Today in History for January 2nd (Associated Press video)…

TiMELiNE of HiSTORY ON THiS DAY & PEOPLE BORN on JANUARY 2nd…

1860 – The discovery of the planet Vulcan was announced at a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, France on the 2nd January 1860.

1872 ~ Albert Coombs Barnes the American physician, chemist, businessman, art collector, writer, educator and the founder of the Barnes Foundation in Lower Merion was born in Philadelphia on the 2nd January 1872 (died 24th July 1951 aged 79). Official website: www.BarnesFoundation.org

1873 – Antonie Pannekoek the Dutch astronomer and theorist was born on the 2nd January 1873 (died 1960).

1920 – Isaac Asimov the American chemist and author was born on the 2nd January 1920 (died 1992).

1936 – Roger Miller the American singer-songwriter and actor was born on the 2nd January 1936 (died 1992).

1937 – David Bailey the English photographer was born on the 2nd January 1937.

1947 – Jack Hanna the American zoologist was born on the 2nd January 1947.

1947 – David Shapiro the American poet, critic, and historian was born on the 2nd January 1947.

1952 – Graeme Strachan the Australian singer-songwriter from Skyhooks was born on the 2nd January 1952 (died 2001).

1959 – Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and to orbit the Sun, was launched by the Soviet Union on the 2nd January 1959.

1961 ~ Gabrielle Carteris the American actress best known as Andrea Zuckerman on the 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210 was born on the 2nd January 1961. Gabrielle Carteris Twitter: www.Twitter.com/TheGabrielle_C 

1967 – Tia Carrere the American actress and singer was born on the 2nd January 1967.

1968 – Cuba Gooding, Jr. the American actor was born on the 2nd January 1968.

1972 – Adam Elliot the Australian animator and screenwriter was born on the 2nd January 1972.

1974 – President Richard Nixon signed a bill lowering the maximum U.S. speed limit to 55 MPH on the 2nd January 1974, in order to conserve gasoline during an OPEC embargo.

1975 – Chris Cheney the Australian singer-songwriter and bass player from The Living End was born on the 2nd January 1975.

1983 – Kate Bosworth the American actress was born on the 2nd January 1983.

1983 – Dick Emery the English comedian and actor died on the 2nd January 1983 (born 1915).

1999 – A brutal snowstorm smashed into the Midwestern United States on the 2nd January 1999, causing 359 mm (14 inches) of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 487 mm (19 inches) in Chicago, Illinois, where temperatures plunged to -25 °C (-13 °F); 68 deaths were reported.

2004 – Stardust successfully flew past Comet Wild 2 on the 2nd January 2004, collecting samples that are returned to Earth.