What Happened in 2006?

January

NASA, ever ready to lead the way in terms of space exploration, officially launched the New Horizons probe on January 19th, 2006 – this probe was remarkable because it was the first ever interplanetary explorer sent to Pluto! This launch occurred just days after the end of the Stardust mission.

February

On February 17th, 2006, a colossal mudslide occurred in the Philippines, specifically in the region of Southern Leyte. The natural disaster would tragically claim the lives of around 1,126 people.

March

The English-language side of Wikipedia reached its one-millionth article! As of December 2023, English Wikipedia has over six million articles – and it’s effectively transformed the way we learn online. It’s probably helped a few kids cheat on their homework, too…

April

Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup! They officially won by defeating France in a penalty shootout. Despite the glory here – and the fact that Italy are still one of the best performing nations on the world soccer stage – this was the last time they won the tournament at the time of writing.

May

The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany was sunk in the Gulf of Mexico. However, it was a perfectly peaceful act that took place for ecological reasons! The carrier was sunk to serve as an artificial reef.

June

In what became a landmark decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that military commissions officially set up by the Bush administration violated US and international law. The military commissions were holding detainees at the controversial Guantanamo Bay.

July

The social media platform, Twitter, was officially launched to the public. The microblogging site would undergo quite the evolution over the years, eventually being used by public figures and brands to market to the public. Of course, one of the most dramatic changes in the Twitter timeline was its rebranding to X under Elon Musk in 2022.

August
In a controversial decision, Pluto lost its classification as a planet. That is to say that the International Astronomical Union redefined what it meant to be a planet, leading to the reclassification of Pluto as a "dwarf planet." Astronomers around in 2006 weren’t all best pleased!

August

In a controversial decision, Pluto lost its classification as a planet. That is to say that the International Astronomical Union redefined what it meant to be a planet, leading to the reclassification of Pluto as a "dwarf planet." Astronomers around in 2006 weren’t all best pleased!

September

Following the controversies of the Iraq War and ongoing concerns about his leadership, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair officially declared his intention to resign the post by December 31st, 2007. He would eventually be succeeded by Gordon Brown, who would eventually lose Labour's power to a coalition of the opposing Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.

October

In early October, North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. On October 17th, the United Nations Security Council unanimously put through its Resolution 1718, which sanctioned the nation for its controversial and potentially devastating activity.

November

Former Soviet spy Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned in London. This led to his death on November 23rd – however, it would not be before 2021, during the Carter v Russia case, that the European Court of Human Rights decided that Russia was indeed responsible for the death of Litvinenko. The court then ordered the country to pay 100,000 euros in damages.

December

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was finally executed by hanging. In November of that year, he had been convicted by the Iraqi High Tribunal of crimes against humanity. These crimes were related to the 1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi'a. That is when he was sentenced to death by hanging.

…dog!

Like 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, and 2018, 2006 celebrated dogs everywhere, at least according to the Chinese Zodiac. People born in dog years are usually honest, kind, loyal, reliable, understanding, hard-working, and patient! Does that describe you in a nutshell? The next dog year won’t be until 2030, so plenty of time to prepare for walkies.