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May 18: Fun Facts about Today in History

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Today in History


On May 18, learn about the most interesting events and historical facts from across history. The 138th day of the Gregorian calendar is May 18th. On this day, France’s TGV train set a new world rail speed record of 320 mph; Mt. St. Helens erupted in Washington state, killing 57 people and leaving $3 billion in damage; and Constantine the Great offered free meals for all of Constantinople’s population.

Taurus is the zodiac sign for May 18. Tina Fey and country star George Strait both have May 18th birthdays. Today is National Pizza Party Day and National No Dirty Dishes Day.

Event

(May 18, 1933)
The Tennessee Valley Authority was founded by the United States government to regulate floods and generate electricity along the Tennessee River and its tributaries.

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(May 18, 1953)
Jacqueline Cochran, an American aviator, was the first woman to break the sound barrier.

(May 18, 1956)
The first ascent of the Himalayan mountain Lhotse I was undertaken by Swiss climbers Fritz Luchsinger and Ernest Reiss.

(May 18, 1974)
India successfully detonates its first nuclear bomb in the Rajasthan desert as part of Project Smiling Buddha.

(May 18, 1980)
Mount St. Helens in Washington erupted in one of the largest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America on this day in 1980, following an earthquake with a value of 5.1 on the Richter scale.

(Died on May 18, 2021)
Charles Grodin, American actor and talk show host (b. 1935).

Written by James

James has always been intrigued by dinosaurs, the universe, technology, and animals. With a Bachelor of Computer Science and years of writing expertise, he joined World Amazing Facts in 2021 as a staff writer.

Our team at World Amazing Facts is committed to verifying the accuracy of our content. It's possible that we'll get something wrong, or that our knowledge may become obsolete. Please let us know if you see any errors in the information provided.

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