What Happened On This Day – February 15
2003 The largest peace demonstration in history takes place
Up to 30 million people in 600 cities around the world protested against the Iraq War.
2001 The first draft of the human genome is published
The human genome contains the complete human genetic information.
1989 The Soviet Union pulls out of Afghanistan
Despite their military superiority, the Soviet and Afghan armies did not succeed in breaking the Mujahideen insurgents' resistance.
1971 The United Kingdom and Ireland decimalize their currencies
Before the change, a pound sterling was made up of 240 pence, or 20 shillings.
1965 Canada adopts its current national flag showing a maple leaf
The leaf symbolizes the country's forests, the middle white stripe the arctic snow, and the red stripes the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Births On This Day – February 15
1954 Matt Groening
American animator, screenwriter, producer
1934 Graham Kennedy
Australian actor
1874 Ernest Shackleton
Irish explorer
1710 Louis XV of France
1564 Galileo Galilei
Italian astronomer, physicist
Deaths On This Day – February 15
2005 Samuel T. Francis
American journalist
1988 Richard Feynman
American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1965 Nat King Cole
American singer, pianist, television host
1928 H. H. Asquith
English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1781 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
German author, philosopher