What happened in December 1995?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1995, 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🌲 Last Stand of Redwoods – America's only significant privately held stand of ancient redwoods faces destruction, with President Clinton urged to intervene.
- Dec 2🔬 Clinton's Peace Strategy – President Bill Clinton's successful visit to Britain and Ireland solidifies his role as a peacemaker in international relations.
- Dec 3🔬 NASA Launches Solar Craft – NASA launched a $1 billion observatory craft in collaboration with Europe to study the Sun, marking a significant scientific milestone.
- Dec 4♟️ Kasparov Chess Challenge – Garry Kasparov plays 10 simultaneous chess games online, marking a historic moment for chess and the Internet.
- Dec 5🔬 Biogen Drug Approved – Biogen shares surged over 12% after an FDA panel recommended approval for Avonex, a new treatment for multiple sclerosis.
- Dec 6🏅 Olympics Add Snowboarding – The International Olympic Committee approved snowboarding as a medal sport for the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.
- Dec 7🔬 AIDS Virus Halted – Scientists report identifying immune system chemicals that stop the AIDS virus in lab experiments, marking a potential breakthrough.
- Dec 8🔬 Probe Jupiter's Atmosphere – NASA's Galileo spacecraft successfully penetrated Jupiter's atmosphere, collecting data on temperature, density, and chemical composition.
- Dec 9🚀 Galileo's Perfect Orbit – The Galileo spacecraft achieved a precise orbit around Jupiter, eliminating the need for a planned course correction.
- Dec 10🌍 100 Nations Save Ozone – Over 100 governments agreed to phase out methyl bromide, a pesticide harming the ozone layer, marking a significant environmental commitment.
- Dec 11🔭 First Data from Jupiter – Scientists received the first data from the Galileo space probe, providing insights into Jupiter and the origins of time.
- Dec 12🌌 Huge Comet Show – A massive comet is approaching Earth, potentially offering a spectacular celestial display visible to the naked eye.
- Dec 13🇺🇸 Flag Amendment Fails – The Senate rejected a constitutional amendment to prohibit flag desecration, highlighting the ongoing debate between patriotism and free speech.
- Dec 14🔬 New Lobster Species Discovered – Scientists report a unique tiny animal that adheres to lobsters, resembling a living napkin, challenging existing biological understanding.
- Dec 15🌾 Genetic Rice Breakthrough – Scientists engineered rice plants to resist bacterial leaf blight, a major threat to global rice production.
- Dec 16💶 Euro Currency Announced – European leaders officially named the Euro as the new currency, setting a timetable for its introduction by 2002.
- Dec 17🌋 Chile's Villarrica Volcano – Villarrica Volcano in Chile stands mirrored in a lake, showcasing its beauty and occasional steam plumes, attracting visitors to its scenic landscape.
- Dec 18🎶 Abbey Road Opens Unit – Abbey Road Studios opened a new unit for producing compact disks that combine music, video, graphics, and text.
- Dec 19🧊 Ancient Iceman Discovery – Scientists reveal insights from a 5,300-year-old iceman found in the Italian Alps, shedding light on ancient human life.
- Dec 20📈 Stocks Surge After Fed – Financial markets rebounded sharply as the Federal Reserve lowered key interest rates, boosting investor confidence.
- Dec 21🦖 Nesting Dinosaur Fossil – Fossil hunters in Mongolia discovered a dinosaur that died on its nest, providing evidence of parental care and linking dinosaurs to modern birds.
- Dec 22🚂 Train Collision in Cairo – A high-speed commuter train collided with a passenger train near Cairo, resulting in at least 75 fatalities, marking Egypt's worst rail disaster in 15 years.
- Dec 23🏅 Olympic Torch Route – The Olympic torch relay route has been changed to include Prague, the birthplace of former Olympian Jim Thorpe.
- Dec 24🏰 Disneyland Paris Profits – Disneyland Paris announced its first profit of $23 million for the 1995 fiscal year, recovering from a $360 million loss in 1994.
- Dec 25🔥 Fire at Philadelphia Zoo – A fire at the Philadelphia Zoo killed 23 endangered primates, including gorillas and orangutans, early today.
- Dec 26🌊 Creatures of the Deep – Commercial fishermen are increasingly catching deep-sea creatures, changing perceptions and marketing them for restaurants.
- Dec 27🌧️ Floods in South Africa – At least 119 people died and many more were missing in floods caused by heavy rains in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal Province.
- Dec 28🔬 New Cancer Therapy Approved – The FDA approved a new therapy for throat tumors that destroys cancerous cells using light, marking a significant advancement in cancer treatment.
- Dec 29🌍 Wolves Return to Yellowstone – Wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone are causing concerns as one pack roams beyond the park, raising fears among local communities.
- Dec 30💊 Heartbeat Drug Approved – Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc. received FDA approval to market a drug for treating common heartbeat irregularities, enhancing patient care options.
- Dec 31🎶 Swiss Music Box Celebration – Switzerland celebrates the bicentennial of the music box, created in Ste.-Croix, with events and exhibits throughout 1996.
Happy Birthday! 1995 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1995 in real headlines. See the 1995 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: