1859: Origin of Species published

The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, a groundbreaking scientific work by British naturalist Charles Darwin, is published in England. Darwin's theory argued that organisms gradually evolve through a process he called natural selection. In natural selection, organisms with genetic variations that suit their environment tend to propagate more descendants than organisms of the same species that lack the variation, thus influencing the overall genetic make-up of the species. Darwin acquired most of the evidence for his theory during a five-year British surveying expedition in the 1830s. Visiting places such as the Galapagos Islands and New Zealand, Darwin acquired an intimate knowledge of the flora, fauna, and geology of many lands. His Origin of Species, the first significant work on the theory of evolution, was greeted with great interest in the scientific world but was attacked by religious leaders for its contradiction of the Biblical account of creation.
1867Joseph F Glidden patents barbed wire.
1941World War II: HMS Dunedin is torpedoed and sunk.
1962In Britain, the first broadcast of the satirical TV programme That Was The Week That Was (TW3) introduced by David Frost.
1963Lee Harvey Oswald, accused of the assassination of US President John Kennedy, is shot and killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while being transferred from Dallas Police Headquarters in Texas.
1965British Government imposes an experimental 70 mph speed limit on motorways.
1972One of the eight 1933 pennies minted in Britain is auctioned at Sotherbys for £7,000.
1985Egyptain commandos storm a hi-jacked aircraft in Malta - at least 40 passengers are killed.
1989Czech politician Alexander Dubcek makes his first public appearance for more than 20 years to address a pro-democracy rally in Prague.
1991Freddie Mercury, lead singer of rock group Queen, dies of AIDS aged 45.
1993The last 14 bottles of Scotch whisky, salvaged from the wreak of the SS Politician which sank in 1941, are sold at auction for £11,500. The episode was the inspiration for the film 'Whisky Galore'.
1955English cricketer Ian Botham.
1942Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.
1963Lee Harvey Oswald is shot and killed in Dallas, Texas after being arrested for the murder of US President John Kennedy.
1991Freddie Mercury, lead singer of rock group Queen, dies of AIDS aged 45.