Discover What Happened Today in History
A massive explosion, likely caused by the airburst of a large meteoroid or comet, flattened an estimated 80 million trees over 2,150 square kilometers of remote Siberian forest. The event remains the largest impact event on Earth in recorded history.
Adolf Hitler's purge of the Nazi Party's paramilitary SA (Sturmabteilung) leadership and other political opponents concluded. This consolidation of power eliminated perceived threats and cemented Hitler's control over Germany.
The three cosmonauts of the Soyuz 11 mission were found dead in their capsule after a seemingly normal landing. A cabin vent valve had opened prematurely during re-entry, causing fatal decompression; they remain the only humans to have died in space.
At midnight, sovereignty over Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, ending over 150 years of British colonial rule. The event marked the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle.
The New York Yankees played their final game in the original Yankee Stadium, which had opened in 1923. The iconic venue, known as 'The House That Ruth Built,' hosted 26 World Series championships before the team moved across the street.