Historical eventDecember 261898

French Academy of Sciences

At the French Academy of Sciences, physicists Pierre and Marie Curie announced the discovery of a new element, naming it radium.

Everything on December 26Original source

In context

When
Monday, December 26 1898128 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
19th century · 1890s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1898.

What happened

The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. It was at the forefront of scientific developments in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, and is one of the earliest Academies of Sciences.

December 26 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1898French Academy of Sciences
  2. 20032003 Bam earthquake
  3. 2004Orange Revolution
  4. 20042004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
  5. 20062006 Hengchun earthquakes
  6. 2012High-speed rail in China
  7. 2013Yakovlev Corporation
  8. 20152015 Garland tornado
  9. 20212021 Garland shooting
  10. 2025Israel
  11. 2025Israel–Somaliland relations

Also in 1898

  • July 25Spanish–American WarSpanish–American War: After more than two months of sea-based bombardment, the United States invaded Puerto Rico.
  • March 24Winton Motor Carriage CompanyThe Winton Motor Carriage Company (ad pictured), one of the first American car companies, sold its first unit.
  • November 10White supremacyWhite supremacists seized power and massacred black Americans during the Wilmington massacre,(newspaper headline depicted) the only insta…
  • November 3Fashoda IncidentThe Fashoda Incident ended with French forces withdrawing after several months of military stalemate with the British in Fashoda (now in…
  • October 12Statue of Austin BlairA statue of Austin Blair (pictured) was dedicated in a ceremony that attracted up to 30,000 people to Lansing, Michigan.
  • August 23Southern Cross ExpeditionThe Southern Cross Expedition, the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, departed London.
  • June 18Cadaver Tomb of René of ChalonThe Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon (pictured) in Bar-le-Duc, France, was designated a monument historique.
  • July 7William McKinleyUS president William McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution, annexing Hawaii as a territory of the United States.

Everything we record for 1898 →

Sources

Cite this page

“French Academy of Sciences”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/french-academy-of-sciences-1898-december-26, accessed October 26, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did French Academy of Sciences happen?

December 26 1898 — 128 years ago, on a Monday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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