24 fun facts for October, 22

Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
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Summary
October 22nd is filled with significant events, such as the first high-altitude parachute jump in 1797, the birth of Xerox in 1938, and the release of Apple's first iPod in 2001. This date also commemorates International Stuttering Awareness Day and National Nut Day, promoting the awareness of stuttering and the nutritional benefits of nuts, respectively.
24 Fun facts
  1. On October 22, 1797, Frenchman André-Jacques Garnerin became the first person to parachute from a high altitude. He jumped from a hot air balloon at about 3,200 feet above Paris and landed safely in a field.
  2. American inventor Charles Merrill Hough was granted a patent for the metal alloy known as Monel on October 22, 1906. Monel is a corrosion-resistant metal used in the marine industry and other demanding applications.
  3. October 22, 1938, is considered the birth of the Xerox process. Chester Carlson used his new "electrophotography" invention to make the first photocopy, which would later be renamed Xerox.
  4. The Hollywood Walk of Fame celebrated the installation of its first stars on October 22, 1959. Actors Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman were among the first celebrities to receive a star.
  5. The Cuban Missile Crisis took a critical turn on October 22, 1962, when U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent the Soviet Union from delivering nuclear weapons.
  6. On October 22, 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, successfully splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after orbiting Earth for 11 days. This achievement paved the way for later moon missions.
  7. In 1975, on October 22, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared smallpox eradicated from Bangladesh. This was an important step towards eventually eliminating the disease worldwide.
  8. October 22 is International Stuttering Awareness Day, which aims to raise awareness about stuttering and provide support to people who stutter.
  9. On this day in 1981, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the artificial sweetener aspartame for use in tabletop sweeteners and various foods and beverages.
  10. American jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie was born on October 22, 1917. Gillespie is considered one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time and was a leading figure in the bebop and modern jazz movements.
  11. Acclaimed French painter Françoise Gilot was born on October 22, 1921. She is known for her relationship with Pablo Picasso and her impressive contributions to postwar abstract art.
  12. In 1991, on October 22, the European Community and the European Free Trade Association signed an agreement creating the European Economic Area, a massive market of more than 300 million people.
  13. October 22, 1999, marked the premiere of the influential science-fiction TV series Roswell. Created by Jason Katims, the show became a cult classic and inspired a 2019 reboot.
  14. On October 22, 2001, Apple's first iPod was released, revolutionizing the way people listen to music and eventually leading to the evolution of smartphones.
  15. In 2003, the Concorde supersonic jet made its last commercial flight on October 22. After 27 years of service, the iconic aircraft was retired due to high operational costs and a fatal accident in 2000.
  16. October 22 is National Nut Day, which celebrates the variety and nutritional benefits of different nuts. Nuts are enjoyed worldwide as snacks or ingredients in cooking and baking.
  17. On October 22nd, 2008, India launched its first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, marking a significant milestone in the country's space exploration journey.
  18. The Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) kicked off its inaugural season on October 22, 2007. The league provided a platform for female ice hockey players to showcase their talent at an elite level.
  19. On this day in 1976, Red Dye No. 4, a food coloring agent, was banned by the U.S. FDA due to its potential carcinogenic effects.
  20. American singer-songwriter and actress Annette Funicello was born on October 22, 1942. She rose to fame as one of the original Mouseketeers on The Mickey Mouse Club and became a teen idol in the 1950s and 1960s.
  21. October 22 is National Color Day, which encourages people to appreciate the effect color has on our lives, including its cultural and psychological significance.
  22. In 1986, on October 22, the International Whaling Commission voted for a moratorium on commercial whaling, an important step in the conservation of whale species worldwide.
  23. Author and philosopher Sir Karl Popper passed away on October 22, 1994. His influential works on the philosophy of science and social theory are still widely studied today.
  24. On October 22, 2009, the Windows 7 operating system was released to the public, improving on many features from its predecessor, Windows Vista, and becoming a popular choice for personal computers.

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