1. Volcanic Eruption in Pompeii
On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, obliterating the Roman city of Pompeii. The volcanic ash and pumice preserved the city and its citizens, providing valuable insight into ancient Roman life.
2. National Waffle Day
August 24 is observed as National Waffle Day in the United States. The day commemorates the anniversary of the first U.S. patent for a waffle iron, which was issued on August 24, 1869, to Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York.
3. Birth of Duke Kahanamoku
On August 24, 1890, Duke Kahanamoku, often regarded as the godfather of modern surfing, was born. He won five Olympic medals for the USA in swimming and introduced surfing to Australia and the East Coast of the U.S.
4. Mars 2 Launch
The Soviet Union launched the Mars 2 spacecraft on August 24, 1971. This unmanned spacecraft was the first human-made object to reach the surface of Mars.
5. A Leap Second Day
On this day in 1991, a positive leap second was added to the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to ensure the time kept by atomic clocks aligns with solar time.
6. Baltic Way Protest
On August 24, 1989, the Baltic Way protest took place. An estimated two million people joined hands forming a 600-km long human chain across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to demand freedom from Soviet rule.
7. Hurricane Andrew Struck Florida
On August 24, 1992, the category 5 Hurricane Andrew struck Florida causing massive devastation and leading to 65 deaths and billions of dollars in damage.
8. The Formation of Pluto
The International Astronomical Union formally defined the term "planet" on August 24, 2006, which led to the controversial reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet.
9. First Woman to Swim the English Channel
On August 24, 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel, breaking the previous men's record by nearly two hours.
10. Second Jacobite Uprising Begins
On August 24, 1745, Charles Edward Stuart, known as “Bonnie Prince Charlie," raised his standard in Glenfinnan, Scotland, igniting the second Jacobite uprising.
11. Birth of Argentine Writer Jorge Luis Borges
Celebrated Argentine writer and key figure in Spanish-language literature, Jorge Luis Borges, was born on this day in 1899.
12. Printer's Patent Filing
On August 24, 1843, Charles Thurber was granted a patent for his innovation – a typewriter, which improved the pace and efficiency of writing and printing.
13. Formation of the Department of the Interior
On August 24, 1913, the U.S. Department of the Interior was formed, one of the first executive departments of the U.S. government.
14. Birth of Alexandre Coste
Alexandre Coste, the son of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, was born on August 24, 2003, causing a major scandal and succession crisis in the world's second-smallest independent state.
15. The Shooting of Andy Warhol
Celebrated artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol was shot by radical feminist writer Valerie Solanas on August 24, 1968, an event that severely affected Warhol's life and art.
16. First Computer Bug
The world's first computer 'bug' was discovered by Grace Hopper on August 24, 1945. It was a moth causing a malfunction in an early electromechanical computer.
17. Pete Rose Ban from Baseball
Famed baseball player Pete Rose, also known as 'Charlie Hustle,' was permanently banned from baseball for gambling on August 24, 1989.
18. Start of U.S. Occupation in Japan
August 24, 1945, marked the start of the U.S. occupation of Japan, following Japan's surrender in World War II.
19. Superior Court's Decision on Napster
On August 24, 2001, the Superior Court in San Francisco ruled against Napster, pushing the file-sharing service towards bankruptcy and eventual closure.
20. Birth of Arabic Numerals in the U.S.
On this day in 1857, the New York branch of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company became the first business institution in the U.S. to use Arabic numerals in their bookkeeping.