Time… that ethereal concept that holds within itself an infinity of mysteries. According to the calendar we follow, the year is divided into 12 months, and each of them has 30 or 31 days. But there is a special month, which is quite rare. did you ever wonder Why does February have 28 days? Well, without a doubt, it is a different month from the rest. So much so, that there is a day that appears on the calendar only once every four years, and still manages to make itself felt with originality. Today we dive into the world of curiosities, to tell you What happens on February 29, a day that comes loaded with its particular anecdotes, with its ephemeris and its outstanding births. Join us!
What is celebrated on February 29?
But before going into the matter and start discovering what happens on February 29, it is important that you know what is a leap yearand that you also know that they are an invention of the time of julius caesar. A curiosity in this regard is that, while in some cultures or countries the leap year is cursed, in others it is almost, almost, the opposite. And, in fact, in leap years events of global importance are held, for example the Olympic Games or the elections in USA. And now yes, let’s see what exactly happened on February 29.
What happens on February 29: some important episodes
Although so rare that we have to wait four years to live it, the reality is that February 29 is a special day, in which things of historical relevance happened. Let’s see what happens on February 29. Surely many of these data will surprise you.
- We are in the year 1504, on the island of Jamaica. This story has a protagonist: Christopher Columbus. The navigator knew that a lunar eclipse was going to take place on February 29 and he knew how to take advantage of it in his favor. After supplying him with food for months, the Indians began to refuse. Columbus, neither short nor lazy, assured them that they would be punished for it. Seeing the eclipse, the natives, frightened, again filled the warehouses and warehouses of the Spaniards.
- We fly to 1920 to tell you the next important thing what happens on February 29. On February 29 of that year, the first steps were taken to create a new country: Czechoslovakia. That is the day the National Assembly made up of Czech and Slovak leaders approved a democratic constitution. It was an important step that, however, would not last long. A few decades later, both states would separate again.
- And we go from history to culture to continue telling you what happens on February 29. This day, but from the year 1940, the movie “Gone with the Wind” won no less than eight Oscars. The same number of Grammys that Michel Jackson would win that same day, but from 1984.
- Now a tragic note: more than 12,000 people lost their lives in the Moroccan city of Agadir on February 29, 1960 after a strong earthquake.
World Rare Disease Day
Another super interesting fact about what happens on February 29 is that this day was chosen as World Rare Disease Day. Since 2008 it has been celebrated. This date was chosen precisely because it considered its singularity, as an ideal association for raising awareness of these diseases. There are around 7 thousand pathologies that are commemorated on this day. They affect such a small part of the population that the scientific community calls them rare or infrequent diseases.
What happens if you are born on February 29?
Another very interesting element when talking about what happens on February 29, are births, whose probabilities are remote. In fact, heThe chance of being born in a leap year is one in 1,500. Can you imagine having your real birthday, only once every four years? How would you really count your age, if you had been born on this day? There are many curiosities and mischief about it.
Those who only blow out the candles every four years are given a name, “leapers”., and there are about four million worldwide. Any prominent names? Among them are writers, artists and even famous assassins. And it is that between what happens on February 29, we celebrate the birth of great legends in different areas. Let’s meet some of them.
- john byronFar less known than his grandson, Lord Byron, this British poet and navigator was born on February 29, 1692. And it would not be possible to say for sure if he was lucky or the opposite. In his time he was known as “Foul-Weather Jack” because he did not have very good luck with the weather when he traveled. But instead, managed to survive a shipwreck.
- Gioacchino Rossini was born on February 29, 1792. A renowned italian composer almost hated by some opera singers, given the technical difficulty of his works.
- Hermann Hollerith He may not be well known, but one of his inventions is. He designed the first tabulating machine. After patenting the invention, he founded a company to commercialize it and that was the seed of a world-renowned firm, IBM. By the way, Hollerith was born on February 29, 1860.
- Aileen Carol Wuornos was born in 1956. What is your fame? To what murdered seven men between 1989 and 1990. His story inspired the movie “Monster, a serial killer.”
- The writer Tim Powers, the filmmaker William Augustus Wellman or the artist Balthus are also relevant characters born on February 29. And a curiosity: In the Texas town of Anthony, a great festival is held every four yearswith dinner included, for those born on such a particular day.
As you will see, when we investigate what happens on February 29, we find a lot of interesting data. From historic conquests to memorable births. It is an original and special day, which marks the difference between the curious leap years and the regular years. And you, What do you think about this selection of data? Do you know of any others that you want to add to the list? Feel free to leave us your opinions in a comment. And if you liked this text, you may also be interested in the article on the calendars that marked history, as well as this great selection of the best phrases about february Until next time!