December 21: Fun Facts about Today in History

(December 21, 1898)
The radioactive chemical element radium, a silvery white metal used to cure cancer, was discovered on this day in 1898 by future Nobel Prize winners Marie and Pierre Curie, who had just found polonium. photo source: wikimedia.org

(December 21, 1913)
The New York World publishes Arthur Wynne's "word-cross," the first crossword puzzle. photo source: wikimedia.org

(December 21, 1937)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a great animated film, was released, establishing Walt Disney as one of the world's most imaginative and creative filmmakers. photo source: wikimedia.org

(December 21, 1968)
The crew of Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center on a lunar trajectory, marking humanity's first visit to another celestial body. photo source: wikimedia.org

(December 21, 2012)
The music video for PSY's hilarious pop song Gangnam Style has become the first video on YouTube to reach one billion views. photo source: wikimedia.org

(Died on December 21, 2017)
Bruce McCandless II, US astronaut who conducted the first untethered spacewalk (b. 1937).