EVENTS:
- 671 – Emperor Tenji of Japan introduces a water clock (clepsydra) called Rokoku. The instrument, which measure time and indicates hours, is placed in the capital of Ōtsu.
- 1793 – The Jardin des Plantes museum opens in Paris. A year later, it becomes the first public zoo.
- 1829 – The first Boat Race between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge takes place.
- 1947 – Saab produces its first automobile.
- 1977 – The Apple II, one of the first personal computers, goes on sale.
- 1980 – The African National Congress in South Africa publishes a call to fight from their imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela.
- 1886 – Mount Tarawera in New Zealand erupts, killing 153 people and destroying the famous Pink and White Terraces.
- 2002 – The first direct electronic communication experiment between the nervous systems of two humans is carried out by Kevin Warwick in the United Kingdom.
- 2003 – Wicked opens on Broadway, proceeding to win 40 awards just for the Broadway production.
- 2016 – Former The Voice contestant Christina Grimmie is fatally shot in Orlando, Florida following a concert; she died from her injuries at the age of 22.
- 2017 – The 2017 World Expo is opened in Astana, Kazakhstan.
- 2018 – Opportunity rover, sends it last message back to earth. The mission was finally declared over on February 13, 2019.
- 2024 – A plane crash in Malawi leaves 10 people dead, including the country’s Vice President Saulos Chilima.
BIRTHS:
- 1915 – Saul Bellow, Canadian-American author, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2005)
- 1938 – Rahul Bajaj, Indian businessman and politician
- 1951 – Dan Fouts, American football player and sportscaster
- 1960 – Nandamuri Balakrishna, Indian actor
- 1966 – David Platt, English footballer and manager
- 1968 – Derek Dooley, American football player and coach
- 1980 – Ovie Mughelli, American football player
- 1981 – Albie Morkel, South African cricketer
- 1989 – David Miller, South African cricketer
- 2001 – Sasha Obama, American daughter of Barack Obama
HOLIDAYS and OBSERVANCES:
