February 29th is also known as International Underlings Day and Rare Disease Day.
Today is a special day as it’s a leap year which only happens once every four years. The odds of being born on February 29 are 1 in 1,461, or 0.068%.
Although this day only happens once every four years, this day has certainly had some incredible events including experiences from two famous historical explorers, a devastating earthquake and much more.
Did you know that on this day, February 29, 1504, Christopher Columbus was saved by a lunar eclipse? Knowing when the eclipse was happening, he convinced locals that they made his god angry for not giving him food.
Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about February 29th in history!
Historical Events
What memorable events happened on March 1 in history? Keep reading to find out!
The UK’s Prince Harry was withdrawn from a military tour of Afghanistan.
The UK's Ministry of Defense made the decision after the media began reporting on Prince Harry's presence in Afghanistan, fearing that both he and the units he was serving with would be at an increased risk of attack.
The longest siege of a capital city in modern history, the siege of Sarajevo, officially ended.
The city of Sarajevo, the capital of the newly independent Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, came under siege on April 5, 1992, from the Bosnian Serb Army. More than 13,000 people were killed, including more than 5,000 civilians.
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, wiped out a third of the city’s population.
The disaster occurred at 23:40 local time and lasted 15 seconds, causing around 15,000 deaths.
Famous Births
Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as Mark Foster? See what other famous people were born on this day.
1976
Ja Rule
American Rapper
Age
49 years old
Born IN
New York, USA
1960
Tony Robbins
American Author
Age
65 years old
Born IN
California, USA
1984
Mark Foster
American Singer
Age
41 years old
Born IN
California, USA
1916
Dinah Shore
American Singer
Died On
Feb 24, 1994 (Age 77)
Born IN
Tennessee, USA
Birthday & Zodiac
For those of you who were born on this day, your star sign is Pisces.
While Pisceans may seem quiet at times, they have a solid sense of right and wrong. Their moral compass, along with their gut, guides them well in life.
Amethyst is the birthstone given to those born in February. People with the Amethyst birthstone tend to be stubborn and daring, and they always follow their dreams.
The violet, February’s primary birth flower, signifies the loyal and humble nature of people born this month. Primroses, the secondary birth flower, represent youth and the promise of new beginnings.
Those who were born on February 29th were likely conceived the previous year on June 8th.
A baby that is conceived on this day will likely be due around November 22nd, 2025.
Quotes
Of all of the quotes said on this day, these are the most well-known ones spoken on Feb 29 throughout history.
2000
“I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.”
George W. Bush
(American Politician)
Special Holidays
If you've got a few minutes spare today, why not celebrate these special holidays.
International
International Underlings Day
It seems most workplaces have underlings lurking in the shadows whose main job is to be making yours as tricky as possible. Well, today is International Underlings Day, and there's no harm in conjuring up a little rebellion - just make sure it doesn't cost you your job!
World
Rare Disease Day
Getting through life can be incredibly difficult for people with rare diseases, mainly because there’s often little public awareness of these lesser-known ailments. Rare Disease Day was created to raise awareness of the issue to make patients’ lives a little easier.
Fact Of The Day
Days Until
Your countdown to 2025's upcoming special days!
-
Women's Day
7 days
-
St Patrick's Day
16 days
-
Earth Day
52 days
-
Halloween
244 days
-
Christmas Day
299 days
