This Day In History : December 26

1982 United States

Time Magazine Names Personal Computer "Man of the Year"

On December 26, 1982, Time magazine announced that the "Man of the Year" for 1982 was the personal computer, marking the first time a non-human entity received this distinction. This decision reflected the growing influence of technology and its transformative impact on society during the digital revolution.

Also on This Day in History December 26

Discover what happened on December 26 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, December 26
  • 1900 Antoni Zygmund

    Polish-American mathematician who created a major analysis research centre at Chicago, and recognized in 1986 for this with the National Medal for Science.

  • 1791 Charles Babbage

    English mathematician who was a pioneer of mechanical computation, which he pursued to eliminate inaccuracies in mathematical tables.

  • 1861 Emil Wiechert

    German seismologist and physicist who made significant contributions which developed geophysics and seismology as major scientific disciplines.

  • 1838 Clemens Alexander Winkler

    German chemist who discovered the element germanium (1886).

  • 1825 Ernst Felix Hoppe-Seyler

    Ernst Felix (Immanuel) Hoppe-Seyler was a German physician, who was a pioneer of physiological chemistry (biochemistry).

Deaths on This Day, December 26
  • 2018 Nancy Roman

    Nancy Grace Roman was an American astronomer who was the first woman to hold an executive position at NASA.

  • 1960 Giuseppe Mario Bellanca

    Italian-American aviator who designed and built airplanes, including the first U.S. monoplane with an enclosed cabin (1917).

  • 1981 Henry Eyring

    Mexican-American physical chemist.

  • 2010 Albert Ghiorso

    American nuclear physicist who co-discovered 12 new elements.

  • 2021 Edward O. Wilson

    Edward Osborne Wilson was an American biologist recognized as the world's leading authority on ants who has conducted extensive studies of the ecology and evolution of the ant.

1975

Tupolev TU-144 first commercial flight

In 1975, the Tupolev-144, the first passenger supersonic jet (SST) carried only mail and freight on its first commercial flight from Moscow to Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan.
1906

Feature film

In 1906, the world's first full-length feature film, the 70-min Story of the Kelly Gang was presented in the Town Hall at Melbourne, Australia, where it had been filmed at a cost of £450.
1898

Radium

In 1898, Polish-French scientist Marie Sklodowska Curie discovered the radioactive element radium while experimenting with pitchblende, a common uranium ore.
1776

Battle of Trenton

1776 American Revolutionary War: George Washington leads US troops to defeat Hessians at Battle of Trenton, New Jersey.
Holiday
Special day
Discover invention