December 21: Fun Facts about Today in History

Today in History

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Learn about the most intriguing events and historical facts that occurred on December 21 throughout history. Sagittarius rules the 21st of December. On this day, Emmanuel Macron (1977), Jane Fonda (1937), and Samuel L Jackson were born (1948).

Event
(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
Advertisements (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
Advertisements (Died on December 21, 2017) Bruce McCandless II, US astronaut who conducted the first untethered spacewalk (b. 1937). photo source: wikimedia.org