1. Which disaster are most likely to extinguish the human race? – Volcanoes and extraterrestrial impacts 2. What’s the smallest asteroid or comet that could cause devastating effects for humanity? – 1 kilometer wide – the equivalent of about a 10-minute…

June 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

June 23 in History 229 – Sun Quan proclaims himself emperor of Eastern Wu. 1266 – War of Saint Sabas: In the Battle of Trapani, the Venetians defeat a larger Genoese fleet, capturing all its ships. 1280 – The Spanish Reconquista: In the Battle of Moclín the Emirate of Granada ambush a superior pursuing force, killing most…

June 1 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

June 1 in History 1215 – Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu. 1252 – Alfonso X is proclaimed king of Castile and León. 1298 – Residents of Riga and Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeated the Livonian Order in the Battle of Turaida.…

April 15 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

April 15 in History 769 – The Lateran Council condemned the Council of Hieria and anathematized its iconoclastic rulings. 1071 – Bari, the last Byzantine possession in southern Italy, is surrendered to Robert Guiscard. 1395 – Timur defeats Tokhtamysh of the Golden Horde at the Battle of the Terek River. The Golden Horde capital city, Sarai, is razed to the ground and Timur…

April 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

April 10 in History 428 – Nestorius becomes the Patriarch of Constantinople. 837 – Halley’s Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometres/3.2 million miles). 1407 – Deshin Shekpa, 5th Karmapa Lama visits the Ming dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded the title “Great Treasure Prince of…

March 1 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

March 1 in History 509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. 86 BC – Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army, enters Athens, removing the tyrant Aristion who was supported by…

February 26 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

February 26 in History 747 BC – Epoch (origin) of Ptolemy’s Nabonassar Era. 364 – Valentinian I is proclaimed Roman emperor 1233 – Mongol–Jin War: The Mongols capture Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty, after besieging it for months. 1266 – Battle of Benevento: An army led by Charles, Count of Anjou, defeats a combined German and Sicilian force…

January 20 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

January 20 in History 250 – Pope Fabian is martyred during the Decian persecution. 649 – King Chindasuinth, at the urging of bishop Braulio of Zaragoza, crowns his son Recceswinth as co-ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom. 1265 – The first English parliament to include not only Lords but also representatives of the major…