February 29th is also known as International Underlings Day and Rare Disease Day.
Today is a special day as it’s a leap year which only happens once every four years. The odds of being born on February 29 are 1 in 1,461, or 0.068%.
Although this day only happens once every four years, this day has certainly had some incredible events including experiences from two famous historical explorers, a devastating earthquake and much more.
Did you know that on this day in 1504, Christopher Columbus was saved by a lunar eclipse? Knowing when the eclipse was happening, he convinced locals that they made his god angry for not giving him food.
Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about February 29th in history!
Events
What memorable events happened on February 29 in history? Keep reading to find out!
2016
The Fact Shop was launched.
The Fact Shop provides knowledge lovers with an array of exciting and fun fact merchandise, including clothing for men, women & kids.
2008
The UK’s Prince Harry was withdrawn from a military tour of Afghanistan.
The UK’s Ministry of Defense made the decision after the media began reporting on Prince Harry’s presence in Afghanistan, fearing that both he and the units he was serving with would be at an increased risk of attack.
1996
The longest siege of a capital city in modern history, the siege of Sarajevo, officially ended.
The city of Sarajevo, the capital of the newly independent Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, came under siege on April 5, 1992, from the Bosnian Serb Army. More than 13,000 people were killed, including more than 5,000 civilians.
Famous Births
Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as Mark Foster? See what other famous people were born on this day.
1976
Ja Rule
American
Rapper
Age:
48 years old
Born In:
New York, USA
1960
Tony Robbins
American
Author
Age:
64 years old
Born In:
California, USA
1984
Mark Foster
American
Singer
Age:
40 years old
Born In:
California, USA
1916
Dinah Shore
American
Singer
Died On:
Feb 24, 1994 (Age 77)
Born In:
Tennessee, USA
Quotes
Of all of the quotes said on this day, these are the most well-known ones spoken on Feb 29 throughout history.
2000
I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.
George W. Bush
American Politician
Special Holidays
If you’ve got a few minutes spare today, why not celebrate these special holidays.
Rare Disease Day
Getting through life can be incredibly difficult for people with rare diseases, mainly because there’s often little public awareness of these lesser-known ailments. Rare Disease Day was created to raise awareness of the issue to make patients’ lives a little easier.
International Underlings Day
It seems most workplaces have underlings lurking in the shadows whose main job is to be making yours as tricky as possible. Well, today is International Underlings Day, and there’s no harm in conjuring up a little rebellion – just make sure it doesn’t cost you your job!
THe Fact Site’s
Fun Fact Of The Day
Madagascar got its name when Marco Polo misspelled it. The name stuck, and the island was christened to the name in 1500.
Birthday & Zodiac
For those of you who were born on this day, your star sign is Pisces.
While Pisceans may seem quiet at times, they have a solid sense of right and wrong. Their moral compass, along with their gut, guides them well in life.
Amethyst is the birthstone given to those born in February. People with the Amethyst birthstone tend to be stubborn and daring, and they always follow their dreams.
Those who were born on February 29th were likely conceived the previous year on June 8th.
A baby that is conceived on this day will likely be due around November 22nd, 2024.
