On this day: February 20
CIA Acknowledges Cold War Psychic Programs
In February 1995 the CIA publicly confirmed it had investigated psychic phenomena during the Cold War, part of a wider U.S. intelligence effort to assess unconventional methods amid concerns about Soviet research. The admission followed internal reviews and declassified documents.
Vatican to Open Inquisition Archives to Scholars
On 20 February 1998 the Vatican announced that it would open the historical archives of the Holy Office (the Inquisition) to qualified researchers, a move intended to make primary records of trials and procedures available for scholarly study.
Vatican Opens Historic Inquisition Archives to Scholars
On 20 February 1998 the Vatican announced that it would open parts of its Inquisition archives to qualified researchers, a move aimed at enabling fuller scholarly study of the Church’s historical legal and doctrinal proceedings while balancing access and preservation.
1947: First confirmed deaths from counterfeit medicines in the United States
On February 20, 1947, U.S. health authorities linked multiple deaths to a counterfeit sulfanilamide preparation, marking the first confirmed fatalities attributed to adulterated or counterfeit medicines in modern American public-health records.
Landmark Moment: First Successful Open-Heart Operation (1953)
On February 20, 1953, English surgeon Sir Russell Brock led a team that performed one of the first widely recognized successful open-heart operations using direct vision on a heart defect, marking a crucial step toward modern cardiac surgery.
Vatican Opens World War II Archives to Scholars
On 20 February 2020 the Vatican formally opened its Second World War archives to researchers, promising access to millions of documents from Pope Pius XII’s pontificate and related Vatican offices. The release aims to deepen historical understanding of the Holy See’s wartime actions and controversies.
Vatican Issues Formal Apology for Historical Persecutions
On February 20, 2000, the Vatican issued a formal apology acknowledging the Church's role in historical persecutions and expressing regret for actions that harmed individuals and communities over centuries.
First Successful Open-Heart Operation Using Direct Vision Performed
On February 20, 1953, Dr. John Gibbon and his team performed a landmark open-heart operation using the heart–lung machine, marking a major advance in cardiac surgery and extracorporeal circulation.
Vatican Opens World War II Archives to Scholars
On 20 February 2020 the Vatican made millions of documents from Pope Pius XII’s papacy available to historians, granting access to its Second World War-era archives and prompting international scholarly review and renewed debate over the pope’s wartime conduct.
Vatican Issues Formal Apology for Historical Persecutions
On February 20, 2000, the Vatican issued a formal apology acknowledging and expressing regret for the Church's role in historical persecutions, marking a public step toward reconciliation with communities affected by past injustices.