December 27

An estimated 8.0 magnitude earthquake strikes near Erzincan, Dian Fossey is found murdered.

Thu, Dec 27 2012 at 5:00 AM

Dec. 27, 1831: The HMS Beagle sails from Plymouth, England for the Galapagos Islands. The trip results in Charles Darwin’s work on evolutionary theory and the diversity of nature.

Dec. 27, 1939: An estimated 8.0 magnitude earthquake strikes near Erzincan, Turkey, killing between 20,000 and 40,000 people. The quake takes place on the North Anatolian Fault, which has had seven quakes of 7.0 magnitude or greater since then.

Dec. 27, 1965: Britain’s first effort at offshore oil drilling ends in disaster as the Sea Gem platform collapses in the North Sea. Nine crewmembers are lost.

Dec. 27, 1985: The body of primate research Dian Fossey (at right) is discovered at her camp in Rwanda. While no one is ever convicted for the murder, it is believed she was killed for her opposition to the poaching of mountain gorillas.

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

This feature is compiled by Peter Dykstra, an MNN contributor and publisher of Environmental Health News and The Daily Climate.

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