This Day In History : December 30

1922 Russian Federation

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) formed

On December 30, 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was established following the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR, signed by the RSFSR, UkrSSR, Byelorussian SSR, and TSFSR. This union centralized governance under Moscow, heralding the start of the Soviet era in Russia and neighboring regions.

Also on This Day in History December 30

Discover what happened on December 30 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, December 30
  • 1954 Rodney A. Brooks

    He is an Australian engineer and inventor who is a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence to built autonomous robots.

  • 1931 John Houghton

    Welsh metereologist who began in the late 1960s drawing attention to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere and its result of global warming, now known as the greenhouse effect.

  • 1863 William H. Park

    He was an American physician and bacteriologist who pioneered in the application of bacteriology to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the common infectious diseases.

  • 1850 John Milne

    John Milne was a British geologist and mining engineer who worked on a horizontal seismograph.

  • 1934 John N. Bahcall

    American astrophysicist who pioneered the development of neutrino astrophysics in the early 1960s.

Deaths on This Day, December 30
  • 1971 Vikram Sarabhai

    Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai Jain was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped to develop nuclear power in India.

  • 1947 Alfred North Whitehead

    English mathematician and philosopher, who worked in logic, physics, philosophy of science and metaphysics.

  • 1883 John Henry Dallmeyer

    German-British inventor and manufacturer of lenses and telescopes.

  • 1695 Samuel Morland

    English mathematician and inventor of mechanical calculators.

  • 1899 James Paget

    (1st Baronet) British surgeon and physiologist, considered (with Rudolf Virchow) to be a founder of scientific medical pathology.

1982

Blue moon

In 1982, a second full moon of the month was visible. Known as a "blue moon," the name does not refer to its colour, but it is a rare event, giving rise to the expression, "once in a blue moon" came from.
1995

Lowest temperature ever recorded in the UK

The lowest temperature recorded in the UK is indeed -27.2°C (-17°F), which occurred on December 30, 1995, at Altnaharra in Scotland. This record remains notable in the meteorological history of the United Kingdom.
2011

Samoa and Tokelau skipped December 30

In 2011, Samoa and Tokelau decided to skip December 30 altogether as they shifted from the eastern side of the International Date Line to the west. This change was made to align their time zones more closely with their main trading partners in the Asia-Pacific region.
1927

The first subway line in Asia, the Ginza Line opens in Tokyo, Japan

On December 30, 1927, the Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opened in Tokyo, Japan. It marked a significant milestone in urban transportation, providing efficient and rapid transit within the bustling city. The Ginza Line initially ran from Asakusa to Ueno and eventually expanded to become a vital part of Tokyo's extensive subway network.
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