2003 – The largest peace demonstration in history takes place
Up to 30 million people in 600 cities around the world protested against the Iraq War.
2001 – The first draft of the human genome is published
The human genome contains the complete human genetic information.
1989 – The Soviet Union pulls out of Afghanistan
Despite their military superiority, the Soviet and Afghan armies did not succeed in breaking the Mujahideen insurgents' resistance.
1971 – The United Kingdom and Ireland decimalize their currencies
Before the change, a pound sterling was made up of 240 pence, or 20 shillings.
1965 – Canada adopts its current national flag showing a maple leaf
The leaf symbolizes the country's forests, the middle white stripe the arctic snow, and the red stripes the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
1954 – Matt Groening
American animator, screenwriter, producer
1934 – Graham Kennedy
Australian actor
1874 – Ernest Shackleton
Irish explorer
1710 – Louis XV of France
1564 – Galileo Galilei
Italian astronomer, physicist
2005 – Samuel T. Francis
American journalist
1988 – Richard Feynman
American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1965 – Nat King Cole
American singer, pianist, television host
1928 – H. H. Asquith
English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1781 – Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
German author, philosopher
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