October 5: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

Research into fossil footprints at White Sands National Park in New Mexico confirmed humans were in the Americas at least 21,000 years ago.

According to former theories, the Americas was only populated about 15,000 years ago via the Bering Strait between modern-day Russia and Alaska. The new research used multiple methods to determine the footprints' age, with all results pointing to a date between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago.

A Russian actress and a film director were launched into space to create the world’s first film in orbit.

Actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko traveled to the International Space Station to film scenes for "Challenge," in which a surgeon is rushed to the space station to save an astronaut.

An Australian study found that there’s 30 times more microplastic on the ocean floor than on the surface.

The study, conducted in the Great Australian Bight, estimated that as many as 15.4 million US tons (14 million tonnes) of microplastic are on the ocean floor worldwide.

Banksy’s famous “Girl With Balloon” was sold for £1 million at an auction, then the piece automatically self-destructed by running through a shredder fitted into the frame.

Those attending the auction looked in horror. Banksy then posted the picture on Instagram with the caption, "Going, going, gone…"

California Governor Jerry Brown passed a bill to legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill persons.

Stephenie Meyer’s vampire novel “Twilight” was published.

The Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil was ratified.

Marc Garneau became the first Canadian to reach outer space.

Garneau was chosen along with five others from a total of 4,000 applicants to the newly-established Canadian Astronaut Program. Of the chosen six, Garneau was the only military officer. His debut as an astronaut was aboard the Challenger Space Shuttle as a payload officer for the STS-41-G mission.

AT&T was founded by Alexander Graham Bell, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, and Thomas Sanders.

Elton John’s 7th album, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” was released.

The US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was founded.

The American romantic comedy “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” starring Audrey Hepburn, was released in the US.

The movie had a budget of $2.5 million but reached an impressive $14 million at the Box Office.

Britain’s R101 airship crashed in France on its maiden voyage.

The airship, developed by the British Air Ministry, was one of two airships designed by Britain. It was on its way to India when it crashed, killing 48 people and putting an end to Britain's airship industry.

During World War I, as a soldier, Adolf Hitler was injured by a grenade blast.

The shrapnel severely wounded his left thigh.

Notorious American outlaws, The Dalton Brothers, set out to rob two banks in Coffeyville, Kansas.

They were recognized before they got to the second bank and were shot at by vigilantes – 8 men died, including 4 of the five outlaws present. The 5th was injured and arrested.

The Great Cyclone of Calcutta hit India and destroyed over half the city.

As a result, 172 out of 195 ships were damaged or destroyed. Around 300,000 people died, thousands of homes were damaged, and even the city's anemometer was blown away. This is known as the worst cyclone ever to hit Calcutta.

King Louis the Pious was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by the Pope.