On this day: November 30

Woman in Alabama Reportedly Struck by Meteorite While Sleeping, 1954

On November 30, 1954, a small meteorite is said to have crashed through a house in Sylacauga, Alabama, striking a sleeping woman and injuring her; the incident became one of the few well-documented cases of a human struck by a space rock.

Deadly Nightclub Fire in Rhode Island Kills Dozens

On November 30, 2003, a fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, during a concert caused one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history, killing 100 people and injuring hundreds more. Investigations later focused on pyrotechnics, building code violations, and emergency egress failures.

Powerful Alaska earthquake on Nov. 30, 2018 causes deaths and major damage

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck central Alaska on November 30, 2018, triggering landslides, structural damage and at least two deaths as aftershocks and winter weather complicated response efforts.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller Is Released, Redefining Pop Music

On November 30, 1982, Michael Jackson released Thriller, a genre-blending album whose production, promotion and chart success transformed pop music and its visual presentation, eventually becoming the best-selling album in history.