What happened in December 1988?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1988, 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🔥 Fossils Date Fire Use – Archeologists in South Africa found fossilized bones showing evidence of fire use dating back 1 to 1.5 million years.
- Dec 2🌪️ Bangladesh Cyclone Deaths – A cyclone in southern Bangladesh has resulted in over 500 confirmed deaths, with thousands still missing as search efforts continue.
- Dec 3💡 New Snoring Device – A French inventor has developed a device to stop sleepers from snoring without waking them.
- Dec 4🌍 Bangladesh Cyclone Search – Searchers are looking for over 3,000 missing people following a cyclone in Bangladesh that killed at least 1,300.
- Dec 5🌍 Red Cross Opens Sudan Relief – The International Committee of the Red Cross began airlifting food to famine-stricken southern Sudanese towns after lengthy negotiations.
- Dec 6🌍 Evidence of Atmosphere – Observations confirm Pluto has an atmosphere, despite its small size, as a star passed behind it.
- Dec 7🚀 Shuttle Landing Ends Mission – The space shuttle Atlantis successfully landed after completing a secret four-day mission.
- Dec 8🌍 Soviet Caucasus Quake – One of the worst earthquakes in Soviet history struck the Soviet-Turkish border, leaving thousands feared dead across three southern republics.
- Dec 9🌍 Devastating Armenian Quake – A catastrophic earthquake in Soviet Armenia killed tens of thousands, marking one of the worst quakes in Soviet history.
- Dec 10🔬 Reagan Cancer Check-Up – Doctors found President Reagan in excellent health after a cancer check-up, marking the final physical examination of his presidency.
- Dec 11🚀 Ariane 4 Rocket Launch – Western Europe's Ariane 4 rocket successfully lifted off on its first commercial mission carrying two telecommunications satellites.
- Dec 12🔬 Expansion of Universe – Scientists outlined a coordinated strategy to address major questions about the universe's structure at a recent international meeting.
- Dec 13🌍 Earthquake Aid Efforts – Aid pours in for victims of the devastating earthquake in Soviet Armenia, with community efforts mobilizing support for the affected.
- Dec 14📞 New Atlantic Cable – The first fiber-optic telephone cable across the Atlantic goes into service, increasing call capacity to Europe significantly.
- Dec 15🕊️ U.S. Talks with P.L.O – The U.S. announced a significant shift in foreign policy by initiating a dialogue with the Palestine Liberation Organization, marking a historic moment.
- Dec 16🔬 Ford's Platinum-Free Catalyst – Ford Motor Company announces a catalytic converter that eliminates the need for platinum, marking a significant development in anti-pollution technology.
- Dec 17🌍 Ozone Pact Enforced – A landmark treaty to protect the earth's ozone shield came into force today as the European Community agreed to abide by its provisions.
- Dec 18🏛️ West Germany Wins Davis Cup – Boris Becker and Eric Jelen clinched West Germany's first Davis Cup championship with a tense doubles victory over Sweden.
- Dec 19⛪ Ivory Coast Church – A massive Greco-Roman church is under construction in Ivory Coast, set to become the largest Christian church in the world.
- Dec 20🌍 Gandhi Visits China – Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi arrives in China for a five-day visit aimed at improving relations between the two nations.
- Dec 21🎨 Spain Signs Art Pact – Spain and Baron Thyssen sign an agreement to move a major portion of the Thyssen art collection to Spain for 10 years.
- Dec 22🚀 Soviet Astronauts Return – Two Soviet astronauts returned to Earth after setting a record for endurance in space, spending 366 days aboard a space station.
- Dec 23✈️ Flight 103 Crash – The Pan Am jumbo jet that crashed in Scotland exploded at 31,000 feet, scattering debris over 80 miles from the impact site.
- Dec 24🔬 Window Regulates Light – John Mecca invents an adjustable window that can block out all or part of outside light, enhancing home comfort.
- Dec 25🌍 Canada-U.S. Trade Accord – Canada's House of Commons approved the free-trade agreement with the U.S., set to take effect on January 1.
- Dec 26🌍 Mexico Opens Economy – Mexico's economy opens, allowing imports to flood in, shifting from a black market to legitimate access for consumer goods.
- Dec 27🔬 Seismic Networks Expand – Geologists aim to enhance global seismic monitoring networks for better earthquake detection following the devastating Armenia quake.
- Dec 28🔬 Drug Approved for Ulcers – FDA approved misoprostol to prevent stomach ulcers in arthritis patients taking anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Dec 29🎥 Kurosawa's Autobiographical Film – Akira Kurosawa announced plans to shoot a film based on his life, featuring a series of nine stories.
- Dec 30🎨 Picasso Museum Closure – Paris's Picasso Museum will close for two months for repairs, housing nearly 3,500 works by the iconic artist.
- Dec 31🏛️ Museum Returns Antiquities – The Museum of Fine Arts is returning nine fragments of 15th-century B.C. tomb paintings to Egypt, confirming they were stolen.
Happy Birthday! 1988 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1988 in real headlines. See the 1988 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: