The US Capitol is attacked. A mob of supporters of then US President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol in Washington DC. They were attempting to halt the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. According to a 2022 Senate report, seven people died in connection with the riot, and many more were injured.

Mother Theresa arrives in India. Through her tireless work in helping the poor and ill, the Albanian religious sister later received the Nobel Peace Prize and was posthumously beatified.

German scientist Alfred Wegener presents his theory of continental drift. His work laid the foundation for the theory of plate tectonics, which explains why continents move.

Maria Montessori opens her first school. Montessori's revolutionary educational approach is practiced at about 30,000 schools today.

Samuel Morse presents the telegraph to the public. Together with Alfred Vail, the inventor relayed the message “A patient waiter is no loser” over a distance of 2 miles (3 km).