What happened in January 1988?
The top front-page story of each day in January 1988, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Jan 1🎨 Record Art Auctions – 1987 saw record-breaking sales at auctions, including two van Gogh paintings and a Bugatti automobile.
- Jan 2🔬 Engine Design Breakthrough – Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory developed the first electric motor with minimal resistance properties.
- Jan 3🏛️ Hirohito's New Year Greeting – Emperor Hirohito appeared before thousands of subjects in a brief ceremony, wishing them well and receiving cheers in return.
- Jan 4🌌 Soviet Mars Exploration Plans – The Soviet Union announced plans to expand its space station Mir and send a probe to one of Mars' moons, enhancing its space exploration efforts.
- Jan 5🔬 Atomic View of Virus – Scientists determined the three-dimensional structure of an insect virus in atomic detail using advanced X-ray techniques.
- Jan 6🏛️ Pope to Visit Austria – Pope John Paul II will visit Austria in June, meeting with Jews who protested against his previous meeting with President Waldheim.
- Jan 7🔬 Human Gene in Mice – Scientists have successfully transplanted a human gene into mice, enabling them to produce a key human blood substance, a step toward curing blood diseases.
- Jan 8📜 Emancipation Proclamation Exhibit – The original manuscript of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln will be on display at the State Museum in Albany.
- Jan 9🔬 New AIDS Detection Method – Researchers have developed a new biological method to detect tiny amounts of the AIDS virus, aiding in testing experimental drugs.
- Jan 10🌍 Albania Earthquake – A strong earthquake struck central Albania, damaging buildings in Tirana and causing residents to flee into the streets.
- Jan 11✈️ Airplane Flies Again – A Hercules aircraft, buried in ice for 17 years after a crash in Antarctica, successfully flew again over the snow.
- Jan 12🔬 New Bone Marrow Registry – The National Bone Marrow Donor Registry offers hope to thousands needing compatible donors for life-saving treatments.
- Jan 13🔬 U.S.-Soviet Science Accord – The U.S. and Soviet Union signed a significant accord on scientific cooperation, enhancing joint efforts in various fields.
- Jan 14🎭 New Musical 'The River' – Peter Link's musical 'The River' opened, blending rock, rap, and gospel to explore water's spiritual significance.
- Jan 15🏭 Honda Expansion Announced – Honda of Canada plans a $62 million expansion of its Alliston plant, adding 100 jobs and a new hatchback version of the Civic.
- Jan 16🧪 Shroud of Turin Testing – Three laboratories have been chosen to test fragments of the Shroud of Turin to determine its age.
- Jan 17🏛️ Fire at Russian Palace – A fire broke out in the Yekaterinsky Palace, damaging its throne hall. The palace is a notable example of Russian Baroque architecture.
- Jan 18🏆 Pate Wins Tournament – Steve Pate became the winner of the 36th MONY Tournament of Champions after a storm washed out the final round.
- Jan 19🌌 Iron From Exploding Star – Astronomers found an unusual form of iron in debris from an exploding star, suggesting higher explosion temperatures than previously thought.
- Jan 20🎾 Navratilova, Evert Match – Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert will meet for the 76th time in the semifinals of the Australian Open.
- Jan 21🚀 Soviet Astronaut's Success – A Soviet astronaut praised a new exercise plan after readjusting to Earth's gravity following 326 days in space.
- Jan 22🏛️ Nobel Laureates Meeting – 75 Nobel laureates decided to hold another meeting in 1990 and create a committee to intervene in global crises.
- Jan 23🏆 Graf Wins Australian Open – Steffi Graf captured the Australian Open women's singles title, defeating Chris Evert, 6-1, 7-6.
- Jan 24🚀 Mir Station Receives Cargo – A cargo craft carrying food, fuel, and mail docked with the Mir space station, supporting two Soviet astronauts on a yearlong mission.
- Jan 25🎉 Hawaiians Conclude Celebration – Hawaiians wrapped up a yearlong celebration of their 1,000-year-old native culture with festivities marked by the sounding of conch shells.
- Jan 26🔬 New Superconductor Discovered – American and Japanese scientists independently discovered a new high-temperature superconductor, differing from previous materials.
- Jan 27🎉 Australia Celebrates 200 Years – Australia marks 200 years since the arrival of its first white settlers with celebrations, including boats and aerial displays.
- Jan 28🚀 NASA Delays Shuttle – NASA announced a two-month delay for the next space shuttle launch, now set for August 4, due to solid-fuel booster rocket issues.
- Jan 29🏛️ U.S. and Egypt Restraint – President Reagan and Egypt's Mubarak agreed on a six-month cooling-off period between Israel and Palestinians in occupied territories.
- Jan 30📈 Texaco Bankruptcy Approved – A Federal bankruptcy judge approved Texaco Inc.'s financial disclosure statement, paving the way for its emergence from Chapter 11.
- Jan 31🌍 Gandhi Dissolves State Rule – Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dissolved the Tamil Nadu government after violent brawling in the State Assembly.
Happy Birthday! 1988 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1988 in real headlines. See the 1988 book →
Born in January? Pick the day
Every birthday in January has its own On This Day in Headlines book: