On this Day

1884 Greenwich Mean Time is introduced.

By InvestSMART · 13 Oct 2011

By InvestSMART ·
13 Oct 2011

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1884 Greenwich Mean Time is introduced.

1903 The Australian Senate votes and selects Bombala in south-eastern New South Wales as the site for Australias capital.

1933 Australias first traffic lights are installed in Sydney.

1992 The pyramids, the Sphinx and other monuments survive a Cairo earthquake that kills at least 400 and injures more than 4000.

1993 A fanatical fan of tennis player Steffi Graf is convicted of stabbing her arch-rival Monica Seles but receives only a two-year suspended sentence.

TODAYS BIRTHDAYS

IAN THORPE

AUSTRALIAN SWIMMER (1982)

Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe became an Australian swimming icon in the early 2000s, and is expected to make a return to the pool after a four-year layoff. Born in Sydney, Thorpe struggled to swim as a child because of an allergy to chlorine. At the age of 15, already standing at more than 1.8 metres, Thorpe caught the worlds attention when he became the youngest world champion in history after winning the 400m freestyle. In the lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he broke 10 world records four of them in four days at the 1999 Pan Pacific titles. In 2004, despite his split with long-time coach Doug Frost, the talented swimmer broke new ground at the Athens Olympics when he became the first Australian to win a total of five Olympic golds. Thorpe announced his retirement in 2006, but has signalled a comeback for the 2012 London Olympics.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What happened on this day in history regarding Greenwich Mean Time (1884)?

The article notes that Greenwich Mean Time was introduced in 1884 — a key historical milestone marking the establishment of GMT.

What decision did the Australian Senate make in 1903 about the national capital?

In 1903 the Australian Senate voted to select Bombala in south‑eastern New South Wales as the site for Australia’s capital, according to the article.

When were Australia’s first traffic lights installed?

The article records that Australia’s first traffic lights were installed in Sydney in 1933.

What does the article say about the 1992 Cairo earthquake?

The article reports that in 1992 a Cairo earthquake killed at least 400 people, injured more than 4,000, and left the pyramids, the Sphinx and other monuments surviving the quake.

What incident involving tennis players Steffi Graf and Monica Seles is mentioned from 1993?

The article states that in 1993 a fan of Steffi Graf was convicted of stabbing Monica Seles; the attacker received a two‑year suspended sentence.

Who is Ian Thorpe and what early career highlights does the article list?

Ian Thorpe, born in 1982, is described as an Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medallist who became a national icon; at 15 he became the youngest world champion by winning the 400m freestyle and had struggled with a childhood allergy to chlorine.

What world records and Olympic achievements of Ian Thorpe are noted in the article?

The article says Thorpe broke 10 world records in the lead‑up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics (including four in four days at the 1999 Pan Pacific titles) and in 2004 became the first Australian to win a total of five Olympic gold medals.

When did Ian Thorpe retire and did he signal any comebacks?

According to the article, Thorpe announced his retirement in 2006 but signalled a comeback for the 2012 London Olympics and was expected to return to the pool after a four‑year layoff.