Today in History
Historical Events
Two satellites collide in space. Both the U.S. satellite “Iridium 33” and the Russian “Kosmos 2251” were destroyed in the accident.
Deep Blue becomes the first computer to win a chess game against a reigning world champion. Despite his defeat in the first game, Russian world champion Garry Kasparov proceeded to win the match by 4-2 games.
Bob Dylan's album “The Times They Are A-Changin'” is released. The title track is one of Dylan's best-known songs.
An aircraft carrier collides with a destroyer in Australia, killing 82. Destroyer HMAS Voyager sailed under aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourn's bow, was cut in half and sank.
Francis Gary Powers, a U.S. spy captured by the Soviet Union, is released. Powers was exchanged for captured Soviet spy, Rudolf Ivanovich Abel.
Famous Births
Born on this day

Jerry Goldsmith
1929
American composer, conductor

Bertolt Brecht
1898
German author

Harold Macmillan
1894
English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Boris Pasternak
1890
Russian author, poet, Nobel Prize laureate

William Cornwallis
1744
English Admiral
Famous Deaths
Died on this day

Arthur Miller
2005
American playwright

Edgar Wallace
1932
English journalist, author, playwright

Wilhelm Röntgen
1923
German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate

Alexander Pushkin
1837
Russian author, poet

Montesquieu
1755
French philosopher