On This Day in History
2014
Science
Rosetta Probe Lands on Comet
The European Space Agency's Philae lander successfully touched down on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, becoming the first spacecraft to land on a comet. The mission provided unprecedented data about cometary composition.
1927
Politics
Joseph Stalin Becomes Soviet Leader
Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party, leaving Joseph Stalin as the unchallenged leader of the Soviet Union. Stalin's rule would bring industrialization, purges, and the deaths of millions.
1970
Disaster
Bhola Cyclone Strikes Bangladesh
The deadliest tropical cyclone in recorded history struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), killing an estimated 300,000-500,000 people. The government's inadequate response fueled the independence movement.
1815
Politics
Elizabeth Cady Stanton Born
The pioneering women's rights activist was born in Johnstown, New York. Stanton organized the Seneca Falls Convention and spent her life fighting for women's suffrage and equality.
1918
Politics
Austria Becomes a Republic
Austria proclaimed itself a republic following the abdication of Emperor Charles I. The collapse of the Habsburg Empire ended over 600 years of dynastic rule in Central Europe.
2001
Disaster
American Airlines Flight 587 Crashes
An Airbus A300 crashed into a Queens, New York neighborhood shortly after takeoff from JFK Airport, killing 265 people. The crash, caused by pilot error, was the second-deadliest air disaster on US soil.
1035
Politics
Canute the Great Dies
King Canute, who ruled England, Denmark, and Norway, died in Shaftesbury. He was famously said to have commanded the tide to stop, demonstrating that even a king's power has limits.