlight these fascinating people's lives.

For example, actress Charlize Theron wrote about Samira Ibrahim. Here is what she wrote: "Too often women suffer in silence; their struggles stay hidden behind forced smiles and stoic faces. This is not something Samira Ibrahim is willing to allow. After Egyptian soldiers detained her and subjected her and other female protesters to forced "virginity tests," the 25-year-old marketing manager refused to stay silent. She sued the military, and in December a civilian judge ruled the humiliating practice illegal. Her fight is not over, though: In March, a military tribunal acquitted the doctor who allegedly performed the "virginity tests." Samira has sworn to pursue the case using international law."

Here are highlights of the list, organized in categories:

Sports stars: Jeremy Lin, Tim Tebow, Novak Djokovic, Yani Tseng, Lionel Messi, Oscar Pistorius

Actors/Entertainers/Artists/Writers: Viola Davis, Rihanna, Kristen Wiig, Raphael Saadiq, Chelsea Handler, Adele, Claire Danes, Christian Marclay, E.L. James, Louis CK, Ali Ferzat, Jessica Chastain, Ann Patchett, Asghar Farhadi, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Harvey Weinstein, Alice Walton and Tilda Swinton.

Educators: Salman Khan, Freeman Hrabowski and Cami Anderson.

Politicians: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, Rached Ghannouchi, Goodluck Jonathan, Portia Simpson Miller, Ron Paul, Mario Monti and Hillary Clinton.

Social media: Pete Cashmore and Daniel Ek.

Activists: José Andrés, Manal al-Sharif, Anonymous, Anjali Gopalan, Ai-jen Poo and Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani.

Actress Eva Longoria was asked to write about activist Dulce Matuz: "The U.S. immigration debate brings out the worst in some and the best in others. Dulce Matuz, 27, represents the finest of her generation, putting herself through college partly via scholarships and graduating with an electrical-engineering degree."

Sarah Jessica Parker wrote about designer Sarah Burton, who took over for Alexander McQueen: "She is a young woman who shouldered an enormous burden and privilege with dignity, heart and strength. She was the right hand of Alexander McQueen, known as Lee, a beloved designer and man; she was a secret to many, a secret weapon to one."

And other notable individuals who made the list include Apple CEO Tim Cook; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Pippa Middleton; Today Show host Matt Lauer; host of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert, and Warren Buffett.

Another interesting pick was inventor Henrik Schärfe, who created a robot that looks exactly like him: Geminoid-DK. Watch the video below of Geminoid-DK: