AUG
1774
01
Oxygen is discovered Joseph Priestley, an English chemist, independently discovered oxygen in 1774 by the thermal decomposition of mercuric oxide and published his findings the same year.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
1990
02
Iraq invades Kuwait Iraq invaded Kuwait on this day, and Saddam Hussein's subsequent refusal to withdraw his troops sparked the Persian Gulf War. It was ended by an international force led by the United States that defeated Iraq the next year.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
1962
05
Nelson Mandela is jailed Nelson Mandela, leader of the South African Apartheid Movement, is prisoned for 27 years. After he was released, Mandela helped in ending apartheid and became the first elected president of South Africa.
Image source: Giphy
AUG
1945
06
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima On this day, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, during the ongoing Second World War. The blast killed more than 70,000 people and destroyed most of the city.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
1177
09
Work begins on Tower of Pisa Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins. It was interrupted several times by wars and debt. Also, the slight lean of the tower kept the engineers busy looking for possible solutions. It took two centuries to complete the structure.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
1990
12
Complete T-rex skeleton found The most complete and best-preserved skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex was discovered on this day. The fossil was dated approximately 67 million years old, measuring 12.8 metres long. It was named Sue after its discoverer, Sue Hendrickson.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
1947
15
Independence for India After three decades, the Indian independence movement achieved its goal on this day in 1947. A free and independent India was established, ending nearly 200 years of British rule.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
1877
17
Phobos is discovered A natural satellite of Mars, Phobos, was discovered on this day by Asaph Hall. It is the innermost of the two satellites, the other being Deimos. Phobos is named after the Greek deity Phobos, son of Ares and twin brother of Deimos.
Image source: NASA
AUG
1911
21
Mona Lisa stolen In 1911, Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" was stolen from the Louvre Museum by a worker. The painting was recovered two years later and gained worldwide iconic stature due to the theft.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
79 CE
24
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupted on this day in 79 CE, destroying the ancient city of Pompeii and burying it under volcanic ash. The excavations of these sites in the mid-18th century forged the advancement of the modern science of archaeology.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
AUG
2003
27
Mars close approach to Earth In 2003, Mars made its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years! At the time, Mars was within 35 million miles (56 million kilometers) of Earth. It won't be that close again until the year 2287.
Image: GIPHY
AUG
1977
31
Princess Diana's tragic death Diana, Princess of Wales—affectionately known as "the People's Princess"—died in a car crash in Paris on this day at the age of 36. The news of Diana's demise sent shockwaves throughout the world.
Image: Alamy