November 26: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

A fire destroyed seven apartment towers at Wang Fuk Court, Hong Kong, killing at least 159 people.

Combustible scaffolding and insulation materials fueled the blaze, which then spread from tower to tower in one of the city's deadliest residential fires.

The UK-based computer company Raspberry Pi released their $5 (£4) computer.

The non-profit organization released the Pi Zero on this day, which sold out within hours. It was also the first computer to be given as a free gift when you bought MagPi magazine.

NASA launched the Mars Science Laboratory probe, which carried the Curiosity Rover to Mars.

The last Concorde to ever fly made a lap of honor over the English channel.

Queen Elizabeth II became Britain’s first monarch to pay income tax.

The Queen informed the Prime Minister, John Major, earlier that she wanted to change her tax arrangements. In previous years, Britain's monarch was not expected to pay income tax, as they serve a duty to the country; however, Queen Elizabeth II thought it was correct to do so. At the time, there was an ever-growing worry from the public about the cost of having the royal family, so it's possible it could've been related to this pressing issue.

France successfully launched their first satellite, Astérix, into Earth’s orbit.

The satellite was launched on the French Diamant A rocket from Algeria, making France the third nation to send an object to space using its own rocket. While Astérix is designed to study Earth's ionosphere, its launch was primarily to test the Diamant A rocket. It's expected that Astérix will remain in Earth's orbit for centuries to come.

British archaeologists entered the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon were the first to set foot inside the tomb in more than three thousand years. The tomb itself was in immaculate condition; having been hidden away by sand, it had escaped plunder by thieves. Both Carter and Carnarvon died within seven months of opening the tomb, leading many to believe there was a dire curse unleashed upon them by King Tut.

The Titanic of New England, the SS Portland, sunk off the coast of Maine.

The storm shipwrecked the vessel, and all 192 onboard were killed in the disaster.

J.B. Sutherland from Detroit patented refrigerated railroad cars.

Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” novel was published in the US.

The New York and Harlem Railroad became the first railroad to operate in the US.

Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford designed and completed The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The aqueduct allowed the Llangollen Canal to cross the River Dee in the Vale of Llangollen in northeast Wales and opened for use.

President George Washington proclaimed the day an official National Day of Thanksgiving for the United States of America.

The United States exhibited the country’s first-ever lion in Boston.

The Queen Adosinda of Asturias was placed in a convent at San Juan de Pravia for the rest of her life.

This was done to prevent her family from obtaining the throne.