Ancient peoples aligned Stonehenge with the winter solstice, marking the shortest day of the year. The alignment reflects early astronomical knowledge and religious significance tied to solar cycles.
📍 Wiltshire, England
A UN-backed tribunal found two surviving Khmer Rouge leaders guilty of genocide for atrocities committed during Pol Pot’s regime, bringing partial justice for Cambodia’s darkest chapter.
📍 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
China began operations of FAST, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, in Guizhou province. The project enhanced global capacity for space observation and search for extraterrestrial life.
📍 Guizhou, China
The Mayan Long Count calendar completed its 13th baktun, prompting widespread speculation about apocalyptic events. In reality, it marked the beginning of a new cycle in Mayan cosmology.
📍 Mesoamerica
A terrorist bomb exploded aboard Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people. The attack was later linked to Libyan agents and remains one of the deadliest airline bombings.
📍 Lockerbie, Scotland, United Kingdom
Japan successfully launched Himawari-1, its first geostationary weather satellite, marking a key step in Asia’s space and meteorological capabilities.
📍 Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
NASA launched Apollo 8, the first human spaceflight to leave Earth orbit and orbit the Moon. It paved the way for the later Apollo 11 landing and marked a major milestone in the space race.
📍 Kennedy Space Center, Florida, United States
Niger voted overwhelmingly in favor of becoming an autonomous republic within the French Community, a step that eventually led to its full independence in 1960 during Africa’s decolonization wave.
📍 Niamey, Niger
The U.S. Air Force successfully completed the maiden flight of the B-52 Stratofortress, a long-range bomber that would become a cornerstone of American strategic air power for decades.
📍 Seattle, Washington, United States
British scientists officially exposed the Piltdown Man fossil as a hoax, revealing that the supposed 'missing link' between apes and humans was a deliberate forgery involving a human skull and orangutan jaw.
📍 London, United Kingdom
The USSR officially opened its first atomic energy institute, laying the foundation for the Soviet nuclear weapons and energy programs during the early Cold War period.
📍 Moscow, Soviet Union
U.S. General George S. Patton, a key figure in the Allied victory during World War II, died from injuries sustained in a car accident shortly after the war ended in Europe.
📍 Heidelberg, Germany
Joseph Stalin ordered the forced deportation of Chechens and Ingush people from the Caucasus to Central Asia, accusing them of Nazi collaboration. Thousands died during the operation.
📍 Chechnya and Ingushetia, Soviet Union
Walt Disney's 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', the first full-length cel-animated feature in color, premiered in Los Angeles. It became a landmark in film history and launched the Disney empire.
📍 Los Angeles, California, United States
Wiley Post completed the first solo flight around the world, enhancing public interest in aviation and contributing to the development of flight navigation and pressurized suits.
📍 New York City, United States
Estonia and Latvia were admitted to the League of Nations, gaining international recognition following independence from the Russian Empire and reinforcing their post-WWI sovereignty.
📍 Geneva, Switzerland
Arthur Wynne’s 'word-cross' puzzle was published in the New York World, becoming the first modern crossword. It quickly grew in popularity and became a staple of newspapers and puzzle books.
📍 New York City, United States
Beatrix Potter’s 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' was first published commercially, becoming a classic of children’s literature and a lasting cultural icon known worldwide.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Benjamin Disraeli, who served twice as British Prime Minister and expanded the British Empire, was born. Known for his rivalry with Gladstone, he left a significant legacy in Victorian politics.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Thomas Becket, who would become Archbishop of Canterbury and later be martyred for defending church rights against the English crown, was born. He was canonized shortly after his death.
📍 London, England