Facts and Events That Happened in This Year
Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reached Earth.
A devastating tsunami and earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean.
Cassini orbiter released the Huygens probe, which successfully landed on Saturn's moon Titan.
Million Dollar Baby, directed by Clint Eastwood, was released. It went on to win Best Picture.
Blizzard released World of Warcraft for PC and Mac, changing the MMORPG scene forever.
American singer Mario released his hit single 'Let Me Love You.'
Canadian country singer Shania Twain released her Greatest Hits album and later received Billboard's 2004 Album of the Year.
Physicists in New Zealand observed a record-breaking solar flair.
George W Bush secured his second term as President of the United States.
Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai became the first African female to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
For the first time, scientists captured images of a live giant squid in its natural environment.
At just 0.010AU from Earth, 4179 Toutatis became the closest asteroid to Earth in the last century.
Ed Whitlock became the world's first person over the age of 70 to run a marathon in under 3 hours.
The American drama TV series 'Lost' premiered on ABC.
Rockband Green Day released their seventh album, 'American Idiot.'
Two gunmen stole Edvard Munch's paintings 'The Scream' and 'Madonna' from Much Museum in Oslo, Norway.
The Statue of Liberty pedestal reopened after the 9/11 disaster that occurred in 2001.
NASA's Messenger probe launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Greece won its first UEFA Euro Cup after beating Portugal in the final 1-0.
Maria Sharapova became the first Russian to win Wimbledon.
The Cassini–Huygens spacecraft became the first to enter Saturn's orbit.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the 3rd film based on the books by J. K. Rowling, was released in UK cinemas.
The World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C, dedicated by President George W. Bush.
Massachusetts became the first US state to legalize same-sex marriage.
The final episode of 'Friends' aired.
Businesswoman Estée Lauder, famous for her American cosmetics line, died at the age of 97.
Ireland became the first in the world to ban smoking in pubs, restaurants, and workplaces.
Luciano Pavarotti's final opera took place at New York Metropolitan Opera.
The Morecambe Bay cockling disaster killed twenty-three people.
Mark Zuckerberg founded the social networking website Facebook.
A 60-ton decomposing whale exploded onto the busy streets of Taipei, Taiwan.
The country of Georgia officially adopted the Five Cross Flag after more than five hundred years since its last use.
The Stardust space probe collected a sample of comet dust.
