Van Gogh cut off his ear in 1888, the coelacanth was rediscovered in 1938, the first non-stop round-the-world flight ended in 1986, the transistor was demonstrated in 1947, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas was published in 1823, space motion sickness was recorded in 1968, the crew of the USS Pueblo was released in 1968, St. Philip of Moscow was martyred in 1569, Uranus was discovered in 1690, and the first televised coast-to-coast football game was broadcast in 1951.
Artist Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear. (1888) Van Gogh had been severely depressed for some time before cutting off the lower part of his left ear with a straight razor in a fit of dementia. It is said that he wrapped up the ear and presented it to a prostitute at a local brothel. After the accident he was hospitalized and then admitted to a psychiatric institution.
The “extinct” coelacanth has been discovered to be alive. (1938) The coelacanth is one of the oldest living fish and was thought to have become extinct about 60 million years before Captain Hendrick Goosen caught one off the coast of South America. More than 200 coelacanths have since been caught. It is one of the textbook examples of a “living fossil”.
The first non-stop round-the-world flight has ended. (1986) Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager piloted Voyager and were the first to circumnavigate the globe by airplane without stopping. The flight took nine days and four minutes, also setting a record for the longest continuous flight. When the flight took off, it was carrying more than three times its weight in fuel and had only five gallons (about 18 liters) left when it landed.
The transistor was demonstrated for the first time. (1947) Developed to replace vacuum tubes, the point-contact transistor revolutionized the technological world by allowing electrical signals to be easily amplified and switched between. Transistors are used in everything from radios to hearing aids to advanced robotics.
A visit from St. Nicholas was first published. (1823) The classic poem, also known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, was published anonymously, although many consider the author to be Clement Clark Moore. Poetry has been responsible for creating the modern perception of Santa Claus, including his reindeer, sleigh, and the fact that he brings toys to children.
The first case of space motion sickness was recorded in an American. (1968) All three crew members of Apollo 8, the first manned lunar mission, reported sensations of motion sickness. According to NASA, about half of all space travelers in the United States have suffered from space motion sickness.
North Korea has released 83 Americans suspected of espionage. (1968) The crew of the USS Pueblo, an intelligence-gathering ship, were held in North Korea for more than 11 months. During that time, they were imprisoned and tortured until the captain confessed under pressure of espionage. Many have criticized President Lyndon B. Johnson’s lack of response to the matter, as he was more focused on the Tet Offensive than on negotiations with North Korea when the men were taken.
St. Philip of Moscow was martyred with a pillow. (1569) Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible had him imprisoned and choked to death for berating Ivan for Ivan’s treatment of Russian peasants. Before his imprisonment, St. Philip had been abbot and bishop of Moscow, where he taught, among other things, reindeer herding.
Discovered the planet Uranus. (1690) British Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed made the first sighting of Uranus by an astronomer. Unfortunately, he didn’t know what he was looking at and classified him as a star. In addition to unknowingly discovering Uranus, Flamsteed was known for his personal conflict with Isaac Newton, who published some of Flamsteed’s works without crediting him.
The first televised coast-to-coast football game was broadcast. (1951) The 1951 NFL Championship Game was the first game to be broadcast live coast to coast. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cleveland Browns. It would be the Rams’ last NFL title for 48 years.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
