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 in 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 interesting facts about February 29th in history!
What Events Happened On February 29 In History?
2020 Joe Biden won the South Carolina primary election.
2016 The Fact Shop was launched.
The Fact Shop provides knowledge lovers with an array of exciting and fun fact merchandise, including clothing for men, women & kids.
2008 The UK’s Prince Harry was withdrawn from a military tour of Afghanistan.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.
1996 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.
1960 The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago.
Known as the Playboy Key Club, it was modeled after the Gaslight Club, which featured women wearing sequined outfits and very little else.
1960 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.
1960 The Family Circus Comic Strip by Bill Keane debuted.
1944 Future Pope John Paul II was almost killed by a Nazi truck in Krakow, Poland.
1940 Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Gone With the Wind,” making her the first African American woman to win an Oscar.
1908 A Dutch scientist named Heike Kamerlingh Onnes announced he was able to create solid helium.
1832 Charles Darwin explored Bahia, San Salvador, Brazil, and fell in love with its variety of plants, flowers, animals & insects.
1692 The first warrants were issued to arrest three women accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, US.
1504 A lunar eclipse saved explorer Christopher Columbus’s life.
Jamaican Indians were hostile on this day, but after the eclipse happened and the skies darkened. Indians surrendered and told Christopher Columbus they would cooperate with him so long as he restored the moon.
Famous People Born On February 29
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:
- 46 years old
- Born In:
- New York, USA
1960 Tony Robbins
American Author
- Age:
- 62 years old
- Born In:
- California, USA
1984 Mark Foster
American Singer
- Age:
- 38 years old
- Born In:
- California, USA
1916 Dinah Shore
American Singer
- Died On:
- Feb 24, 1994 (Age 77)
- Born In:
- Tennessee, USA
Special Holidays On February 29
If you’ve got a few minutes spare today, why not celebrate these special holidays.
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!
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.
THe Fact Site's
Fun Fact Of The Day
Madagascar got its name when Marco Polo misspelled it. The name stuck, and the island was christened to the name in 1500.
February 29 Birthday Facts, Zodiac & Birthstone
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.
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, 2023.
