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On this day in history - October 18

What Happened On This Day – October 18

  • 2007 Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan

    The former Prime Minister of Pakistan and daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the 9th PM of Pakistan, Benazir returned to Pakistan after living 8 years in London and Dubai in a self-imposed exile. Two months later she was assassinated in a bombing while campaigning for the forthcoming elections.

  • 1998 Jesse Pipeline Explosion in Nigeria Kills Over 200

    The oil pipeline, which was owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was situated just outside the city of Lagos. Over 200 people died in the resulting fire that raged for 6 days before it could be put out.

  • 1967 First Space Probe to Enter the Atmosphere of Another Planet

    The Soviet Probe Venera 4 entered Venus’ atmosphere and sent back information to Earth for about 90 minutes before it lost contact. When Venera 7 landed on Venus a few years later, it became the first probe to land on another planet.

  • 1867 Alaska Becomes a Part of the United States

    US had purchased the large and sparsely populated territory of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The purchase was not seen as a positive acquirement by many American citizens who believed that adding Alaska to the US’s territory was a waste of taxpayers’ money. Many called the act, Seward's folly after Secretary of State William H. Seward, who was responsible for making the purchase. Alaska was admitted to the Union as a state in 1959. October 18 is annually celebrated as Alaska Day in Alaska.

  • 1851 Moby Dick is Published for the First Time

    The epic written by American novelist, Herman Melville, is about a sailor's obsession with tracking down and killing an elusive whale that took his leg in a previous encounter. The book was published as The Whale in London for the first time and then a month later as Moby Dick in the United States. It is thought to be one of the best works of fiction written in modern times.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
October 18

  • 1987 Zac Efron

    American actor, singer

  • 1984 Lindsey Vonn

    American skier

  • 1960 Jean-Claude Van Damme

    Belgian martial artist, actor, director

  • 1921 Jesse Helms

    American politician

  • 1919 Pierre Trudeau

    Canadian politician, 15th Prime Minister of Canada

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
October 18

  • 1973 Leo Strauss

    German/American philosopher

  • 1931 Thomas Edison

    American businessman, invented the light bulb, phonograph

  • 1871 Charles Babbage

    English mathematician, engineer, invented the Difference engine

  • 1744 Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough

  • 1541 Margaret Tudor

    English wife of James IV of Scotland