This Day In History : December 16

1995 Netherlands

Euro Adopted as Official Currency Name

The name "Euro" was officially adopted as the name of the single currency for the European Union (EU) on December 16, 1995. This decision was part of the preparations for the launch of the Euro as the official currency of the Eurozone countries, which took place on January 1, 1999, for electronic transactions and on January 1, 2002, for cash transactions.

Also on This Day in History December 16

Discover what happened on December 16 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, December 16
  • 1928 Bruce Nathan Ames

    American biochemist and molecular biologist who developed the Ames test that is an indicator of the carcinogenicity (cancer-causing potential) of chemicals.

  • 1850 Hans Buchner

    Hans Ernst Angass Buchner was a German bacteriologist who discovered gamma globulins, natural bactericides carried in the blood, while making immunological studies in1886-90.

  • 1833 Seaman Asahel Knapp

    American agriculturist who originated originated the method in which an expert demonstrates, farm by farm, new agricultural discoveries and technologies.

  • 1857 Edward Emerson Barnard

    American astronomer who pioneered in celestial photography, specializing in wide-field photography.

  • 1901 Margaret Mead

    American anthropologist whose fame rests on the quality of her scientific work, outspokenness and forceful personality.

Deaths on This Day, December 16
  • 1940 Eugène Dubois

    Dutch anatomist and geologist who discovered the remains of Java man, the first known fossil of Homo erectus.

  • 1858 Richard Bright

    English physician, sometimes called the “Father of Nephrology,” who was the first to describe the clinical manifestations of the kidney disorder known as Bright's disease, or nephritis.

  • 1796 Johann Daniel Titius

    Prussian astronomer, physicist, and biologist whose formula (1766) expressing the distances between the planets and the Sun was confirmed by J.E. Bode in 1772, when it was called Bode's Law.

  • 1956 Frederick George Donnan

    British chemist, born in Ceylon, whose research contributed to the development of colloid chemistry.

  • 1935 Percy Gilchrist

    Percy Carlyle Gilchrist was an English metallurgist who is known for the Thomas-Gilchrist process (1876-77) he developed while assistant to his cousin, Sidney Gilchrist Thomas.

1912

First airplane stamp design

In 1912, the world's first stamp to depict an airplane (a biplane) was issued in the U.S., to be available at Post Offices on 1 Jan 1913.
1954

Synthetic diamond

In 1954, the first U.S.-made synthetic diamonds were created by Prof. H. Tracy Hall, at G.E. Research Laboratories.
1991

Kazakhstan Declares Independence from the Soviet Union

On December 16, 1991, Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union, marking a pivotal moment in its history. This decision followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union and established Kazakhstan as a sovereign nation. Nursultan Nazarbayev became the country's first president, leading Kazakhstan through its early years of independence and shaping its modern political and economic landscape.
1972

Bangladesh Constitution Goes into Effect

The Constitution of Bangladesh went into effect on December 16, 1972, marking the country's formal establishment as a sovereign and independent nation. This constitution replaced the provisional constitution adopted after Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 and outlined the framework for governance, rights of citizens, and principles of democracy in the new nation.
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