What happened in December 1970?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1970, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Dec 1🔬 Nuclear Heart Pacemaker – A nuclear-powered heart pacemaker, the size of a pencil eraser, has been developed by the Cox Heart Institute in Dayton, Ohio.
- Dec 2🏛️ Stadium of 214 B.C. Found – A 2,200-year-old stadium with a capacity of 30,000 has been unearthed in Belgrade, showcasing ancient architecture.
- Dec 3🚀 Soviet Satellites Launched – The Soviet Union successfully launched two new satellites, Cosmos 381 and Cosmos 382, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Dec 4🌍 Cross Rescued in Canada – James Richard Cross, kidnapped by Quebec separatists, was rescued from a hideout in Montreal after 59 days.
- Dec 5🔬 Israeli Archeologists Find Treasure – Israeli archeologists discovered silver and jewelry believed to be nearly 3,000 years old in the ancient town of Eshtamao.
- Dec 6🌍 Massive Oil Explosion – Powerful explosions at Humble Oil facilities in Linden, NJ, sent shock waves across the metropolitan area, causing injuries and widespread concern.
- Dec 7🌍 Burma Road Switch – Burma switched to driving on the right side of the road after months of preparation, marking a significant change in traffic regulations.
- Dec 8🔬 Origin of Life – Dr. Cyril Ponnamperuma's team claims to have found extraterrestrial amino acids in a meteorite, suggesting life may have cosmic origins.
- Dec 9🌍 Cholera Outbreak in Ghana – At least 20 people have died in Ghana due to a second outbreak of cholera, raising public health concerns.
- Dec 10🌍 Severe Quake Strikes – A powerful earthquake struck the Peru-Ecuador border, causing significant damage, reminiscent of a previous quake that killed 50,000.
- Dec 11🌍 Peru-Ecuador Earthquake – An earthquake in northern Peru and southern Ecuador killed at least 81 people, causing significant destruction in the affected areas.
- Dec 12🌕 Moon Rover Reactivated – Russian scientists successfully reactivated the Lunokhod 1 moon rover, navigating it around lunar boulders and craters.
- Dec 13🌌 X-Ray Satellite Launched – Italy successfully launched the American X-ray Explorer satellite from an offshore platform in the Indian Ocean.
- Dec 14🌕 Soviet Moon Rover Roams – The Soviet Union's Lunokhod 1 moon rover traveled 407 feet over rugged terrain on the Moon's Sea of Rains, continuing its exploration.
- Dec 15🚀 Soviet Venus Landing – Predictions indicate the Soviet Union will successfully land an instrument capsule on Venus from the Venus 7 spacecraft.
- Dec 16🎶 Beethoven's 200th Birthday – The world celebrates the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth, honoring his profound impact on music and society.
- Dec 17🎉 Beethoven's Birthday Celebration – A charming birthday party for Beethoven was held at Carnegie Recital Hall, celebrating his legacy with music and Viennese candy.
- Dec 18🎨 Stein Collection Exhibition – An exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art commemorates the pioneering art collecting efforts of Gertrude Stein and her family in Paris.
- Dec 19🔥 Fire Sweeps VW Plant – A fire at the Volkswagen plant in Sao Paulo killed 15 people and injured 200, causing significant damage to the facility.
- Dec 20🔬 New Urban Culture Link – A previously unknown civilization linking ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley was discovered in Iran by an American-led team.
- Dec 21🌕 Lunokhod Roams Moon – Russia's moon rover Lunokhod 1 completed its 10th mission, sending back photos and data from the lunar surface.
- Dec 22🚀 Apollo 14 Safety Devices – Apollo 14 will carry $15 million in new safety features and scientific equipment on its upcoming lunar mission.
- Dec 23🔬 Equal Hiring Enforcement – The Office of Management and Budget mandates federal agencies to document equal employment activities in budget requests.
- Dec 24🕊️ Vatican and Jewish Aides Agree – International Jewish leaders and Vatican officials agreed to collaborate against racism and anti-Semitism.
- Dec 25🌍 China Frees Briton – A British banker, David Johnston, was released by China after 28 months of detention in Shanghai, arriving in Hong Kong.
- Dec 26🛰️ Soviet Launches Satellite – The Soviet Union launched a communications satellite, Molniya 1, enhancing global communication capabilities.
- Dec 27🎾 Metreveli Triumphs – Alex Metreveli won the singles and shared the doubles title at the South Australian tennis championships for the Soviet Union.
- Dec 28🎾 U.S. Women Win Tennis – The U.S. women's tennis team rallied to defeat South Africa 2-1, advancing to the semifinals of the Federation Cup.
- Dec 29🏰 New Disney World Rising – Cinderella's castle is under construction in Florida, set to welcome millions of visitors annually.
- Dec 30🏛️ Finest Bronze Age Frescoes – Scholars announced the discovery of the finest known examples of mature fresco art from the ancient world.
- Dec 31🏭 Mine Explosion Tragedy – An explosion in a Kentucky coal mine leaves 39 miners missing and presumed dead, with 15 bodies recovered.
Happy Birthday! 1970 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1970 in real headlines. See the 1970 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: