On this day: March 27

The first documented case of fraudulent 'psychic surgery' in 1962

On March 27, 1962, investigators recorded what is widely cited as the first documented instance of fraudulent 'psychic surgery'—a staged medical performance that used sleight-of-hand and animal tissue to simulate miraculous removals, prompting early formal exposures of the practice.

Special Court Reconvenes in Salem to Hear Witchcraft Cases

On March 27, 1692, a special court convened in Salem, Massachusetts, to adjudicate numerous accusations of witchcraft stemming from a wave of local examinations and arrests earlier that month. The court’s procedures and reliance on spectral evidence would soon draw controversy.

America’s First Public Zoo Opens in Philadelphia, 1874

On March 27, 1874, the Philadelphia Zoo opened to the public—the first true public zoological garden in the United States—marking a shift in urban recreation, education, and the display of animals for scientific study and popular leisure.

Boxer dies days after bout from undetected brain injury

A professional fighter collapsed days after a March 27, 1991 bout and later died from a previously undetected brain injury, prompting renewed scrutiny of ringside medical protocols and post-fight observation practices.

Gloster Meteor Makes Maiden Flight, First Allied Jet in Service

On March 27, 1944, an early Gloster Meteor prototype undertook its first flight, marking the debut of Britain's first operational jet fighter and a pivotal moment in the transition from piston-engined to jet-powered military aviation.