What happened in December 1996?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1996, 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🚀 Ariane 5 Launch – The European Space Agency's Ariane 5 rocket, costing $7 billion, aims to dominate the commercial space industry by launching two satellites at once.
- Dec 2📉 Stocks Tumble in Japan – The Nikkei index fell 345.67 points, or 1.64%, to 20,674.69, reflecting a significant downturn in Japanese stocks.
- Dec 3🔬 Neutrino Hunters Explore – Physicists are casting nets globally, from Siberia to the South Pole, to capture neutrinos from the Sun and stars.
- Dec 4🌕 Moon Water Discovery – Scientists believe they have detected water on the Moon, raising hopes for lunar colonies and future Mars missions.
- Dec 5🚀 U.S. Mars Mission – An American spacecraft is launched to Mars, aiming for a planned landing on the Fourth of July with a roving vehicle.
- Dec 6🚗 First Electric Car Sale – The first mass-produced electric car in the U.S. went on sale, marking a significant step towards reducing pollution and dependence on oil.
- Dec 7🔬 Last Run for Reactor – The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor at Princeton prepares for its final experiments before permanent shutdown, testing solutions for future fusion projects.
- Dec 8🌍 New Museum Opens – The Museum of Contemporary Art has opened in Niteroi, Brazil, showcasing over 1,000 works from Brazilian artists spanning four decades.
- Dec 9🎨 French Cave Art Study – A legal battle delays the study of a newly discovered prehistoric cave with masterful wall paintings, likened to a time capsule.
- Dec 10🔬 Mary Leakey Dies – Mary Leakey, renowned paleoanthropologist known for her discoveries of early human fossils, passed away at 83 in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Dec 11🌍 Iraq Resumes Oil Exports – Iraq began pumping oil abroad for the first time in six years, reopening a pipeline to Turkey under a UN deal.
- Dec 12🌍 Hong Kong Governance Transition – A shipping tycoon was confirmed as China's choice to govern Hong Kong when British rule ends on July 1, marking a significant political transition.
- Dec 13🧬 Fruit Fly Gene Discovery – Biologists found that a single gene controls the entire courtship behavior of male fruit flies, revealing insights into mating rituals.
- Dec 14🌍 Kofi Annan Appointed – Kofi Annan of Ghana was chosen as the new Secretary General of the United Nations, ending a prolonged selection standoff.
- Dec 15🎨 Music to Soothe Middle East – The Red Sea International Music Festival aims to foster peace by taking place in both Israel and Jordan, featuring the Kirov Opera.
- Dec 16✈️ Boeing to Buy McDonnell Douglas – Boeing announced plans to acquire McDonnell Douglas for $13.3 billion, creating the world's largest integrated aerospace company.
- Dec 17♟️ Russian Chess Championship – The Russian Championship featured 52 entrants, including 34 grandmasters, highlighting the shift in tournament formats.
- Dec 18🔬 Genetics Institute Acquisition – American Home Products will acquire the remaining shares of Genetics Institute after a new blood-clotting therapy passed regulatory approval.
- Dec 19🔬 Japanese Chip Consortium – Japan's major electronics companies are forming a consortium to develop alternatives to current microprocessors used in personal computers.
- Dec 20🏛️ Bundesbank Euro Steps – The Bundesbank set a two-year money supply target to stabilize interest rates, paving the way for the Euro's adoption in 1999.
- Dec 21🍏 Jobs Returns to Apple – Apple Computer announced that co-founder Steven Jobs would return to help create a new operating system, revitalizing the company.
- Dec 22🦅 New Legislature for Hong Kong – China established a new legislature for Hong Kong, disregarding British protests about the proceedings violating agreements on the colony's transition.
- Dec 23🎨 Melancholy Ailey Program – The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presented some of its repertory classics on Saturday night at City Center.
- Dec 24🔬 World's Most Powerful Accelerator – The European Laboratory for Particle Physics will complete the world's most powerful accelerator three years early, benefiting particle physics research.
- Dec 25🎹 George Winston's Winter Show – George Winston performs a solo piano concert, showcasing his unique style of 'rural folk piano' at Avery Fisher Hall.
- Dec 26🏛️ Slavery Museum Proposal – Virginia Governor George F. Allen revives a proposal to build a slavery museum, aiming to honor and educate about the state's historical legacy.
- Dec 27🏦 Commerce Security Acquires – Commerce Security Bancorp agrees to acquire Eldorado Bancorp for $90 million, creating a company with $850 million in assets.
- Dec 28🏒 Avalanche All-Stars Named – Three members of the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were voted to the NHL's Western Conference All-Star team.
- Dec 29🏛️ Frescoes Reopened – Luca Signorelli's frescoes in Orvieto Cathedral, inspiring Michelangelo, reopened after a $4.4 million restoration.
- Dec 30📚 Princeton Celebrates 250 Years – Princeton University continues its 250th anniversary celebrations with discussions on technology's impact and inclusivity in education.
- Dec 31🔬 New Hard Drive Developed – IBM announced a new hard-disk drive capable of storing three times more data than current models, marking a significant advancement in storage technology.
Happy Birthday! 1996 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1996 in real headlines. See the 1996 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: