World History Timeline

Related events

December 8, 2020★★★★★

First approved COVID-19 vaccination

The United Kingdom gives the first doses of the fully authorised Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, beginning a global vaccination campaign.

ScienceDisease· United Kingdom
April 10, 2019★★★★★

First image of a black hole released

The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration releases the first direct image of a black hole, at the centre of the galaxy M87.

Science
December 25, 2021★★★★★

Launch of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope, a NASA–ESA–CSA collaboration, is launched from French Guiana to observe the early universe in infrared.

ScienceTechnology· United States, France
February 24, 2022★★★★★

Russia launches full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Russia launches a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, starting the largest war in Europe since the Second World War and displacing millions of people.

War· Ukraine, Russia
November 30, 2022★★★★★

OpenAI releases ChatGPT

OpenAI releases the chatbot ChatGPT, which quickly reaches hundreds of millions of users and drives a wave of generative artificial intelligence.

Technology· United States
September 14, 2015★★★★★

First detection of gravitational waves

The LIGO detectors record gravitational waves from two merging black holes, confirming a prediction of general relativity; the result is announced in February 2016.

Science· United States