Mass protests in Prague marked the start of the Velvet Revolution, a peaceful movement that led to the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia.
📍 Prague, Czechoslovakia
The first successful human lung transplant was performed in Toronto, marking a breakthrough in organ transplantation.
📍 Toronto, Canada
The Soviet Union launched Luna 17, carrying Lunokhod 1, the first remote-controlled rover to land and operate on the Moon.
📍 Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR
NASA's Surveyor 6 became the first spacecraft to lift off from the Moon's surface, successfully completing its mission to test lunar landings.
📍 Moon
AT&T introduced the first push-button telephone, replacing rotary dials and revolutionizing telecommunication technology.
📍 USA
Rock Hudson, one of Hollywood's leading men in the 1950s and 60s and later a symbol in the fight against AIDS, was born.
📍 Winnetka, Illinois, USA
Isamu Noguchi, influential sculptor and designer known for blending Eastern and Western aesthetics, was born in Los Angeles.
📍 Los Angeles, California, USA
Heinrich von Stephan, who played a key role in founding the Universal Postal Union and modernizing Germany’s postal system, died.
📍 Berlin, Germany
Alfred Nobel, Swedish chemist, inventor of dynamite, and founder of the Nobel Prizes, died in Sanremo, Italy.
📍 Sanremo, Italy
George B. Selden was granted the first U.S. patent for the automobile, influencing early automotive industry development.
📍 USA
August Wilhelm von Hofmann, a pioneer in organic chemistry and founder of Germany’s chemical industry, died in Berlin.
📍 Berlin, Germany
The Times newspaper published the first daily weather map, marking a significant advancement in meteorology and public forecasting.
📍 London, England
The Suez Canal was formally opened, providing a direct maritime route between Europe and Asia, transforming global trade.
📍 Suez, Egypt
Athens inaugurated its first subway line, one of the earliest in the world, improving urban transport in the Greek capital.
📍 Athens, Greece
Lala Lajpat Rai, prominent leader in the Indian independence movement and known as the 'Lion of Punjab', was born.
📍 Dhudike, India
The United States Congress convened for the first time in Washington, D.C., officially establishing the city as the nation's capital.
📍 Washington, D.C., USA
Elizabeth I became Queen of England following the death of her half-sister Mary I, marking the beginning of the Elizabethan Era.
📍 London, England
The University of Freiburg, one of Germany’s oldest and most prestigious universities, was founded.
📍 Freiburg, Germany
Emperor Justinian I, known for his ambitious architectural projects and codification of Roman law, died after nearly 40 years of rule.
📍 Constantinople, Byzantine Empire
Commodus, Roman Emperor known for his erratic rule and association with gladiatorial combat, was assassinated in Rome.
📍 Rome, Roman Empire