On this day: February 1
Man reportedly regains consciousness during embalming in 2001
In February 2001 a Washington state man was reported to have regained brief consciousness during embalming preparations after being declared dead; medical and legal follow-up highlighted diagnostic uncertainty in cases of apparent death.
Zodiac Killer's Last Confirmed Letter Arrives, Feb. 1, 1974
On February 1, 1974, investigators received what is widely regarded as the Zodiac Killer’s final confirmed communication: a short, typed letter sent to the San Francisco Chronicle that included a piece of a taxicab driver’s shirt as a claimed souvenir.
Pentagon Acknowledges Lost Nuclear Weapons Incidents
The Pentagon has acknowledged incidents in which U.S. nuclear weapons were temporarily misplaced or unaccounted for, a disclosure that revisits Cold War-era safety and accountability concerns about the handling and transport of strategic arms.
The first documented case often linked to multiple personality: the 'Miss Beauchamp' study (1908)
On February 1, 1908, neurologist Morton Prince published detailed clinical material on a patient known as "Miss Beauchamp," widely cited as among the first carefully documented cases of what later became called multiple personality disorder (now dissociative identity disorder).
The First Confirmed Case of Multiple Personality Disorder, 1908
On February 1, 1908, psychiatrist Morton Prince published the seminal case study of “Miss Beauchamp” (later identified as Christine Beauchamp), a detailed documentation widely cited as the first confirmed clinical account of multiple personality disorder in modern psychiatry.
Zodiac Killer’s Final Confirmed Letter Arrives on February 1, 1974
On February 1, 1974, the Zodiac Killer sent what investigators consider his final confirmed letter: a typed communication that referenced previous taunts and arrived amid an unresolved series of murders and cryptic correspondence in Northern California.
The First Documented Mass Poisoning from Contaminated Alcohol (1927)
On 1 February 1927, an outbreak in Spain linked to contaminated industrial alcohol used to denature potable spirits produced one of the earliest well-documented mass poisonings from adulterated alcohol, causing widespread illness and numerous deaths.
CIA Releases Declassified Files Detailing Domestic Surveillance Activities
The CIA on Feb. 1, 2013, declassified a set of files addressing the agency’s involvement in domestic surveillance and related programs, shedding light on internal assessments, legal reviews and operational boundaries previously kept secret.
FBI Admits Undercover Infiltration of 1970s Anti‑War Groups
In February 1972 the FBI confirmed that agents and informants had been placed inside U.S. anti‑war organizations during the late 1960s and early 1970s, a disclosure that intensified debates over domestic surveillance and civil liberties.
NASA launches first successful weather satellite, TIROS-1
On February 1, 1960, the Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS-1) was launched, becoming the first successful satellite to provide cloud-cover images from space and ushering in modern satellite meteorology.
FBI Releases Previously Closed Files on Elvis Presley
The FBI has made public files relating to its investigations and background checks on Elvis Presley, shedding light on the agency’s interactions with the singer and public concerns during his lifetime. The released documents include correspondence, press inquiries and material requests.
NASA Launches First Operational Weather Satellite, TIROS-1, on Feb. 1, 1960
On February 1, 1960, the United States launched TIROS-1, the first successful satellite specifically designed to observe Earth's weather from orbit, beginning routine meteorological imaging and transforming weather forecasting.
NASA Confirms Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia and Seven-Member Crew
On February 1, 2003, NASA confirmed that Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry, killing all seven crew members. The agency launched an investigation into possible foam debris damage sustained during launch.