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What happened on January 2nd?
Scientists decoded ancient clues about our solar system’s origins
Matthew Jones
January 02, 2025
2004 Stardust Collects Comet Dust
On January 2, 2004, NASA’s spacecraft Stardust successfully gathered dust grains from the comet Wild 2. The mission provided unprecedented insights into the composition of comets and helped scientists better understand the early solar system and the building blocks of life on Earth.
The photo shows the Stardust spacecraft sitting in the Payload Hazardous Service Facility waiting to undergo installation and testing of the solar arrays.
🗞️Today’s Headlines
Everything important that’s ever happened on January 2:
1967 ─ American Republican politician Ronald Reagan was sworn in as governor of California, marking the start of his political rise.
1920 ─ The Palmer Raids intensified, with 3,000–10,000 individuals arrested across more than 30 US cities in one of the largest crackdowns on suspected anarchists and radicals.
1905 ─ The Russians surrendered Port Arthur (now Lüshun, China) to the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War in a major defeat.
1863 ─ The Battle of Stones River concluded during the American Civil War, leaving heavy casualties on both sides.
1492 ─ Spain reclaimed Granada, completed the Reconquista, and ended centuries of Moorish rule on the Iberian Peninsula.
🎂 Today’s Birthdays
On January 2, we’re singing to:
Henry Kingsley (1830) ─ English novelist known for works like The Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn and Ravenshoe.
Isaac Asimov (1920) ─ Prolific author and biochemist celebrated for his groundbreaking science fiction and popular science books.
Todd Haynes (1961) ─ Screenwriter and director acclaimed for films such as Carol and Far from Heaven.
Cuba Gooding Jr. (1968) ─ Academy Award-winning actor recognized for his performances in Jerry Maguire and Boyz n the Hood.
🪦Who Died Today?
On January 2, we’re saying goodbye to:
Sir Edward Burnett Tylor (1917) ─ British anthropologist regarded as a founding figure of cultural anthropology.
Thomas Spencer Monson (2018) ─ US religious leader and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
How Am I Doing?
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