This Day In History

This Day in History

Pluto Is Discovered (1930) Pluto was discovered by the astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona while he was searching for "Planet X," a hypothetical planet that was believed to exist beyond Neptune. Pluto was long regarded as a planet, but following the discovery of other, larger Kuiper belt objects, astronomers recognized the need to reclassify Pluto. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) ended official recognition of Pluto as a planet. What is Pluto's current classification? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary

This Day in History

Kasparov Beats Deep Blue (1996) Kasparov is a chess grandmaster and one of the strongest chess players in history. He was the youngest person to become the World Chess Federation's World Chess Champion, a title he held from 1985 until 1993. In 1996, Kasparov played two matches against a super-computer called "Deep Blue," capable of evaluating 100 million positions per second. He lost the first game, but rebounded in the next 5 games to soundly beat the machine. Where did Kasparov train as a young boy? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary

This Day in History

Kyoto Protocol Comes into Force (2005) The 1992 Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, produced a treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat global warming, but it failed to establish mandatory limits or enforcement provisions. The Kyoto Protocol is an amendment to the agreement that establishes these limits. Countries that ratify this treaty promise to either reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases or engage in emissions trading. When is the protocol set to expire? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary

This Day in History

President Bill Clinton Is Acquitted (1999) The US House of Representatives impeached President Clinton on December 19, 1998, charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice during investigations into the Lewinsky scandal. It was apparent, however, that much of the public, while fascinated by the scandal, believed the impeachment to be partisan and irrelevant to national affairs. In 1999, two impeachment counts were tried in the Senate, which voted to acquit Clinton. Who is the only other US President to have been impeached? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary

This Day in History

Morgan Invents Volleyball (1895) William G. Morgan invented volleyball in Holyoke, Massachusetts, just four years after basketball was invented in the neighboring town of Springfield. Morgan, a physical education director, created "Mintonette" for older athletes who wanted to play indoor sports but for whom basketball was too rough. Mintonette was later renamed volleyball because the point of the game is to "volley" the "ball" back and forth over the net. Morgan's game took several of its characteristics from what two sports? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary

This Day in History

Hydrogen Bomb Is Jettisoned into Ocean (1958) The Tybee Bomb is a 7,600 pound (3,500 kg) hydrogen bomb with an explosive yield of between 1.9 and 3.6 megatons. During a simulated combat mission, the B-47 bomber carrying it collided in midair with an F-86 fighter plane and the bomb was jettisoned and lost. It is presumed to be somewhere in Wassaw Sound, off the shores of Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia, but recovery efforts have been unsuccessful. The bomb is just one of how many known missing weapons from the US nuclear arsenal? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary

This Day in History

The 15th Amendment to the US Constitution Is Ratified (1870) Ratified during the post-Civil War, Reconstruction period, the main purpose of the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution was to enfranchise former slaves. It states: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Though the amendment empowered Congress to enforce the article, its purpose was not really achieved until the Voting Rights Act of what year? More...

This Day in History provided by The Free Dictionary