August 25: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

US President Biden approved student debt loan forgiveness of up to $20,000 for those who are qualified.

Joe Biden announced this decision following an extension on multiple federal student loan payment pauses, which was first put in motion in March 2020. Of the 45 million federal student loan borrowers, 43 million qualified for some loan forgiveness.

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft entered interstellar space, becoming the first artificial object to do so.

Naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor discovered the world’s tallest tree in Redwood National Park, California.

Atkins and Taylor named the tree Hyperion, which measured 380.1 ft (115.85 m) tall, making it the largest known tree on earth.

Nintendo released the first-person shooter, GoldenEye 007, for the Nintendo 64.

GoldenEye 007's development began before the Nintendo 64 was even released. The Game's developers didn't even have a development version of the console to work with while creating the game, so they had to playtest it with an older Sega controller.

Belarus declared its independence from the Soviet Union.

Businessman Momofuku Ando marketed the first-ever pre-cooked instant noodles.

After years of experimentation, Ando released the world's first instant noodles called Chikin Ramen.

The first daily passenger air service began, going from London to Paris.

The first flights left a mile north of where Heathrow Airport now sits, and the flights were operated by Air transport & Travel Ltd, now known as British Airways.

Walden W. Shaw and John D. Hertz founded the Shaw Livery Company and introduced the yellow cabs to attract passengers.

A Japanese scientist, Shibasaburo Kitasato, isolated the bacterium of the Bubonic Plague.

Uruguay gained independence from Brazil, which is now celebrated as a National Holiday for Uruguayans.

Alicia Thornton became the first British female jockey after taking part in a horse race at York Racecourse in Knavesmire, England.

Captain James Cook set sail on his first voyage from Plymouth, heading for the Pacific Ocean.

The journey was made on their ship Endeavour, which was previously called Earl of Pembroke.

Astronomer Galileo demonstrated one of his earlier telescopes to Venetian lawmakers.

Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, the conquistador, founded Havana on the southern part of the island.

Havana officially moved to the north in 1519.

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity was established after the end of the Council of Nicaea.