History
On this day in 1957: Sputnik 1 launched by U.S.S.R.
On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, into orbit, marking the beginning...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 1990: Germany reunified
On 3 October 1990, Germany was officially reunified, marking the end of four decades of post-war division and symbolising a...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 2017: American singer and songwriter Tom Petty died
Tom Petty, one of America’s most iconic rock musicians, left behind a catalogue of music that continues to resonate across...
Read moreDetails
Bobby Fischer defeats Boris Spassky to become world chess champion
On this day in 1972, American grandmaster Bobby Fischer defeated Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union in Reykjavik to claim...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 1955: American actor James Dean died
James Dean remains one of the most iconic figures in American cinema, despite a career cut short by his death...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 1571: Caravaggio was born
Born on 29 September 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio remains one of the most influential painters of the Baroque era,...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 2008: SpaceX makes history with Falcon 1 launch into orbit
SpaceX has successfully launched its Falcon 1 rocket, marking the first time a privately owned company has sent a liquid-fuelled...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 1939: Poland surrendered to German forces
On this day in 1939, Poland formally surrendered to German forces after weeks of fierce fighting, sealing the first chapter...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1960: First televised U.S. presidential debate
On this day in 1960, American politics changed forever when Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon faced...
Read moreDetails
On this day in 2011: Wangari Maathai—who was the first Black African woman to win a Nobel Prize, died at age 71
Wangari Maathai, the pioneering Kenyan politician, academic, and environmental activist who became the first Black African woman to receive a...
Read moreDetails