On this day: March 21
Man Revives Inside Coffin After Being Pronounced Dead
On March 21, 1998, a man in Latin America awoke inside his coffin after being declared dead; the incident prompted medical and legal scrutiny and highlighted risks of premature burial in regions with limited diagnostic resources.
1998 exposé reveals first documented case of international organ trafficking
In March 1998 investigative reporting and subsequent legal action exposed what has been described as the first well-documented case of international organ trafficking, centering on organized schemes that moved vulnerable donors and paid intermediaries across borders for transplant operations.
The First Commercial Radio Broadcast Transmits Music and News, March 21, 1920
On March 21, 1920, station 8MK in Detroit—operated by the engineering department of the Detroit News—aired what is widely regarded as the first scheduled commercial radio broadcast, transmitting music and news to a public audience and marking a key step toward mass radio service.
Early Reconstruction: 1917 Operation to Rebuild a Face
On March 21, 1917, surgeons completed one of the first documented facial reconstructions using plastic surgical techniques developed during World War I, repairing severe facial injuries with innovative grafting methods that laid groundwork for modern reconstructive surgery.