The Greenwich Time Signal is broadcast for the first time. The “BBC pips” are 5 short and 1 long tones that are broadcast by many BBC radio stations to mark the precise start of the hour.

United Artists is founded. Charlie Chaplin was one of the film studio's founders.

The world's first synthetic plastic is developed. Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announced his invention of Bakelite at a meeting of the American Chemical Society that day.

The biggest gold nugget in history is found. The “Welcome Stranger” was found at Moliagul in Australia and had a calculated refined weight of 71.081 kg.

The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg opens to the public. It is one of the world's largest and oldest museums and was originally founded in 1764.