
Kurt Cobain dies
Kurt Cobain, musician, died on this day in 1994. Suicide by gunshot. Remembered as: Frontman of Nirvana, voice of a generation.
Monday 12 October 2026
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What happened on this day · Odd history for today
Hurricane Gilbert reached a minimum pressure of 888 mb (26.22 inHg) with sustained flight-level winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), making it the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record at the time.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hurricane Gilbert is the strongest recorded hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, later replaced by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 (based on barometric pressure).
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mackinder, Ollier and Brocherel make the first ascent of Batian (5,199 m – 17,058 ft), the highest peak of Mount Kenya.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hannibal Goodwin patents celluloid photographic film.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Congress of the Confederation sets the date for the first presidential election in the United States, and New York City becomes the country's temporary capital.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
From The Guardian Archives — On This Day

The Girls creator handles an adaptation of Karen Cushman’s much-loved novel with wit and creativity
Read on The Guardian →
US secretary of state says Biden administration inherited Taliban deal to end the war with no plan for carrying it out
Read on The Guardian →"Ted Bundy," based on the life of the sex killer who may have bludgeoned, raped and mutilated as many as 36…
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
Viewing 13 September — today is 12 October.
No recorded births.
Five infamous ends — executed, assassinated or murdered — drawn at random from the archive. All infamous ends →

Kurt Cobain, musician, died on this day in 1994. Suicide by gunshot. Remembered as: Frontman of Nirvana, voice of a generation.

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.

Whitney Houston, singer and actress, died on this day in 2012. Accidental drowning. Remembered as: One of the best-selling music artists of all time.

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.

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.
Today · 13 September
No famous birthdays recorded for 13 September yet.
Coming up this week
Celebrates the birthday and incredible storytelling legacy of the famous British children's author.
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 13 September.
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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
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