December 28: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope began the multi-day process of unfurling its sunshield.

The James Webb Space Telescope, the most advanced infrared telescope ever launched into space, is so large that it had to be folded up like a transformer just to fit atop its launch vehicle. Three days after successfully launching into space, the telescope began the three-day deployment of its sunshield. This multi-layered shield is one of the most critical components of the telescope; for its infrared sensors to work at optimal levels, they need to be below -369.7 °F (-223.2 °C).

FactstoryHub celebrated its 10th birthday by publishing a list of 1,000 interesting facts.

Vladimir Putin signed a law banning the US adoption of Russian children.

The Dima Yakovlev Law was signed in response to the US Magnitsky Act, which penalized Russian officials involved in a certain tax scandal. The Dima Yakovlev Law received mixed critical reception.

Scarlett Johansson made her debut on Broadway.

In the Arthur Miller play "A View from the Bridge," Scarlett Johansson starred as the lead female role. The play ran for 14 weeks with 81 regular performances and 30 preview showings.

Luke Ward launched the Funky-Facts blog, which later became FactstoryHub.

LinkedIn was founded by Reid Hoffman and the founding team members from PayPal and Socialnet.com.

Their website wasn't launched until May 5, 2003.

Hong Kong began to slaughter the city’s 1.6 million chickens to stop the spread of an influenza strain.

Andrea Bocelli made his classical debut singing at a concert at Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia.

The first American test-tube baby, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, was born in Norfolk, Virginia.

President Richard Nixon signed the US Endangered Species Act into law.

The first major rock festival held on America’s east coast took place.

Around 100,000 people attended the December Miami Pop Festival. It was also the first rock festival to have two separate main stages.

Muriel Siebert became the first woman to own a seat on New York Stock Exchange.

Josephine Cochran patented the world’s first functional dishwasher in the US.

Iowa became the 29th state to join the United States of America.

The Westminster Abbey in London was consecrated.