What happened in January 1960?
The top front-page story of each day in January 1960, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Jan 1🌍 New Alphabet Prize – Four recipients share the Shaw Prize for creating a new alphabet system, each receiving $350 for their innovative work.
- Jan 2✈️ Jet Aviation Growth – 1960 is projected as a pivotal year for jet aviation with 150 new planes expected to join fleets worldwide.
- Jan 3🔬 Molecular Electronics Breakthrough – Westinghouse achieves a significant breakthrough in molecular electronics, marking a major step in miniaturization technology.
- Jan 4🏟️ COAST TEAMS SIGN PACT – Five colleges agree to host the Rose Bowl, marking a significant collaboration in college football.
- Jan 5📈 Steel Pact Boosts Economy – Economists predict a 1960 boom in jobs and production following the recent steel accord, easing concerns of economic downturn.
- Jan 6🔬 Cancer Research Progress – Sloan-Kettering Institute reports significant advances in cancer control, indicating potential breakthroughs in treatment.
- Jan 7🔬 Cancer Advances Reported – A report indicates that half of all cancer cases are curable, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis.
- Jan 8🔬 New Tissue Clues – Scientists discover new insights into tissue structure using wilted rabbit ears, advancing understanding of biological materials.
- Jan 9🌊 Record Bathyscaph Dive – Bathyscaph makes record dive of 4.5 miles in the Pacific Trench, exploring new depths and advancing oceanographic research.
- Jan 10🔬 Soviet Bloc Joins West – Soviet bloc nations agree to COSPAR plan for space research, ending a year of disputes and establishing a new bureau for equal voting power.
- Jan 11⚡ Nasser Opens Power Plant – Egypt inaugurates its first hydroelectric station, marking a significant step in national unity and energy development.
- Jan 12🌍 Border Pact Signed – India and Pakistan resolve disputes on their western frontier, marking a significant diplomatic achievement.
- Jan 13🔬 Atom Pact Signed – A.E.C. project in Puerto Rico will utilize superheating principles in a new boiling-water reactor.
- Jan 14🚀 Hydrogen Fuel for Saturn – NASA selects hydrogen as the fuel for Saturn rockets, aiming to double payload capacity for future space explorations.
- Jan 15🚀 Super-Rocket Plans Accelerated – President orders expedited plans for the Saturn super-rocket, suggesting revisions to space law for faster development.
- Jan 16🔬 New Cancer Clues – Researchers discover typical changes in cells far from tumors, aiding cancer diagnostics.
- Jan 17🌌 Second Balloon in Space – U.S. successfully inflates a second balloon in space, bouncing radio signals from an aluminum sphere at 250 miles high.
- Jan 18🌊 Undersea Peak Discovered – A 15,980-foot peak, likely once an island, is found off Africa by a Columbia ship, revealing new geological insights.
- Jan 19🚀 Space Umbrella Studied – U.S. explores a space 'umbrella' to reflect radio and TV signals from orbit, enhancing communication capabilities.
- Jan 20🌍 New Pact Raises Japan – U.S. grants Japan equal defense status, marking a significant shift in post-war relations and military cooperation.
- Jan 21🔬 Scientists Revise Fallout View – Researchers predict the rain of radioactive debris from atomic tests will end in a few years, changing previous assessments.
- Jan 22🔬 Hydrogen Loss Explained – Scientists trace the loss of hydrogen on Earth, linking it to the abundance of oxygen preventing further escape.
- Jan 23🏊 KONRADS Sets World Record – Australian swimmer Jon Konrads sets a new world record in the 220-yard event at the New South Wales Championships.
- Jan 24🌌 New Planetarium Opens – The Hayden Planetarium opens with advanced projectors, offering enhanced views of the universe to the public.
- Jan 25🎭 Swan Lake Premieres – 'Swan Lake' opens in Normandia, showcasing Soviet ballet, alongside 'Our Man in Havana' in the film fare.
- Jan 26🔬 Astronaut Cushion Developed – A new 4-foot fiberglas device designed to soften astronauts' descent was disclosed at an institute, enhancing safety in space travel.
- Jan 27🚀 U.S. Space Record – President hails U.S. achievements in space, asserting the nation leads in various fields over the Soviet Union.
- Jan 28🚀 Congo Freedom Set – Africans and Belgians agree on June 30 as the independence date for the Belgian Congo, marking a significant step towards self-governance.
- Jan 29🌌 Planet System Origin Theory – New theory links forces of gravity and repulsion to trace the origin of the planet system, enhancing our understanding of cosmic dynamics.
- Jan 30🔬 Artificial Kidney Innovation – New machine operates continuously with minimal supervision, marking a significant advancement in medical technology.
- Jan 31🌍 Gamma Rays Test Einstein – Laboratory trials begin to evaluate the validity of Einstein's 'Red Shift' theory using gamma rays.
Happy Birthday! 1960 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1960 in real headlines. See the 1960 book →
Born in January? Pick the day
Every birthday in January has its own On This Day in Headlines book: