# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/281 "2016-12-03T07:20:52Z")
**December 3, 1984** : [The Bhopal Disaster](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UH5LPwdVnqI) kills thousands in India. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/282 "2016-12-03T12:13:59Z")
**December 3, 1967:** In Cape Town, South Africa, a transplant team headed by Christiaan Barnard carries out the first heart transplant on a human (53-year-old Louis Washkansky). ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/283 "2016-12-03T16:27:27Z")
**December 3, 1926** : [Agatha Christie disappears](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://m.historyextra.com/feature/weird-and-wonderful/mysterious-disappearance-agatha-christie&ved=0ahUKEwjw1oPFttjQAhVB6SYKHQGLAvUQFgg8MAQ&usg=AFQjCNGL02aZ0jZwXjojeIuuUP5jIsvjnA&sig2=7rV1M0r5jIaFM9orj4acyw)after kissing her daughter goodnight and driving off into the darkness. A national search ensues. Finally after 11 days, Christie is discovered living in a hotel under a false name, that of her husband’s mistress. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/284 "2016-12-03T16:48:02Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > **December 3, 1926** : [Agatha Christie disappears](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://m.historyextra.com/feature/weird-and-wonderful/mysterious-disappearance-agatha-christie&ved=0ahUKEwjw1oPFttjQAhVB6SYKHQGLAvUQFgg8MAQ&usg=AFQjCNGL02aZ0jZwXjojeIuuUP5jIsvjnA&sig2=7rV1M0r5jIaFM9orj4acyw)after kissing her daughter goodnight and driving off into the darkness. A national search ensues. Finally after 11 days, Christie is discovered living in a hotel under a false name, that of her husband’s mistress. There’s a [Straight Dope column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/361/why-did-mystery-writer-agatha-christie-mysteriously-disappear) on that. **December 3, 1586:** Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England from Colombia. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/285 "2016-12-05T07:42:09Z")
**December 5, 1945** : [5 navy bombers carrying 14 men disappear over the Bermuda Triangle.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.history.com/news/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-flight-19&ved=0ahUKEwjK0P6XxNzQAhWINSYKHWMfC2QQFggnMAE&usg=AFQjCNGza5HZS4a3K46FIYfwNYmBHfJ25g&sig2=2bvYir86iWQlTzJyONPUhA) The rescue aircraft sent out after them also disappears with its crew of 13. No traces have ever been found. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/286 "2016-12-05T13:28:33Z")
**December 5, 1952:** The “Great Smog”: A cold fog descends upon London, combining with air pollution, and killing at least 12,000 in the weeks and months that follow. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/287 "2016-12-06T06:08:03Z")
**December 6, 1917** : [The Halifax Explosion](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/m/article/halifax-explosion/&ved=0ahUKEwjB4vrD8N7QAhUE8CYKHTAeAXwQFgjMATAZ&usg=AFQjCNGJAodQS4-EaQxHzCgq2PwvKuyz9Q&sig2=SHdb5q8-VwKL5VrStKEI4Q). A French ship SS Mont-Blanc, laden with explosives for the war, collides with another ship leading to the largest single manmade explosion ever prior to the development of nuclear weapons. 2000 die, 9000 are injured and much of the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia is destroyed. Because the ships burned for some time before the large detonation, many onlookers were watching unaware of the horror that was coming. Of the 9000+ injured, over 1000 were immediately blinded by the blast. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/288 "2016-12-06T06:15:09Z")
**December 5, 1933:** The 21st Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment (Prohibition). EDIT: Still the 5th here in Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/289 "2016-12-06T11:08:31Z")
**December 6, 1865:** The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, banning slavery. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/290 "2016-12-06T17:25:31Z")
**December 6, 1989** : [The Ecole Polytechnique massacre](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/6263218&ved=0ahUKEwjn5_emieDQAhWEyRoKHbgdDSMQFgiaATAY&usg=AFQjCNEIqW8raN8fpL9XAxvkMNtxpTO8Nw&sig2=BlkxweAq8tIceq7xJdWAhg)occurs when a lone gunman kills 14 women in Montreal. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/291 "2016-12-07T11:22:51Z")
(in addition to the obvious anniversary) **December 7, 1930:** W1XAV in Boston telecasts video from the CBS radio orchestra program, _The Fox Trappers._ The telecast also includes the first television commercial in the United States, an advertisement for I.J. Fox Furriers, who sponsored the radio show. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/292 "2016-12-08T05:10:15Z")
**December 8, 1980** : John Lennon is murdered. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/293 "2016-12-08T12:06:54Z")
**December 8, 1813:** Premiere of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, conducted by Beethoven himself. The piece was very well received, and the second movement, the Allegretto, had to be encored immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/294 "2016-12-10T04:49:32Z")
**December 9, 1967:** Nicolae Ceaușescu becomes president of Romania (to be overthrown 22 years later). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/295 "2016-12-10T12:02:03Z")
**December 10, 1684:** Isaac Newton’s derivation of Kepler’s laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper _De motu corporum in gyrum_, is read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/296 "2016-12-10T15:17:23Z")
December 10, 1964 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., received the Nobel Peace Prize. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/297 "2016-12-10T15:24:15Z")
**December 10, 1799:** The metric system is adopted in France, the first country to do so. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/298 "2016-12-11T15:43:01Z")
**December 11, 1941:** Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, following the Americans’ declaration of war on the Empire of Japan in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/299 "2016-12-11T20:55:40Z")
**December 11, 1282:** After a 23-year reign, Llywelyn ab Gruffydd (Llywelyn the Last), the last native Prince of Wales, is killed at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells in southern Wales. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/300 "2016-12-12T06:42:11Z")
**December 12, 1935:** Lebensborn Project, a Nazi reproduction program, is founded by Heinrich Himmler. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=16)