Today Then

On February 13, 1961—fifty-seven years ago today—three amateur geologists discovered a bizarre and mysterious rock 4000 feet above sea level in southern California. The "Coso Artifact" captivated creationists and paranormalists for decades, but what was it, really? Eitan explores the backstory.

On February 6, 1956, sixty-two years ago today, a 26-year-old graduate student was forced to leave the University of Alabama when its board of trustees voted unanimously that it couldn't protect her from an angry, violent, racist mob.

On January 30, 1959, fifty-nine years ago today, an ocean liner hit an iceberg off the coast of Greenland and sank, along with all 95 people aboard. But that was just the beginning of the story. Interviews with two Danish investigative journalists and the daughter of one of the lost boatsmen illuminate the tragic and controversial saga of the “Danish Titanic.”

On January 23, 1971—forty-seven years ago today—it was cold. Really, really, really cold.

On January 9, 1894—one hundred twenty-three years ago today—one mustachioed lab assistant's sneeze made motion picture history.

On this date in 1974, President Nixon asked the country to drive slower in order to reduce oil consumption.

Music for this episode was provided by Ian Shepherd, Saxon Shore, and Precious Kindred.

On December 26, 1940, seventy-seven years ago today, Hollywood released a smash box office hit that revived the nearly doomed career of one of America's most beloved actresses.

On this date in 1843, Charles Dickens published what would come to be one of his most beloved — and his most adapted — works. Today on Briefly, we explore the backstory of Dickens's "ghostly little book" and look at why it has remained so popular for the last 174 years.

On December 12, 2000, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision in Bush v. Gore.

On December 5, 1952 — sixty-five years ago today — a toxic yellow-brown fog engulfed London, bringing the city to a virtual standstill. Five days later, more than 4,000 Londoners were dead.