What happened in July 1985?
The top front-page story of each day in July 1985, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Jul 1🌍 Laser Device Retired – A laser device used to measure the distance to the moon was retired after 16 years of operation, aiding in scientific research and confirming Einstein's theories.
- Jul 2🌍 Halley's Comet Probe – Europeans dispatch their first interplanetary spacecraft to study Halley's Comet as it approaches Earth, marking a significant scientific milestone.
- Jul 3🚀 Giotto Spacecraft Launched – The European Space Agency launched the Giotto spacecraft, its first interplanetary probe, to meet Halley's comet next year.
- Jul 4🏛️ China Releases Bishop – China released Rev. Ignatius Kung, a Catholic bishop jailed for nearly 30 years, marking a significant moment in religious freedom.
- Jul 5🎆 Fireworks and Music – Philadelphia celebrated Independence Day with fireworks, pageantry, and a concert attracting a million attendees.
- Jul 6🔬 Research on Parkinson's – Researchers at Emory University transplanted fetal brain cells into monkeys, alleviating Parkinson's disease symptoms.
- Jul 7⚓ Nautilus Final Voyage – The world's first nuclear-powered submarine, Nautilus, made its final voyage home, celebrated with fireboats and balloons.
- Jul 8🎾 Becker Wins Wimbledon – Boris Becker, at 17, becomes the youngest men's singles champion in Wimbledon history, defying tradition and expectations.
- Jul 9🔬 Key Whale Calving Ground – Scientists discover the principal calving ground of the rarest great whales off Georgia and northern Florida coasts.
- Jul 10🦖 Fossil Discovery – Scientists in Texas uncovered a rich lode of dinosaur bones and fossils from over 100 million years ago, a rare find from that period.
- Jul 11🚀 Shuttle Set to Launch – The countdown began for the shuttle Challenger's liftoff on a seven-day mission to observe the stars, enhancing astronomical research.
- Jul 12🎤 'LIVE AID' Concert Planned – The 'Live Aid' concert aims for a massive global audience with top rock performers, promoting awareness for famine relief.
- Jul 13🏥 Reagan Undergoes Surgery – President Reagan will have surgery to remove a large polyp from his large intestine, raising concerns about a temporary power shift.
- Jul 14🎾 Ashe Inducted Hall of Fame – Arthur Ashe became the first black man inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, feeling vindicated after years of struggle.
- Jul 15🎤 Live Aid Concerts – The Live Aid concerts for famine relief took place, featuring reunions of iconic bands at Wembley and JFK Stadium.
- Jul 16🎤 Live Aid Concert Success – The Live Aid concerts raised an estimated $70 million for famine relief, marking a significant global fundraising effort.
- Jul 17🌍 Cram Sets Record – Steve Cram of Britain set a world record in the 1,500 meters, running the distance in 3 minutes 29.67 seconds at the Nikaia Grand Prix track meet.
- Jul 18🔬 Microscopic Beads Sold – The Government announced the sale of the first products made in space: tiny plastic beads that can fit 18,000 on a pinhead.
- Jul 19🎈 175 Balloons Rise – A hot-air balloon event in Michigan featured 175 balloons, creating a colorful spectacle in the sky over farms and factories.
- Jul 20🚀 Teacher Selected for Shuttle – Sharon Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher from New Hampshire, was chosen as the first ordinary citizen to fly on the space shuttle.
- Jul 21🎤 Live Aid Concerts – Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, and Paul McCartney performed at the Live Aid concerts, reaching a global audience of 1.9 billion.
- Jul 22🚴 Hinault Wins Again – Bernard Hinault won the Tour de France for the fifth time, celebrated by nearly half a million fans in France.
- Jul 23🚀 Deep-Sea Robots Search – Advanced undersea robots are set to explore the Titanic's grave using remote-controlled technology and sonar mapping.
- Jul 24🎹 Piano Concertos Performed – David Zinman led the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in performances of works by Johann Christian Bach and Haydn.
- Jul 25🌪️ Hurricane Hits South Carolina – A hurricane battered coastal communities in Georgia and South Carolina, forcing thousands to flee inland due to heavy rain and high winds.
- Jul 26🏥 Dam Collapse Recovery – Four more bodies were found in the debris from the dam collapse that destroyed the village of Stava, raising the death toll significantly.
- Jul 27🔬 AIDS Virus Protein Produced – Researchers inserted a key AIDS virus gene into bacteria, potentially aiding in diagnostics and vaccine development.
- Jul 28🌍 Dam Break Toll Rises – Rescue workers have recovered two more bodies from the dam break in Italy, raising the death toll to 220 at the Alpine resort of Stava.
- Jul 29🌳 U.N. Forest Initiative – The U.N. and aid groups launched a strategy to save dwindling forests in developing countries through collaboration.
- Jul 30🌍 Powerful Quake Rocks Asia – A powerful earthquake struck Soviet Central Asia, causing widespread damage to buildings and disrupting communications in Dushanbe.
- Jul 31🎭 Epic Theater Production – Peter Brook's nine-hour production of 'The Mahabharata' captivates audiences at the Avignon Theater Festival in France.
Happy Birthday! 1985 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1985 in real headlines. See the 1985 book →
Born in July? Pick the day
Every birthday in July has its own On This Day in Headlines book: