What are the important events that happened on December 8? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
December 8: Facts & Myths About This Day
December 8 is the 343rd day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 23 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Sunday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is November 25, 2024 – a Sunday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 28,893,600 minutes has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘trihectatetracontatrigon’ day.
Sagittarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for this month. Onyx is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 52 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,370 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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December 8 Historical Events
- 1953 –United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers his “Atoms for Peace” speech, and the U.S. launches its “Atoms for Peace” program that supplied equipment and information to schools, hospitals, and research institutions around the world.
- 1972 –United Airlines Flight 553 crashes after aborting its landing attempt at Chicago Midway International Airport, killing 45.
- 1974 –A plebiscite results in the abolition of monarchy in Greece.
- 1982 –In Suriname, several opponents of the military government are killed.
- 1987 –The Alianza Lima air disaster occurs.
- 1987 –The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is signed.
- 1993 –The North American Free Trade Agreement is signed into law by US President Bill Clinton.
- 1998 –Eighty-one people are killed by armed groups in Algeria.
- 2007 –Benazir Bhutto, first and only female former Prime Minister of Pakistan, had her PPP Office stormed by unidentified gunmen. Three supporters are killed.
- 2009 –Bombings in Baghdad, Iraq kill 127 and injure 448.
Who were born on December 8?
- 1861 –William C. Durant, American automobile executive (d. 1947)
- 1941 –Randall Cunningham, First Navy Vietnam Ace, American politician
- 1943 –Ken Johnson, American professional wrestling manager
- 1951 –Bill Bryson, American author
- 1962 –Berry van Aerle, Dutch footballer
- 1962 –Marty Friedman, American guitarist
- 1962 –Steve Elkington, Australian golfer
- 1970 –Me Phi Me, American rapper and author
- 1975 –Jerrelle Clark, American wrestler
- 1989 –Jen Ledger, English drummer “Skillet”
Who died on December 8?
- 1626 –John Davies, English poet (b. 1569)
- 1756 –William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, British statesman and diplomat (b. 1690)
- 1779 –Nathan Alcock, English physician (b. 1707)
- 1869 –Narcisa de Jesús Martillo, Ecuadorian saint (b. 1832)
- 1907 –Oscar II of Sweden (b. 1829)
- 1940 –George Lloyd (bishop of Saskatchewan), Anglican Bishop and theologian (b. 1861)
- 1958 –Tris Speaker, American baseball player (b. 1888)
- 1983 –Slim Pickens, American actor (b. 1919)
- 1992 –William Shawn, American magazine editor (b. 1917)
- 2006 –Martha Tilton, American singer (b. 1915)
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