Knowledge Spectra

2005: Assassination of Rafic Hariri On February 14, 2005, Rafic Hariri, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, was assassinated in a massive car bombing in Beirut, which also killed 21…

1876: Alexander Graham Bell Applies for Telephone Patent On February 14, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish-born inventor, applied for a patent for his invention of the telephone, just hours…

1779: Captain Cook Killed in Hawaii On February 14, 1779, Captain James Cook, the British explorer and navigator known for his voyages in the Pacific Ocean, was killed by Native…

2008: Apology to Indigenous Australians On February 13, 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a historic apology to Indigenous Australians for the injustices of the “stolen generations” – Aboriginal…

2000: Last Original “Peanuts” Comic Strip The last original "Peanuts" comic strip by Charles M. Schulz was published on February 13, 2000, one day after the cartoonist's death. For nearly…

1542: Execution of Catherine Howard Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII of England, was executed on February 13, 1542, for adultery. Married to Henry in 1540, Catherine's…

1945: Bombing of Dresden On February 13, 1945, Dresden, Germany, was subjected to heavy bombing by Allied forces during World War II. This controversial raid involved hundreds of British and…

1503: The Challenge of Barletta The Challenge of Barletta, held on February 13, 1503, was a jousting tournament between 13 Italian and 13 French knights near Barletta, Italy. This event…

1994: Theft of The Scream On February 12, 1994, Edvard Munch's iconic painting "The Scream" was stolen from the National Art Museum in Oslo, Norway. The theft, executed by thieves…

1935: Crash of the SS Macon The helium-filled airship SS Macon crashed into the Pacific Ocean on February 12, 1935. As one of the largest airships built by the United…