On This Day for April 8 - Celebration of the Buddha's birth, Kofi Annan is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. April 08 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Kofi Annan READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT Today Celebration of the Buddha's birth READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2013: British politician Margaret Thatcher, who was the United Kingdom's (and Europe's) first woman prime minister (1979–90) and the only British prime minister in the 20th century to win three consecutive terms, died in London. [ Test your knowledge of British culture and politics.] 2003: It was reported that springtails (Collembola), long thought to be among the oldest ancestors of insects, did not evolve as insects but rather evolved from a separate group that was formed even before crustaceans and insects diverged. [Sort fact from fiction in our insects and spiders quiz.] 1990: Ryan White, who became a national symbol in the United States after he contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion given to treat his hemophilia, died. [ What's the difference between HIV and AIDS?] 1990: The first episode of Twin Peaks aired on television, and it won critical acclaim and a cult following with its unconventional narrative, surreal tone, and eerie characters. [Test your knowledge of pop culture.] 1974: American baseball player Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run—breaking Babe Ruth's record, which had stood since 1935—and in 1976 completed his career with 755 home runs. [ See where Hank Aaron ranks on our list of the 10 greatest baseball players of all time.] 1973: Pablo Picasso, perhaps the most influential artist of the 20th century, died in Mougins, France. [Take our quiz about artists, painters, and architects.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1968 Patricia Arquette American actress 1938 Kofi Annan Ghanaian statesman and secretary-general of the United Nations 1605 Philip IV king of Spain and Portugal 1918 Betty Ford first lady of the United States 1937 Seymour Hersh American journalist 1929 Jacques Brel Belgian singer and songwriter SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help