What happened in December 1978?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1978, 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🎭 World Premiere Opera – Krzysztof Penderecki's opera 'Paradise Lost' premiered at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, marking a significant event in American opera history.
- Dec 2👶 Russian Child's Health – Reports reveal Jessica Kats, a Russian child previously thought gravely ill, has been healthy since the family's emigration campaign began.
- Dec 3📚 Singer Wins Nobel Prize – Isaac Bashevis Singer receives the 1978 Nobel Prize in Literature, discussing themes of love, betrayal, and spirituality in candid interviews.
- Dec 4🚀 Spacecraft Surveys Venus – Pioneer Venus I nears the end of its 300 million-mile journey and is set to enter orbit around Venus, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
- Dec 5🎶 Dessoff Choir Concert – The Dessoff Choir performed a refined concert featuring music by Monteverdi and Schütz at Alice Tully Hall, showcasing deep musicality.
- Dec 6✈️ Crash Landing Rescue – Searchers rescued 21 people, including an infant, after a commuter plane crash-landed in Colorado during a near-blizzard.
- Dec 7🛰️ Soviet Launches 8 Satellites – The Soviet Union successfully launched eight communications satellites into orbit aboard a single rocket, enhancing its space capabilities.
- Dec 8🌍 Carter's Environmental Initiative – President Carter made history by protecting nearly 100 million acres of natural areas in the U.S. through a significant executive order.
- Dec 9🕊️ Golda Meir Remembered – World leaders mourned Golda Meir, Israel's first female Prime Minister, honoring her significant contributions and leadership.
- Dec 10🏺 Aztec Monolith Discovery – A beautifully carved Aztec monolith was discovered in Mexico City, sparking a major archaeological excavation, the most significant in 65 years.
- Dec 11🗳️ Massive Iranian Protest – Hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched peacefully in Tehran against Shah Mohammed Riza Pahlevi's rule, showcasing widespread dissent.
- Dec 12🔬 – Two Virginia doctors plan to open the first U.S. clinic for 'test-tube baby' procedures, addressing urgent ethical and medical issues.
- Dec 13🎨 Nevelson Sculpture Dedicated – Louise Nevelson dedicated her wall sculpture 'Sky Gate — New York' at the World Trade Center, celebrating her artistic contribution to the site.
- Dec 14⛷️ Swiss Men Win Slalom – Martial Donnet and Peter Luescher achieved a stunning 1-2 victory for Switzerland in the World Cup slalom, marking their first win in nine years.
- Dec 15🔬 Space Probe Supports Theory – Measurements from a spacecraft support the 'runaway greenhouse' theory explaining Venus's extreme surface heat.
- Dec 16🌍 U.S.-China Relations Normalized – The U.S. and China announced the establishment of full diplomatic relations, ending nearly three decades of estrangement.
- Dec 17🌍 U.S.-China Relations Normalized – The U.S. will recognize the People's Republic of China as the sole government of China, establishing diplomatic relations on Jan. 1, 1979.
- Dec 18🌌 Universe's Birth Glow – Observations reveal an unexpected component in the residual glow from the universe's birth, hinting at new insights into cosmic origins.
- Dec 19🌍 China Trade Accord Considered – China will consider a long-term trade agreement with the U.S. as relations normalize, according to Foreign Trade Minister Li Chiang.
- Dec 20🌌 Celestial Speed Mystery – Four celestial objects have been observed seemingly exceeding the speed of light, challenging a fundamental rule of physics.
- Dec 21🌊 Fuel Oil Leak – About 600,000 gallons of fuel oil leaked from a barge near Puerto Rico, threatening the northeast coast and major beaches.
- Dec 22🔬 Soviet Probe Reports Venus – A Soviet spacecraft landed on Venus, transmitting nearly two hours of atmospheric data before succumbing to extreme heat.
- Dec 23🏦 Monetary Study Aided – The Rockefeller Foundation is financing a study group led by H. Johannes Witteveen to address international economic and monetary system issues.
- Dec 24🔬 Neutrinos Transmit Messages – Scientists demonstrate that neutrinos can carry messages through the earth, marking a significant breakthrough in communication technology.
- Dec 25🌌 Venus Eclipsed by Moon – The planet Venus will be eclipsed by the moon from 6:18 A.M. to 7:36 A.M., marking a celestial event for skywatchers.
- Dec 26🖼️ Rembrandt Stolen – Intruders stole over $1 million in 17th-century Dutch paintings, including a Rembrandt, from the M.H. DeYoung Memorial Museum in San Francisco.
- Dec 27🏛️ Cambodia Opens Angkor – Cambodia is set to open the ancient temple ruins of Angkor to foreign tourists for the first time in eight years, starting tomorrow.
- Dec 28📜 Spain Signs New Constitution – King Juan Carlos signed Spain's democratic Constitution, marking a significant step in the country's transition to democracy.
- Dec 29🌍 Iranian Strikes Intensify – Strikes across Iran's economy aim to destabilize the monarchy, impacting central banking and oil production.
- Dec 30🛢️ Oil Prices Soar – Oil prices are surging on the open market as Iranian exports dwindle, affecting global petroleum product prices.
- Dec 31🌍 New China Policy – The U.S. recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government, ending recognition of Taiwan's Nationalist Government.
Happy Birthday! 1978 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1978 in real headlines. See the 1978 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: