1856Discovery
Wallace Line discovered
Alfred Russel Wallace identified faunal boundary between Asia and Australia, now called Wallace Line.
Monday 12 October 2026
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Coincidence Engine
Two birth milestones share this date — Stephen Hawking born (1942) and David Bowie born (1947), 5 years apart.
1 / 3 coincidences found today • Auto-spins every 7s
From CurioVault
Today's curiosity
Its copper-based blood detects bacteria — and pharma bleeds it.
Read on CurioVault.co → Today's headlines
- Include Your Children When Baking CookiesHall of Fame◆
- 1975City Hospitals Set to Open Doors to Private DoctorsThe New York Times◆
- 2017Hong Kong's 'villain hitters' use sorcery to vent political angerThe Guardian◆
- 2014Coward punch attacks: Tony Abbott tells police to throw the book at culpritsThe Guardian◆
- 1547The first Lithuanian-language book, the Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas, is published in Königsberg.Wikipedia◆
- 1975Ella T. Grasso becomes Governor of Connecticut, the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States other than by succeeding her husband.Wikipedia◆
- 1889American statistician Herman Hollerith received a patent for his electromechanical tabulating machine for punched-card data.Wikipedia◆
- 1790George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in New York City, then the provisional capital of the United States.Wikipedia◆
- 1981In Trans-en-Provence, France, a local farmer reported a UFO sighting claimed to be "perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time".Wikipedia◆
- 1198Lotario dei Conti was elected as Pope Innocent III; he later worked to restore papal power in Rome.Wikipedia◆
- 1889Herman Hollerith is issued US patent #395,791 for the 'Art of Applying Statistics' — his punched card calculator.Wikipedia◆
- 1877Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle against the United States Cavalry at Wolf Mountain, Montana Territory.Wikipedia◆
- 1835US President Andrew Jackson announces a celebratory dinner after having reduced the United States national debt to zero for the only time.Wikipedia◆
- 1790George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address in New York City.Wikipedia◆
- Include Your Children When Baking CookiesHall of Fame◆
- 1975City Hospitals Set to Open Doors to Private DoctorsThe New York Times◆
- 2017Hong Kong's 'villain hitters' use sorcery to vent political angerThe Guardian◆
- 2014Coward punch attacks: Tony Abbott tells police to throw the book at culpritsThe Guardian◆
- 1547The first Lithuanian-language book, the Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas, is published in Königsberg.Wikipedia◆
- 1975Ella T. Grasso becomes Governor of Connecticut, the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States other than by succeeding her husband.Wikipedia◆
- 1889American statistician Herman Hollerith received a patent for his electromechanical tabulating machine for punched-card data.Wikipedia◆
- 1790George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in New York City, then the provisional capital of the United States.Wikipedia◆
- 1981In Trans-en-Provence, France, a local farmer reported a UFO sighting claimed to be "perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time".Wikipedia◆
- 1198Lotario dei Conti was elected as Pope Innocent III; he later worked to restore papal power in Rome.Wikipedia◆
- 1889Herman Hollerith is issued US patent #395,791 for the 'Art of Applying Statistics' — his punched card calculator.Wikipedia◆
- 1877Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle against the United States Cavalry at Wolf Mountain, Montana Territory.Wikipedia◆
- 1835US President Andrew Jackson announces a celebratory dinner after having reduced the United States national debt to zero for the only time.Wikipedia◆
- 1790George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address in New York City.Wikipedia◆
Birthday twins
You share your birthday with...
David Bowie1947- Stephen Hawking1942
- Elvis Presley1935
8 January in history
1 eventEvents, inventions, discoveries and releases. Looking for people or sport? See , and below.
We are adding more verified events for this date - more coming soon.
Showing 1 event
What happened on this day · Odd history for today
Vintage News — January 8
1547 First everThe first Lithuanian-language book, the Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas, is published in Königsberg.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1975 First everElla T. Grasso becomes Governor of Connecticut, the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States other than by succeeding her husband.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1889 Oddly trueAmerican statistician Herman Hollerith received a patent for his electromechanical tabulating machine for punched-card data.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1790 First everGeorge Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in New York City, then the provisional capital of the United States.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1981 WeirdIn Trans-en-Provence, France, a local farmer reported a UFO sighting claimed to be "perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time".
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
From The Guardian Archives — On This Day
2017The GuardianHong Kong's 'villain hitters' use sorcery to vent political angerRoadside vendors offer curses, blessings and spells against leaders using rituals from southern China that date back…
Read on The Guardian →
2014The GuardianCoward punch attacks: Tony Abbott tells police to throw the book at culpritsPrime minister says, as a father and a citizen, he is 'appalled at what seems to be happening in certain trouble spot…
Read on The Guardian →- 1975The New York TimesCity Hospitals Set to Open Doors to Private Doctors
NYC Health and Hospitals Corp plans, for first time, to invite private drs to admit their own patients to city's 19 m…
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
OddlyTrue News Stand
From the archives
Classic headlineInclude Your Children When Baking Cookies
Source: Classic headline (CJR 'Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim' collections)View clipping source
Did you guess the year?
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When was “The first Lithuanian-language book, the Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas, is published in Königsberg.” happening? Slide to your guess.
1950
Weird history, same day
- ???? First ever
The first Lithuanian-language book, the Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas, is published in Königsberg.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1975 First ever
Ella T. Grasso becomes Governor of Connecticut, the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States other than by succeeding her husband.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1889 Oddly true
American statistician Herman Hollerith received a patent for his electromechanical tabulating machine for punched-card data.
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.
Pick another date or enter your birthday (day + month only)
Viewing 8 January — today is 12 October.
Born on this day
3
1935Birth
Elvis Presley born
Rock and roll icon Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi.
1942Birth
Stephen Hawking born
Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford, England, exactly 300 years after Galileo's death.
1947Birth
David Bowie born
David Bowie was born. English singer.
Died on this day
17 in the archiveFive infamous ends — executed, assassinated or murdered — drawn at random from the archive. All infamous ends →
Suicide
2014Death
Robin Williams dies
Robin Williams, actor and comedian, died on this day in 2014. Suicide. Remembered as: Known for his improvisational skills and wide variety of roles.
Assassinated
1968Death
Martin Luther King Jr. dies
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.
Assassinated
1980Death
John Lennon dies
John Lennon, musician, died on this day in 1980. Assassinated in New York City. Remembered as: Co-lead vocalist and founder of The Beatles.
Assassinated
1865Death
Abraham Lincoln dies
Abraham Lincoln, politician, died on this day in 1865. Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Remembered as: 16th President of the US, led the nation during the Civil War.
Assassinated
1948Death
Death of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi by Nathuram Godse.
Famous birthdays
22 this weekToday · 8 January
- David BowieEnglish musician and actor (1947–2016)Born 1947 · 79 years ago today
- Stephen HawkingEnglish theoretical physicist (1942–2018)Born 1942 · 84 years ago today
- Elvis PresleyAmerican singer and actor (1935–1977)Born 1935 · 91 years ago today
Coming up this week
Nina DobrevCanadian actress (born 1989)9 January · born 1989
Kate MiddletonMember of the British royal family (born 1982)9 January · born 1982
Richard NixonPresident of the United States from 1969 to 19749 January · born 1913
Pat BenatarAmerican singer and songwriter (born 1953)10 January · born 1953
George ForemanAmerican boxer (1949–2025)10 January · born 1949
Rod StewartBritish singer-songwriter (born 1945)10 January · born 1945
Celebration8 January
Earth's Rotation Day
Commemorates French physicist Léon Foucault's public demonstration of Earth's rotation in 1851.
Music · No.1 on this day
What was topping the charts
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
Sport on this day
0Finals, medals and records decided on 8 January.
No recorded sporting finals on this date yet.
Sporting almanac
Who was champion, 10, 25 and 50 years ago
World Cups, Olympics, Wimbledon, the Masters, Super Bowl and more — year by year since 1877.
2016 10 yrs ago
- Olympic GamesSummer Olympics in Rio
- WimbledonAndy Murray and Serena Williams win Wimbledon
- Super BowlDenver Broncos win Super Bowl 50
- Tour de FranceChris Froome wins the Tour de France
- The MastersDanny Willett wins the Masters
- World SeriesChicago Cubs win the World Series
2001 25 yrs ago
- WimbledonGoran Ivanisevic and Venus Williams win Wimbledon
- Super BowlBaltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV
- The MastersTiger Woods wins the Masters
- World SeriesArizona Diamondbacks win the World Series
- NBA FinalsLos Angeles Lakers win the NBA Finals
- Stanley CupColorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup
1976 50 yrs ago
- Olympic GamesSummer Olympics in Montreal
- Olympic GamesWinter Olympics in Innsbruck
- WimbledonBjorn Borg and Chris Evert win Wimbledon
- Super BowlPittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowl X
- Tour de FranceLucien Van Impe wins the Tour de France
- The MastersRaymond Floyd wins the Masters
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