From the archives
Classic headlineAstronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
Source: Classic headline (CJR 'Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim' collections)View clipping source
Monday 12 October 2026
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Two birth milestones share this date — Birth of Anne Frank (1929) and Emilia Clarke born (1986), 57 years apart.
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From CurioVault
Today's curiosity
Before dinosaurs existed, dragonflies with 2-foot wings ruled the sky.
Read on CurioVault.co → Today's headlines
- Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in SpacecraftHall of Fame◆
- 1991Girl, 2, Killed in Hit-and-RunThe New York Times◆
- 2019New guidelines force pension funds to reveal shareholder voting recordsThe Guardian◆
- 2015Sales of £1m-plus homes dropped 11% in first half of 2015, figures showThe Guardian◆
- 2015Hurricane Patricia, the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere, peaked with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) south of Mexico.Wikipedia◆
- 1934Jeannette Piccard (pictured) piloted a hot-air balloon flight that reached 57,579 feet (17,550 m), becoming the first woman to fly in the stratosphere.Wikipedia◆
- 1641Irish Catholic gentry in Ulster tried to seize control of Dublin Castle, the seat of English rule in Ireland, to force concessions to Catholics.Wikipedia◆
- 1882Assommoir bombing: Anarchists such as Fanny Madignier commit the first deadly anarchist attack in France.Wikipedia◆
- 1864American Civil War: The Battle of Westport is the last significant engagement west of the Mississippi River, ending in a Union victory.Wikipedia◆
- 1856Second Opium War: Dissatisfied with imperial commissioner Ye Mingchen's reparations for the alleged slighting of a British-owned vessel and at Consul Harry Parkes's urging, British Rear-Admiral Michael Seymour launches an assault on the Barrier Forts outside Canton in the first military engagement of the Second Opium War.Wikipedia◆
- 1707The First Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain convenes.Wikipedia◆
- 1642The Battle of Edgehill is the first major battle of the English Civil War.Wikipedia◆
- 1641Irish Catholic gentry from Ulster attempt to seize control of Dublin Castle, the seat of English rule in Ireland, so as to force concessions.Wikipedia◆
- 1448Scotland wins a decisive victory over England at the Battle of Sark, the last pitched battle to be fought between the two kingdoms during the Medieval period.Wikipedia◆
- Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in SpacecraftHall of Fame◆
- 1991Girl, 2, Killed in Hit-and-RunThe New York Times◆
- 2019New guidelines force pension funds to reveal shareholder voting recordsThe Guardian◆
- 2015Sales of £1m-plus homes dropped 11% in first half of 2015, figures showThe Guardian◆
- 2015Hurricane Patricia, the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere, peaked with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) south of Mexico.Wikipedia◆
- 1934Jeannette Piccard (pictured) piloted a hot-air balloon flight that reached 57,579 feet (17,550 m), becoming the first woman to fly in the stratosphere.Wikipedia◆
- 1641Irish Catholic gentry in Ulster tried to seize control of Dublin Castle, the seat of English rule in Ireland, to force concessions to Catholics.Wikipedia◆
- 1882Assommoir bombing: Anarchists such as Fanny Madignier commit the first deadly anarchist attack in France.Wikipedia◆
- 1864American Civil War: The Battle of Westport is the last significant engagement west of the Mississippi River, ending in a Union victory.Wikipedia◆
- 1856Second Opium War: Dissatisfied with imperial commissioner Ye Mingchen's reparations for the alleged slighting of a British-owned vessel and at Consul Harry Parkes's urging, British Rear-Admiral Michael Seymour launches an assault on the Barrier Forts outside Canton in the first military engagement of the Second Opium War.Wikipedia◆
- 1707The First Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain convenes.Wikipedia◆
- 1642The Battle of Edgehill is the first major battle of the English Civil War.Wikipedia◆
- 1641Irish Catholic gentry from Ulster attempt to seize control of Dublin Castle, the seat of English rule in Ireland, so as to force concessions.Wikipedia◆
- 1448Scotland wins a decisive victory over England at the Battle of Sark, the last pitched battle to be fought between the two kingdoms during the Medieval period.Wikipedia◆
Birthday twins
You share your birthday with...
Emilia Clarke1986- Pele1940
- Pelé1940
- Anne Frank1929
- Johnny Carson1925
23 October in history
0 eventsEvents, inventions, discoveries and releases. Looking for people or sport? See , and below.
We are adding more verified events for this date - more coming soon.
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What happened on this day · Odd history for today
Vintage News — October 23
2015 Oddly trueHurricane Patricia, the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere, peaked with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) south of Mexico.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1934 First everJeannette Piccard (pictured) piloted a hot-air balloon flight that reached 57,579 feet (17,550 m), becoming the first woman to fly in the stratosphere.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1641 Oddly trueIrish Catholic gentry in Ulster tried to seize control of Dublin Castle, the seat of English rule in Ireland, to force concessions to Catholics.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1882 First everAssommoir bombing: Anarchists such as Fanny Madignier commit the first deadly anarchist attack in France.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1864 Oddly trueAmerican Civil War: The Battle of Westport is the last significant engagement west of the Mississippi River, ending in a Union victory.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
From The Guardian Archives — On This Day
2019The GuardianNew guidelines force pension funds to reveal shareholder voting recordsFirms must report actions on environmental and social issues under revamped code
Read on The Guardian →
2015The GuardianSales of £1m-plus homes dropped 11% in first half of 2015, figures showLloyds Bank data suggests higher stamp duty and uncertainty over election result in May slowed top end of property ma…
Read on The Guardian →- 1991The New York TimesGirl, 2, Killed in Hit-and-Run
A 2-year-old Newark girl was killed and four members of her family were injured yesterday afternoon when they were st…
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
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Did you guess the year?
Streak 0 days Best 0
When was “Jeannette Piccard (pictured) piloted a hot-air balloon flight that reached 57,579 feet (17,550 m), becoming the first woman to fly in the stratosphere.” happening? Slide to your guess.
1950
Weird history, same day
- ???? First ever
Jeannette Piccard (pictured) piloted a hot-air balloon flight that reached 57,579 feet (17,550 m), becoming the first woman to fly in the stratosphere.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015 Oddly true
Hurricane Patricia, the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere, peaked with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) south of Mexico.
Read more →Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1641 Oddly true
Irish Catholic gentry in Ulster tried to seize control of Dublin Castle, the seat of English rule in Ireland, to force concessions to Catholics.
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 23 October — today is 12 October.
Born on this day
5
1925Birth
Johnny Carson born
Johnny Carson was born. American TV host of The Tonight Show.
1929Birth
Birth of Anne Frank
Anne Frank was born. Jewish diarist, wrote diary in hiding.
1940Birth
Pele born
Pele was born. Brazilian football legend.
1940Birth
Pelé born
Pelé, professional footballer, was born on this day in 1940. Three-time World Cup winner, global football icon.
1986Birth
Emilia Clarke born
Emilia Clarke was born. English actress known for Game of Thrones.
Died on this day
17 in the archiveFive infamous ends — executed, assassinated or murdered — drawn at random from the archive. All infamous ends →
Suicide
1994Death
Kurt Cobain dies
Kurt Cobain, musician, died on this day in 1994. Suicide by gunshot. Remembered as: Frontman of Nirvana, voice of a generation.
Suicide
1890Death
Vincent van Gogh dies
Vincent van Gogh, painter, died on this day in 1890. Suicide by gunshot. Remembered as: Post-Impressionist whose work deeply influenced 20th-century art.
Accident
2020Death
Kobe Bryant dies
Kobe Bryant, professional basketball player, died on this day in 2020. Helicopter crash. Remembered as: Five-time NBA champion with the LA Lakers.
Suicide
1962Death
Marilyn Monroe dies
Marilyn Monroe, actress and model, died on this day in 1962. Barbiturate overdose. Remembered as: Iconic actress and sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s.
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.
Famous birthdays
24 this weekToday · 23 October
- Emilia ClarkeEnglish actress (born 1986)Born 1986 · 40 years ago today
- PeléBrazilian footballer (1940–2022)Born 1940 · 86 years ago today
- PeleBrazilian footballer (1940–2022)Born 1940 · 86 years ago today
- Anne FrankGerman-born diarist and Holocaust victim (1929–1945)Born 1929 · 97 years ago today
- Johnny CarsonAmerican comedian and television host (1925–2005)Born 1925 · 101 years ago today
Coming up this week
- DDrakeBorn 198624 October · born 1986
Kevin KlineAmerican actor (born 1947)24 October · born 1947
Bob KaneAmerican comic book artist (1915–1998)24 October · born 1915
CiaraAmerican singer-songwriter (born 1985)25 October · born 1985
Katy PerryAmerican singer (born 1984)25 October · born 1984
Elvis PresleyAmerican singer and actor (1935–1977)25 October · born 1935
Celebration23 October
Mole Day
Celebrated by chemists honoring Avogadro's Number, a basic measuring unit in chemistry.
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 23 October.
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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