What Happened On This Day – January 7
1989 Akihito is sworn in as Emperor of Japan
His accession to the throne followed the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, on the same day.
1979 The Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia is overthrown
Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh that day.
1927 The first transatlantic telephone service is established
A 3-minute call between New York and London cost about $45 USD, which is roughly $550 in today's dollars.
1785 Hot air balloon crosses the English Channel
French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard took about 2½ hours to fly from Dover (UK) to Guînes (France).
1610 Galileo Galilei discovers the Galilean Moons
The Italian astronomer spotted the four largest moons of Jupiter that day: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Births On This Day – January 7
1991 Eden Hazard
Belgian footballer
1985 Lewis Hamilton
English race car driver
1967 Nick Clegg
English politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1964 Nicolas Cage
American actor, producer, director
1943 Sadako Sasaki
Japanese victim of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki
Deaths On This Day – January 7
1995 Murray Rothbard
American economist, historian
1989 Hirohito
Japanese Emperor
1951 René Guénon
French/Egyptian author
1943 Nikola Tesla
Serbian/American physicist, engineer
1536 Catherine of Aragon