History

Birth of Colo, the First Gorilla Born in Captivity (1956): Colo, the world's first gorilla born in captivity, was born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio on December…

Founding of Doctors Without Borders (1971): Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), was founded in Paris on December 22, 1971, by a group of French doctors…

First Asteroid Discovered Using Astrophotography (1891): On December 22, 1891, the first asteroid was discovered using astrophotography, a pioneering technique in astronomical observation. The asteroid, named 323 Brucia, was discovered…

Release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937): 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, was released by Walt Disney Productions…

Winter Solstice: December 21 marks one of the two solstices, specifically the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. This astronomical event occurs…

Lockerbie Bombing (1988): The Lockerbie bombing, a catastrophic terrorist attack, occurred on December 21, 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people on board…

Discovery of Radium by Marie and Pierre Curie (1898): Marie and Pierre Curie discovered the radioactive element radium on December 21, 1898. This groundbreaking discovery was pivotal in the field…

Adoption of the International Convention on Racial Discrimination (1965): On December 21, 1965, the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This…

Completion of the Louisiana Purchase (1803): The Louisiana Purchase was completed on December 20, 1803. This land deal between the United States and France nearly doubled the size of the…

Queen Elizabeth II Becomes Oldest UK Monarch (2007): On December 20, 2007, Queen Elizabeth II became the oldest monarch in the history of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria. Elizabeth…