December 7: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL), the deepest underground laboratory in the world, began operating.

The lab lies 7,874 feet (2,400 meters) deep under the Jinping Mountains in southwest China's Sichuan Province. It's primarily used to study dark matter and neutrinos. Its depth effectively prevents cosmic rays from interfering with sensitive equipment, allowing for more precise measurements.

Coca-Cola was named the world’s largest plastic polluter by the charity “Break Free From Plastic.”

A ban on diesel cars was called for in France.

In order to reduce pollution, the Mayor of Paris called for a ban on diesel cars in Paris by 2020, in addition to creating pedestrian-only neighborhoods.

A 6.9 earthquake in Spitak, Armenia, killed 25,000-50,000 people and left up to 500,000 homeless.

Apollo 17 launched the final manned lunar landing mission, during which the crew took the famous “blue marble” photo of the entire Earth.

Pearl Harbor was attacked.

The Imperial Japanese Navy used 353 planes to attack the US fleet at Hawaii's Pearl Harbor Naval Base. The attack killed 2,403 people.

Jack Fingleton, an Australian cricketer, became the first batsman to score 100 runs in four consecutive test matches.

Inventor Leo Baekeland patented the first thermosetting plastic, Bakelite, which sparked the birth of the plastics industry.

Thomas Edison demonstrated his phonograph to the editors of “Scientific American.”

Delaware became the first state to ratify the US constitution.

The Royal Opera House opened at Covent Garden, London, England.

The southern parts of Great Britain were struck by The Great Storm of 1703, which took the lives of 9,000 people.

One of America’s oldest documented highways was completed on this day in Connecticut, USA.

Route 108 was known initially as Farm Highway and is the third oldest road in Connecticut.

Justin II of Byzantine adopted Tiberius, his general, and proclaimed him Caesar.

Justin II was suffering from fits of madness and adopted Tiberius in one of his last lucid moments.