The Human Genome Project is completed during April. Scientists from around the world successfully finished sequencing about 99% of the human genome. They identified over 20,000 individual genes and base pairs that create the basic DNA composition of humans. The project began in 1990 and it was a collaborative global effort led by the National Institutes of Health. Following its completion, scientists hoped that the research would help in understanding how to predict and cure certain diseases in the future.
The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster takes place on February 1st. NASA’s STS-107 mission carried seven crew members (Rick Husband, William McCool, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon) into space where they conducted scientific experiments for 16 days. The Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry, tragically killing all on board. The disaster was likely caused by damage taken to the left wing during the launch when a piece of foam hit the wing. Following the catastrophe, NASA’s space shuttle program was suspended for 2 years while they investigated the disaster and tried improve the program.
The Portuguese soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo made his Premier League debut for Manchester United during August at the age of 18. Ronaldo played with Manchester United until 2009 when he left the Premier League to join La Liga as a forward for Real Madrid and was paid a record-breaking 94 million Euros. Considered by many to be one of the best soccer players of all time, he has won over 20 trophies and he holds dozens of records including having scored the most goals in all UEFA competitions and becoming the first player to score 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League.
The final Concorde flight took place during November. The Concorde was a supersonic, high-end passenger jet that flew at twice the speed of sound. The first Concorde flight took place in 1969 and regular flights began in 1976. Round-trip tickets cost thousands of dollars and the service was mainly used by wealthy patrons. After a tragic Concorde crash in 2000 and the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, demand for the service decreased and they shuttered the service due to low passenger numbers.
1. NASA confirms the discovery of one of the oldest known exoplanets, PSR B1620-26 b.
2. The planet, nicknamed “Methuselah,” was thought to be about 12.7 billion years old and is about 12,400 light years from Earth.
3. It was initially found in 1993 but its status was not officially confirmed until 10 years later with the help of the Hubble telescope.
4. Astronomers noted that it was the first planet to be confirmed with a circumbinary orbit (orbiting a pulsar and a white dwarf star) and the first in a globular cluster.
5. They also determined that the exoplanet has a mass of about 2.6 times that of Jupiter and it takes about 100 years to complete its orbit.
The European Space Agency (ESA) launches the SMART-1 (Small Missions Advanced Research in Technology-1) spacecraft during September . The unmanned satellite was launched from a site in Kourou, French Guiana. This was the ESA’s first mission to the Moon and the space probe orbited the Moon for about three years. It conducted several experiments that measured chemical elements and minerals visible on the lunar surface and solar activity. It was purposefully crashed into the Moon’s surface after 2,890 orbits.
China launched Shenzhou 5, its first manned space mission during October of 2003. The Shenzhou 5 mission carried China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei, who had been a pilot. The flight lasted just over 21 hours and landed successfully in inner Mongolia. Accomplishing this feat made China the third nation, after the Soviet Union (Russia) and the United States, to launch its own manned space flight.
Department of Homeland Security
The new United States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation
U.S. invasion of Iraq plan
United States plans for an invasion of Iraq due to an imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction
shock and awe campaign
The United States and the United Kingdom start with their shock and awe campaign with a massive air strikes on military targets in Baghdad before the invasion of Iraq by Land Forces.
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, is captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.
U.S. 393 tornadoes
A major severe weather outbreak spawned more tornadoes than any week in U.S. history. 393 tornadoes were reported in 19 states
Algeria Earthquake
Earthquake in Boumerdès region of northern Algeria - 2,200 killed
France Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong wins his fifth Tour De France
Do Not Call List
Do Not Call List starts providing consumers on June 27th with an opportunity to limit telemarketing calls.
Sky marshals
Armed undercover "sky marshals" are used on Aircraft to prevent terrorist attacks following 9/11
Freedom Fries
Americans rename "French Fries" to "Freedom Fries" in protest to France's stand on Iraq
Toyota
Toyota overtakes Chrysler to get the number three slot in US Car Sales
John Muhammad
Ex-soldier John Muhammad is found guilty of the Washington sniper shootings
How Much things cost in 2003
Average Cost of new house $246,300.00
Average Median Income $45,016.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.83
The ABC's 20/20 airs the controversial Granada Television documentary Living with Michael Jackson
Keiko the Orca made famous by the "Free Willy" movies, dies
The Recording Industry Association of America (or RIAA) files copyright lawsuits against Internet users for trading songs online
Apple launches Itunes which becomes a major success selling 10 million songs within 4 months of launch
A white tiger attacks Roy Horn of the duo "Siegfried & Roy" leaving him partially paralyzed
Michael Jackson is booked on suspicion of multiple counts of child molestation ( later acquitted )
JK Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is released
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Finding Nemo
The Matrix Reloaded
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Bruce Almighty
The Last Samurai
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
The Matrix Revolutions
X2: X-Men United
Bad Boys II
Lost in Translation
Amanda Perez
Elton John
Beyoncé
Christina Aguilera
Travis
David Gray
Limp Bizkit
Evanescence
Coldplay
Sheryl Crow
Hilary Duff
Norah Jones
blink-182
Pink
Shania Twain
Madonna
Avril Lavigne
50 Cent
Clay Aiken
Kylie Minogue
Stereophonics
Kelly Clarkson
Blur
Ashanti
Justin Timberlake
Fleetwood Mac
Eminem
Nelly
P. Diddy
100 years of Harley-Davidson
10's of thousands of Harley Owners gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to celebrate 100 years of Harley-Davidson Motor Cycles.
Volkswagen Beetle
The last old-style Volkswagen Beetle rolls off its production line in Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
Italy countrywide blackout
Italy suffers a near countrywide blackout when electricity supplies fail
UK highest temperature ever recorded
The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK - 38.5°C (101.3°F) at Brogdale near Faversham in Kent
Iraq car bomb attack
A car bomb attack in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq has left nearly 100 dead including a leading Shia Muslim politician Ayatollah Hakim.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Voters recall Governor Gray Davis from office and elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to succeed him.
India car bombs
Two large car bombs are exploded in busy area's of Bombay killing 50 and injuring nearly 150.
Iraq Abu Abbas
The wanted terrorist Abu Abbas is captured in Baghdad
Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch
Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch is amongst those captured US Troops free her 9 days later
Iran earthquake
A massive earthquake devastates southeastern Iran. Over 40,000 killed
France heat wave
In France a 104 degree heat wave kills approximately 5,000
Sudan Dafur Rebels
Dafur Rebels begin attacking Sudanese government targets, bringing a swift military and police campaign to Darfur causing millions to flee their homes.
President George W. Bush
President George W. Bush on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln announces major combat in Iraq is over on May 1
US Interest Rates
US Interest Rates at 45 year record low of 1% and core inflation rate of 37 year record low 1.3%
Justice Roy Moore
Justice Roy Moore, is suspended when he refused to take down the Ten Commandments from an Alabama state justice building.
Hurricane Isabel
Hurricane Isabel claims 40 lives and leaves six million people without power
Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol in danger of failing following International Climate Conference in Moscow
Iraq Terrorists bomb
Terrorists bomb the United Nations Baghdad Headquarters
Turkey Terrorists
Terrorists from Al-Qaeda drive two trucks packed with explosives and bombs into the Bet Israel and Neve Shalom synagogues in Istanbul, Turkey killing 27
Turkey Suicide bomb attacks
Suicide bomb attacks on British interests in the Turkish city of Istanbul kill 27 and injure 400
The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates over Texas upon reentry, killing all seven astronauts onboard.
The highly infectious disease SARS ( Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ) spreads from China, Singapore and Vietnam, Worldwide nearly 9,000 People are effected in 15 countries and over 800 die from the effects.
Human Genome Project successfully completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy.
Secretary of State Colin Powell urges the U.N. Security Council to move against Iraq due to possession of weapons of mass destruction
In the biggest blackout in the history of the north America some 50 million people in the northeastern states of US and southern Canada lose power.
The birth of Prometea, the first cloned horse by Italian scientists.
The space probe Galileo makes a fiery dive into Jupitors atmosphere it was launched in 1989 and is one of the most successful NASA Projects.
Concorde makes its last commercial flight, bringing the era of airliner supersonic travel to a close, at least for the time being
Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected Governor of California
Libya agrees to give Up Chemical Weapons
Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces
Concerns continue to grow over possible Asian bird flu outbreak also known as avian influenza.
Australia Prime Minister John Howard
Brazil President Fernando Henrique Cardoso Till 1 January
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva From 1 January
Canada Prime Minister Jean Chrétien till December 12,
Canada Prime Minister Paul Martin from December 12,
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin Till March 23
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao From This Day In History March 23rd
France President Jacques Chirac
Germany Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
India Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
Mexico President Vicente Fox
Russia / Soviet Union General Secretary of the CPSU Vladimir Putin
South Africa State President Thabo Mbeki
United States President George W. Bush
United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair