What happened in February 1996?
The top front-page story of each day in February 1996, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Feb 1🔭 Farthest Galaxy Detected – Astronomers at the Keck Observatory in Hawaii detected a galaxy 14 billion light-years away, the most distant ever observed, revealing early galaxy formation.
- Feb 2🔬 New AIDS Drug Progress – An experimental drug has significantly reduced death rates from advanced AIDS in a large international study, raising optimism.
- Feb 3🎭 Gene Kelly Dies – Gene Kelly, the iconic dancer and actor known for his roles in classic Hollywood musicals, passed away at 83 in Beverly Hills.
- Feb 4🌍 200 Killed in Quake – A severe earthquake rocked southwestern China today, killing about 200 people in the remote mountainous region and injuring hundreds, local officials said.
- Feb 5🏛️ Museum Expansion – The Museum of Modern Art has acquired the Dorset Hotel and adjacent properties for $50 million to nearly double its exhibition space.
- Feb 6🚀 Space Probe Visits Eros – A space probe is set to visit Eros, an Earth-grazing asteroid, to study its composition and gain insights into the solar system's formation.
- Feb 7🎭 Balloonists Get Permission – A team of balloonists received permission from all countries for their first nonstop flight around the world, marking a significant milestone.
- Feb 8✈️ Plane Crash Tragedy – A Boeing 757 crashed into the Atlantic, killing 189, mostly German tourists returning from the Dominican Republic.
- Feb 9🌊 Oregon Floods Evacuate Thousands – Heavy rains and melting snow cause severe flooding and mudslides in northwest Oregon, leading to evacuations of over 15,000 residents.
- Feb 10🌊 Record Floods Evacuate Residents – Severe flooding in the Pacific Northwest has led to five deaths and over 20,000 evacuations across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
- Feb 11♟️ Computer Beats Champion – Deep Blue, an I.B.M. chess computer, defeats world champion Gary Kasparov in the first game of their six-game match.
- Feb 12🚧 Tunnel Rescue Attempt – Rescue workers blasted a mountain to reach 20 people trapped in a collapsed highway tunnel in Japan but were unsuccessful.
- Feb 13🔬 New Muscle Discovered – Researchers found a previously unknown muscle in the human head, challenging long-held anatomical beliefs.
- Feb 14🏛️ Chess Match Draw – Deep Blue and Garry Kasparov remain tied at 1.5 points after a draw in Game 3 of their exhibition match in Philadelphia.
- Feb 15🌊 Clinton Tours Flood Areas – President Clinton visited flood-damaged regions in the Pacific Northwest, promising swift federal aid to victims of severe winter storms.
- Feb 16🛩️ Airbus Plans Jumbo Jet – Airbus Industrie announced plans to develop a jumbo passenger aircraft to compete with Boeing's 747, aiming to enhance its market presence.
- Feb 17🌍 U.S.-Canada Lumber Deal – The U.S. and Canada reached an agreement to curb Canadian softwood lumber exports, resolving a 13-year trade dispute.
- Feb 18🚀 Spacecraft Launch – A spacecraft was launched today on a three-year mission to an asteroid, aiming to uncover secrets about the solar system's formation.
- Feb 19🏆 Dale Jarrett Wins Daytona – Dale Jarrett claimed his second Daytona 500 victory, showcasing raw horsepower against competitors and conspiracies.
- Feb 20🐾 New Mammal Discovered – A new mammal species, the Panay cloudrunner, has been found in the Philippines, highlighting biodiversity loss in its rapidly vanishing forests.
- Feb 21🎭 Changing City, Changing Carnival – Mardi Gras parade showcased vibrant displays and music, filling St. Charles Avenue with energy and excitement.
- Feb 22🔬 New Element Discovered – Scientists at a German research institute have added a new element to the periodic table: element 112, a heavier relative of zinc.
- Feb 23🚀 Shuttle Launch Success – The space shuttle Columbia launched successfully, aiming to tow electrical cable in space, advancing atmospheric studies.
- Feb 24🏗️ New Bosnia Police Force – Bosnia's Muslim government took control of a police station in a Sarajevo suburb, marking a significant step in the reunification of the city.
- Feb 25🚀 Solar Satellite Launched – NASA launched a solar research satellite to study space weather and its effects on satellite communications.
- Feb 26🚀 Tether Snaps in Space – A tether broke during a space mission involving the shuttle Columbia, causing a satellite to drift away as astronauts worked to deploy it.
- Feb 27🔬 New Emission Control System – Corning Inc. introduced a new automobile pollution-control system aimed at significantly reducing emissions beyond future regulatory limits.
- Feb 28🌐 NASA Contacts Satellite – NASA successfully communicated with a satellite that had lost connection with the space shuttle Columbia, discovering a dead computer.
- Feb 29📊 U.S. Trade Deficit Grows – The U.S. trade deficit worsened slightly in December, marking the largest total in seven years, intensifying trade debates in the Presidential campaign.
Happy Birthday! 1996 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1996 in real headlines. See the 1996 book →