On this day: June 6
Skeleton Found with Medieval Chastity Belt in 1979 Burial
In June 1979 archaeologists reported a human skeleton recovered with a metal device interpreted as a medieval chastity belt; subsequent study has emphasized dating, context, and caution about assumptions regarding purpose and rarity.
1904 Case Reveals First Documented Staged Haunting
On June 6, 1904, press coverage exposed what researchers now cite as the earliest well-documented instance of a staged haunting: a rural house event in which manufactured noises and secreted appliances were used to convince neighbors and visitors of supernatural activity.
First Successful Test of a Kidney Dialysis Machine, June 6, 1943
On June 6, 1943, Dutch physician Willem Kolff completed the first successful test of a rotating drum artificial kidney—an early dialysis machine—that removed waste from a patient’s blood, marking a pivotal step toward modern renal replacement therapy.
America’s First Drive-In Movie Opens in Camden County, New Jersey
On June 6, 1933, entrepreneur Richard Hollingshead Jr. opened the world’s first commercial drive-in movie theater in Camden County, New Jersey, introducing a novel outdoor cinema format that combined automobiles and film exhibition.
Egypt Closes the Suez Canal as 1967 Arab–Israeli War Erupts
On June 6, 1967, amid the opening days of the Six-Day War, Egyptian authorities announced the closure of the Suez Canal, halting one of the world’s busiest maritime routes and trapping ships in the canal and its approaches.
Public debut of satellite navigation concepts, June 6, 1964
On June 6, 1964, researchers publicly demonstrated core ideas behind satellite-based navigation—timed signals from orbiting transmitters to determine position—marking a key step toward systems like GPS.
D-Day: Allied Invasion of Normandy Begins
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, landing on the beaches of Normandy in the largest seaborne invasion in history to begin liberating German-occupied Western Europe.