A Romanian man legally changed his name to 'Twelve Minus One' to prove his mathematical point
The man wanted to demonstrate that twelve minus one equals eleven, and that both phrases use the exact same letters - they're anagrams. He changed his...
March 19 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2016
2013
Pope Francis was formally inaugurated as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church
MajorThe former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first from the Southern Hemi...
2011
A supermoon coincided with the perigee, appearing 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual
This was the closest full moon to Earth since 1993, creating spectacular views worldwide. Some speculated it might trigger natural disasters, but scie...
2003
British intelligence officer Katharine Gun leaked an NSA memo requesting help spying on UN Security Council members
Gun leaked a classified memo showing the US was attempting to blackmail UN officials to vote for the Iraq War. She was charged under the Official Secr...
2002
A man in Switzerland fought off a burglar using a samurai sword he had hanging on his wall
When a would-be thief broke into his apartment, the resident grabbed a decorative samurai sword and successfully scared off the intruder. Police later...
1982
Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat during a live concert in Des Moines, Iowa
A fan threw what Osbourne thought was a rubber bat onto the stage, so he bit its head off as a theatrical gesture. It turned out to be a real bat, and...
1955
Actor Bruce Willis was born in West Germany
Born on a US military base to an American soldier and German mother, Willis would become one of Hollywood's biggest action stars with the Die Hard fra...
1953
The Academy Awards ceremony was televised for the first time
MajorThe 25th Academy Awards became the first Oscars broadcast on television, reaching approximately 70 million viewers across North America. Bob Hope host...
1945
Adolf Hitler ordered the destruction of German infrastructure in his 'Nero Decree'
MajorAs Allied forces closed in, Hitler issued the Nero Decree ordering the destruction of all German military, industrial, and transportation infrastructu...
1932
The Sydney Harbour Bridge officially opened in Australia
MajorThe iconic bridge took eight years to build and remains one of the world's largest steel arch bridges. During the opening ceremony, a right-wing param...
1918
Congress established time zones and approved daylight saving time for the first time in US history
The Standard Time Act created five time zones across the continental United States and introduced daylight saving time as a wartime measure to conserv...
1831
The first bank robbery in America was committed when Edward Smith stole $245,000 from City Bank in New York
Smith was a trusted employee who used his inside knowledge to execute the heist. He was quickly caught after trying to flee to Europe with the money,...
1628
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was established by royal charter
MajorKing Charles I granted a charter to the Massachusetts Bay Company, which led to the founding of one of the most influential colonies in American histo...
1474
A rooster was put on trial for the 'heinous crime' of laying an egg in Basel, Switzerland
Medieval courts seriously tried animals for crimes, and this rooster was accused of laying an egg, which was considered satanic. After a formal trial...