1859
Science
Origin of Species Published
Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, presenting his theory of evolution by natural selection. The revolutionary work transformed biology and our understanding of life on Earth.
On This Day in History
1963
Politics
Lee Harvey Oswald Killed
Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald in the Dallas police headquarters basement, live on national television. It was the first murder broadcast on live TV, deepening the mystery of the Kennedy assassination.
1974
Science
Lucy Fossil Discovered
Paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson discovered the 3.2-million-year-old skeletal remains of an Australopithecus afarensis in Ethiopia. Named 'Lucy,' the fossil revolutionized our understanding of human evolution.
1642
Exploration
Abel Tasman Discovers Tasmania
Dutch navigator Abel Tasman became the first European to sight Tasmania (which he named Van Diemen's Land). He went on to discover New Zealand, mapping vast stretches of the unknown southern seas.
1971
Culture
D.B. Cooper Hijacks Plane
A man using the alias 'Dan Cooper' hijacked a Northwest Orient flight, collected $200,000 ransom, and parachuted into the night over Washington state. He was never found, creating America's only unsolved hijacking.
1993
Politics
James Bulger's Killers Convicted
Two 10-year-old boys were convicted of the murder of 2-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool, England. The case horrified the nation and raised profound questions about criminal responsibility.
380
Religion
Edict of Thessalonica
Emperor Theodosius I issued the Edict of Thessalonica, making Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. The decree profoundly shaped the religious landscape of Europe.