Monday 12 October 2026
What happened, who was born, who we lost — plus today's horoscope for every sign.
Two birth milestones share this date — Gwen Stefani born (1969) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic born (1981), 12 years apart.
1 / 3 coincidences found today • Auto-spins every 7s
From CurioVault
Its copper-based blood detects bacteria — and pharma bleeds it.
Read on CurioVault.co →Birthday twins
Zlatan Ibrahimovic1981Gwen Stefani1969Chubby Checker1941Events, inventions, discoveries and releases. Looking for people or sport? See , and below.
No verified events yet for 3 October.
What happened on this day · Odd history for today
American author Edgar Allan Poe was found semi-conscious and delirious in Baltimore under mysterious circumstances; it was the last time he was seen in public before his death four days later.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vancouver's Holy Rosary Cathedral was dedicated by Archbishop William Mark Duke, fifty-three years after it first opened.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
The last Thursday in November is declared as Thanksgiving Day by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nadine Gordimer became the first South African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
The United Kingdom successfully conducted its first nuclear test, becoming the world's third state with nuclear weapons.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
From The Guardian Archives — On This Day
International Longshoremen’s Association announces agreement for wage hike and immediate work resumption
Read on The Guardian →
Investigation into the murder of British student Meredith Kercher was, according to a lawyer, a 'ship that never chan…
Read on The Guardian →ANNENBERG-Walter H. The Trustees and staff of The Metropolitan Museum of Art mourn with profound sadness the passing…
Read on NYTimes.com →Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform · Historic front pages via the NYT Archive API
Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Thumbnails CC BY-SA. Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform and the NYT Archive API. Historic pages via Library of Congress Chronicling America. Curated by OddlyTrue.
Strange but true headlines of the day
The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa)
Verified Real · year hiddenDallas, Tex. (AP)—A woman reported to police that her husband had disappeared with her Chihuahua puppy. 'I don't care if my husband ever comes back,' she explained. 'I just want to find my dog.'
Did you guess the year?
When was “Husband and Dog Gone; Just Wants Dog Back” printed? Slide to your guess.
American author Edgar Allan Poe was found semi-conscious and delirious in Baltimore under mysterious circumstances; it was the last time he was seen in public before his death four days later.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vancouver's Holy Rosary Cathedral was dedicated by Archbishop William Mark Duke, fifty-three years after it first opened.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
The last Thursday in November is declared as Thanksgiving Day by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hall of Fame headlines are manually verified clippings (source linked); nothing is scraped from Newspapers.com. Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Clippings from the Library of Congress, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers site.
Viewing 3 October — today is 12 October.
Chubby Checker was born. American singer who popularized The Twist dance craze.
Gwen Stefani was born. American singer, No Doubt frontwoman and solo pop star.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born. Swedish football striker known for playing for top European clubs.
Five infamous ends — executed, assassinated or murdered — drawn at random from the archive. All infamous ends →
Vincent van Gogh, painter, died on this day in 1890. Suicide by gunshot. Remembered as: Post-Impressionist whose work deeply influenced 20th-century art.
Diana, Princess of Wales, member of british royal family, died on this day in 1997. Car crash in Paris. Remembered as: Global humanitarian and celebrated royal figure.
Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader, died on this day in 1968. Assassinated in Memphis. Remembered as: Prominent leader in the American civil rights movement.
Cleopatra, queen of the ptolemaic kingdom, died on this day in 30 BC. Suicide (historically debated, asp bite). Remembered as: The last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.
Kurt Cobain, musician, died on this day in 1994. Suicide by gunshot. Remembered as: Frontman of Nirvana, voice of a generation.
Today · 3 October
Zlatan IbrahimovicSwedish footballer (born 1981)Born 1981 · 45 years ago todayGwen StefaniAmerican singer (born 1969)Born 1969 · 57 years ago todayChubby CheckerAmerican singer (born 1941)Born 1941 · 85 years ago todayComing up this week
Susan SarandonAmerican actor (born 1946)4 October · born 1946
Charlton HestonAmerican actor (1923–2008)4 October · born 1923
Buster KeatonAmerican actor and filmmaker (1895–1966)4 October · born 1895
Jesse EisenbergAmerican actor, playwright, and filmmaker (born 1983)5 October · born 1983
Kate WinsletEnglish actress (born 1975)5 October · born 1975
Bernie MacAmerican comedian and actor (1957–2008)5 October · born 1957Celebrates the historic reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.
Music · No.1 on this day
The official No.1 singles and albums in the UK and the USA on this date, decade by decade.
2016 10 yrs ago
2006 20 yrs ago
1996 30 yrs ago
1986 40 yrs ago
1976 50 yrs ago
1966 60 yrs ago
1956 70 yrs ago
Finals, medals and records decided on 3 October.
No recorded sporting finals on this date yet.
Sporting almanac
World Cups, Olympics, Wimbledon, the Masters, Super Bowl and more — year by year since 1877.
2016 10 yrs ago
2001 25 yrs ago
1976 50 yrs ago
Learn, laugh, connect with history. Free daily email 7am. 1,000s of searchable events.
