Why is Solana so special?

I've been hearing a lot about Solana lately, but I'm still not quite sure what makes it so special. Could you please explain? I've read that it's a blockchain platform, but what sets it apart from the rest? Is it the speed? The scalability? Or maybe it's the unique features it offers? I'm genuinely curious and want to understand the hype behind Solana. Can you shed some light on this, please?