April 21: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg gave a speech in London, leading to protests across the city for four days.

Almost a thousand people were arrested, with 42 charged.

American singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone died at 70 from breast cancer.

American Psychologist Timothy Leary and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry were launched into orbit after being cremated.

Their remains orbited the Earth once every 96 minutes and eventually fell back to Earth on May 20, 2002, in an area North East of Australia.

The FBI arrested an American terrorist, Timothy McVeigh, who was responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing.

The disaster happened on April 19 at 09:02 am. More than 168 people lost their lives, over 690 were injured, 324 buildings were affected, and $652 million in damage was caused.

George W. Bush and Edward W. Rose shared ownership of the Texas Rangers baseball team.

Fashion store Forever 21 was founded in Los Angeles.

The Apollo 16 lunar module landed on the surface of the Moon.

The Apollo 16 mission was the tenth crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the fifth and last mission to land on the Moon. The astronauts spent 71 hours on the Moon, with 20 hours spent outside the lunar module.

Brazil founded the city of Brasília and made it the nation’s new capital city.

Legend Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” smashed the charts reaching #1.

The Surgeon’s Photograph, the most famous photo of the Loch Ness Monster, was published.

While observing a compass needle, scientist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered electromagnetism.

Ørsted was setting up apparatus during a lecture. He turned on the electricity, and a compass needle moved away from magnetic north. None of his students could see it, but he saw it clear and knew he'd witnessed something important.

The first vice president of the United States, John Adams, was sworn in.

Thomas Cromwell started plotting how to kill his wife, Anne Boleyn.

Romulus and Remus founded the city of Rome.

Doubt is cast on the story because of its mythical elements, with the twins Romulus and Remus being nursed by a she-wolf. The children were also supposedly fathered by Mars, the Roman god of war. But, myths and legends aside, the Ancient Romans were absolutely certain that their city was founded on this day.