What happened in December 1979?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1979, 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🌍 Pope and Orthodox Accord – Pope John Paul II and Dimitrios I pledged to hasten full communion between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Istanbul.
- Dec 2🌍 Antarctic Tragedy – A DC-10 sightseeing flight crashed into an Antarctic volcano, killing all 257 aboard, marking one of the deadliest plane crashes in history.
- Dec 3🌍 Flight Recorders Found – Recovery teams located both flight recorders from an Air New Zealand DC-10 that crashed in Antarctica, killing all 257 aboard.
- Dec 4🔬 Koko the Gorilla – Koko, a talking gorilla, stars in a documentary showcasing her unique bond with trainer Penny Patterson and her remarkable sign language skills.
- Dec 5🎄 Baby Found in Manger – A baby was discovered crying in a Nativity scene in Longview, Texas, surprising the Rev. Charles Holland as he passed by.
- Dec 6✈️ DC-10 Crash Recovery – Ninety bodies recovered from the Air New Zealand DC-10 crash site in Antarctica, killing all 257 aboard.
- Dec 7🌍 Britain Breaks Ties – Britain has withdrawn recognition of the Cambodian government led by Pol Pot, signaling a shift in diplomatic relations.
- Dec 8🔬 Uranium Discovered in Greece – Greece has discovered significant uranium reserves, announced at the International Atomic Energy Agency conference.
- Dec 9✝️ Church Defies Apartheid – Archbishop Bill Burnett supports church defiance of apartheid in South Africa, risking church unity for multiracial functions.
- Dec 10🏟️ Spain Advances – Spain advanced to the European Cup of Nations soccer final by defeating Cyprus 3-1 in a Group C elimination match.
- Dec 11🏅 Mother Teresa Receives Nobel – Mother Teresa accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, denouncing abortion as the greatest destroyer of peace, advocating for the poor and sick.
- Dec 12🌊 Waves Devastate Marshall Islands – Huge waves ravaged the capital of the Marshall Islands, causing significant damage to the heavily populated east end of the atoll.
- Dec 13🌍 Earthquake in Colombia – A powerful earthquake near the Colombia-Ecuador border killed at least 133 and injured around 2,000, causing significant destruction.
- Dec 14🌍 E.E.C. Parliament Bars Budget – Europe's first directly elected Parliament rejected a $23.5 billion budget for 1980, citing overspending on wasteful farm policies.
- Dec 15🥊 Holmes to Fight Zanon – Larry Holmes, the heavyweight champion, will defend his title against Lorenzo Zanon in Las Vegas on February 3.
- Dec 16🌍 Shah Leaves U.S – Former Iranian ruler Shah Mohammed Riza Pahlevi secretly departed the U.S. for exile in Panama, marking a significant shift in Iranian politics.
- Dec 17🔬 Voyager 1 Contact Restored – Scientists re-established radio contact with Voyager 1, lost for days, as it travels from Jupiter to Saturn.
- Dec 18🔬 Plants Cloned to Prevent Extinction – Researchers are freezing cell groups from sugar cane and date palms to grow whole plants, aiding conservation efforts.
- Dec 19🌋 Volcano Cinders Strike Airliner – Flying cinders from Sakurajima volcano cracked a jet's windshield in Japan, but the plane landed safely with no injuries.
- Dec 20🚀 Spacecraft Links With Salyut – The Soyuz T space freight ship successfully linked with the Salyut 6 orbiting space station, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Dec 21🔬 Chemical Found in Brain – Scientists discovered a brain chemical 200 times more powerful than morphine, potentially key for pain control.
- Dec 22🌍 Rhodesian Embargo Lifted – The UN Security Council voted to end a 13-year economic embargo against Rhodesia, paving the way for elections leading to independence.
- Dec 23🚀 Space Shuttle Tested – The space shuttle Columbia was successfully fired in a simulated launch, marking a significant milestone in its development.
- Dec 24🌍 Soviet Nuclear Test – The Soviet Union conducted its 15th underground nuclear weapons test of the year at the Semipalatinsk site in Siberia, according to the Energy Department.
- Dec 25🔬 New Fossil Dating Method – A new technique for determining fossil ages was applied to a baby mammoth found in the Soviet Union, enhancing paleontological research.
- Dec 26🏛️ Sphinx Restoration Begins – Egypt begins major restoration of the Great Sphinx of Giza, using limestone blocks for the first time in over 2,000 years.
- Dec 27⚛️ Nuclear Reactor Closures – A report suggests closing reactors without evacuation plans for those living within 30 miles, raising safety concerns.
- Dec 28🎨 Book Characters Come Alive – Publishers are transforming beloved book characters into merchandise, tapping into a lucrative market for adult collectors.
- Dec 29✈️ China Opens New Airport – A new airport, the largest in northeast China, began operations in Harbin, enhancing regional connectivity and infrastructure.
- Dec 30🌍 Soviet Coup in Afghanistan – Moscow installs Babrak Karmal as President of Afghanistan amid ongoing guerrilla resistance, marking a significant geopolitical shift.
- Dec 31🌾 China Reports Record Harvest – China's grain harvest reached over 315 million metric tons this year, marking a significant increase due to new rural policies.
Happy Birthday! 1979 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1979 in real headlines. See the 1979 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: