What happened in 2008
219 entries recorded for 2008, listed by date. That was 18 years ago.
2008 at a glance
- Years ago
- 18 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 21st century
- Decade
- 2000s
- Generation born
- Generation Z
- Entries here
- 219
- Breakdown
- 13 births · 161 historical events · 45 deaths
January
- January 3
Raegan Revord
Raegan Revord, American actor
- January 4
Let L-410 Turbolet
A Let L-410 Turbolet crashes in the Los Roques Archipelago in Venezuela, killing 14 people.
- January 5
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili was decisively re-elected as President of Georgia in "the first genuinely competitive presidential election" in the history of the country.
- January 17
British Airways Flight 38
British Airways Flight 38 crashes short of the runway at Heathrow Airport, injuring 47.
- January 18
Euphronios Krater
The Euphronios Krater is unveiled in Rome after being returned to Italy by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- January 24
Usha Narayanan
Usha Narayanan, Burmese-born First Lady of India (born 1922)
- January 29
Religion in Egypt
An Egyptian court rules that people who do not adhere to one of the three government-recognised religions, while not allowed to list any belief outside of those three, are still eligible to receive government identity documents.
- January 31
František Čapek
František Čapek, Czech canoeist (born 1914)
February
- February 4
London low emission zone
The London low emission zone (sign pictured), charging certain diesel-powered commercial vehicles to enter Greater London, came into operation.
- February 4
Colombia
Civic mobilizations in Colombia against FARC, under the name A million voices against the FARC.
- February 5
Tornado
Eighty-seven tornadoes occurred over the course of the Super Tuesday tornado outbreak across multiple U.S. states, causing 56 deaths and over $1 billion in damage.
- February 5
2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak
A major tornado outbreak across the Southern United States kills 57.
- February 10
Namdaemun
The Namdaemun gate in Seoul, the first of South Korea's National Treasures, was severely damaged by arson (damage pictured).
- February 11
2008 East Timorese assassination attempts
Rebel East Timorese soldiers invaded the homes of President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, seriously wounding the former.
- February 11
Timor-Leste
Rebel East Timorese soldiers seriously wound President José Ramos-Horta. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack.
- February 13
Kevin Rudd
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes a historic apology to the Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generations.
- February 14
2008 Northern Illinois University shooting
A gunman opened fire into a crowded lecture hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, killing five people and injuring twenty-one others.
- February 17
Kosovo
Kosovo declares independence from Serbia.
- February 23
Northrop B-2 Spirit
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber crashed on the runway shortly after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in the most expensive crash in U.S. Air Force history.
- February 23
United States Air Force
A United States Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber crashes on Guam, marking the first operational loss of a B-2.
- February 23
WINDS
The Japanese WINDS satellite is launched.
- February 24
Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro retires as the President of Cuba and the Council of Ministers after 32 years. He would remain as head of the Communist Party for another three years.
- February 25
Hans Raj Khanna
Hans Raj Khanna, Indian judge and advocate; upholder of civil liberties (born 1912)
- February 26
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic performs in Pyongyang, North Korea; this was the first such event to take place in North Korea.
- February 26
Korean War
In the first significant cultural visit from the United States to North Korea since the Korean War, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Pyongyang.
- February 26
Bodil Udsen
Bodil Udsen, Danish actress (born 1925)
- February 27
Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari escapes from a detention center in Singapore, hiding in Johor, Malaysia until he was recaptured over a year later.
- February 29
Misha Defonseca
Belgian author Misha Defonseca admitted that her bestselling memoir about surviving the Holocaust was in fact a literary forgery.
- February 29
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence withdraws Prince Harry from a tour of Afghanistan after news of his deployment is leaked to foreign media.
- February 29
Akira Yamada
Akira Yamada, Japanese scholar and philosopher (born 1922)
- February 29
Erik Ortvad
Erik Ortvad, Danish painter and illustrator (born 1917)
- February 29
Rémi Himbert
Rémi Himbert, French footballer
- February 29
Janet Kagan
Janet Kagan, American author (born 1946)
March
- March 1
Police of Armenia
The Armenian police clash with peaceful opposition rally protesting against allegedly fraudulent presidential elections; as a result ten people are killed.
- March 5
Joseph Weizenbaum
Joseph Weizenbaum, German computer scientist and author (born 1923)
- March 6
2008 Jerusalem yeshiva attack
A gunman kills eight students in Jerusalem.
- March 6
6 March 2008 Baghdad bombing
A suicide bomber kills 68 people in the Karrada district of Karrada in Baghdad
- March 10
The New York Times
The New York Times revealed that Eliot Spitzer (pictured), Governor of New York, had patronized a prostitution ring.
- March 11
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-123, carrying the first component of the Japanese Kibō module to the International Space Station.
- March 12
Emma Kok
Emma Kok, Dutch singer
- March 12
Jorge Guinzburg
Jorge Guinzburg, Argentinian journalist and producer (born 1949)
- March 14
2008 Tibetan unrest
A series of riots, protests, and demonstrations erupt in Lhasa and subsequently spread elsewhere in Tibet.
- March 14
Abby Ryder Fortson
Abby Ryder Fortson, American actress
- March 15
2008 Gërdec explosions
Stockpiles of obsolete ammunition explode at an ex-military ammunition depot in the village of Gërdec, Albania, killing 26 people.
- March 19
GRB 080319B
GRB 080319B: A cosmic burst that is the farthest object visible to the naked eye is briefly observed.
- March 19
Gamma-ray burst
The gamma-ray burst GRB 080319B, the farthest object from Earth that was observable by the naked eye, was observed.
- March 19
Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke, English science fiction writer (born 1917)
- March 23
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
Official opening of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India.
- March 24
Jigme Thinley
Led by Jigme Thinley, the Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party won 45 of 47 seats in the country's first National Assembly election.
- March 24
Bhutan
Bhutan officially becomes a democracy, with its first ever general election.
- March 25
2008 invasion of Anjouan
Invasion of Anjouan began as Comoros and African Union forces launched an assault to remove Mohamed Bacar from power in Anjouan.
- March 27
Jean-Marie Balestre
Jean-Marie Balestre, French businessman (born 1921)
- March 30
Drolma Kyi
Drolma Kyi arrested by Chinese authorities.
April
- April 3
ATA Airlines
ATA Airlines, once one of the ten largest U.S. passenger airlines and largest charter airline, files for bankruptcy for the second time in five years and ceases all operations.
- April 3
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Texas law enforcement authorities raided the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' YFZ Ranch, eventually removing 533 women and children from the premises.
- April 3
Texas
Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS's YFZ Ranch. Eventually 533 women and children will be taken into state custody.
- April 6
2008 Egyptian general strike
The 2008 Egyptian general strike starts led by Egyptian workers later to be adopted by April 6 Youth Movement and Egyptian activists.
- April 8
Soyuz TMA-12
On board Soyuz TMA-12, Yi So-yeon became the first Korean astronaut.
- April 11
Kata Air Transport Flight 007
Kata Air Transport Flight 007 crashes while attempting an emergency landing at Chișinău International Airport, killing eight.
- April 13
John Archibald Wheeler
John Archibald Wheeler, American physicist and academic (born 1911)
- April 16
Supreme Court of the United States
The U.S. Supreme Court rules in the Baze v. Rees decision that execution by lethal injection does not violate the Eighth Amendment ban against cruel and unusual punishment.
- April 18
Germaine Tillion
Germaine Tillion, French ethnologist and anthropologist (born 1907)
- April 19
Quito Ultratumba nightclub fire
The Quito Ultratumba nightclub fire in Quito, Ecuador, kills 19 people and injures at least 24 more.
- April 20
Fernando Lugo
Fernando Lugo became the first candidate not from the Colorado Party candidate to be elected President of Paraguay in 61 years.
- April 20
Danica Patrick
American racing driver Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar auto race.
- April 20
Monica Lovinescu
Monica Lovinescu, Romanian journalist and author (born 1923)
- April 21
Hyein
Hyein, South Korean singer
- April 24
Jimmy Giuffre
Jimmy Giuffre, American clarinet player, and saxophonist, and composer (born 1921)
- April 26
Árpád Orbán
Árpád Orbán, Hungarian footballer (born 1938)
- April 28
Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago)
The 1,388-foot-tall (423.2 m) Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, with the world's highest residence above ground level at the time, held its grand opening.
- April 30
Yekaterinburg
Two skeletal remains found near Yekaterinburg are confirmed by Russian scientists to be the remains of Alexei and Anastasia, two of the children of the last Tsar of Russia, whose entire family was executed at Yekaterinburg by the Bolsheviks.
May
- May 1
Anthony Mamo
Anthony Mamo, Maltese judge and politician, 1st President of Malta (born 1909)
- May 1
Philipp von Boeselager
Philipp von Boeselager, German soldier and economist (born 1917)
- May 2
Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis makes landfall in Burma killing over 138,000 people and leaving millions of people homeless.
- May 2
Chaitén (volcano)
The Chaitén volcano in Chile began to erupt for the first time since around 1640.
- May 6
Barrister
British barrister Mark Saunders was shot dead by police after a five-hour siege at his home in Chelsea, London.
- May 10
Leyla Gencer
Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano (born 1928)
- May 11
John Rutsey
John Rutsey, Canadian drummer (born 1953)
- May 12
2008 Sichuan earthquake
An earthquake (measuring around 8.0 magnitude) occurs in Sichuan, China, killing over 69,000 people.
- May 12
Postville, Iowa
In Postville, Iowa, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the largest-ever raid of a workplace and arrested nearly 400 immigrants for identity theft and document fraud.
- May 12
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducts the largest-ever raid of a workplace in Postville, Iowa, arresting nearly 400 immigrants for identity theft and document fraud.
- May 12
Irena Sendler
Irena Sendler, Polish nurse and humanitarian (born 1910)
- May 12
Robert Rauschenberg
Robert Rauschenberg, American painter and illustrator (born 1925)
- May 13
Indian Mujahideen
Nine bombs placed by the Indian Mujahideen, then an unknown terrorist group, exploded in a 15-minute period in Jaipur, India, killing 80 people and injuring more than 200 others.
- May 14
2008 UEFA Cup final
On the day of the UEFA Cup Final, violence erupted between football hooligan supporters of both teams and the Greater Manchester Police, resulting in 39 arrests and 39 injured officers.
- May 14
2008 UEFA Cup final riots
Battle of Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester city centre between Zenit supporters and Rangers supporters and the Greater Manchester Police; 39 policemen injured, one police dog injured and 39 arrested.
- May 15
Same-sex marriage in California
California becomes the second U.S. state after Massachusetts in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage after the state's own Supreme Court rules a previous ban unconstitutional.
- May 22
Robert Asprin
Robert Asprin, American soldier and author (born 1946)
- May 23
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice awarded the Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Pedra Branca to Singapore, resolving a 29-year-old territorial dispute in the Singapore Strait.
- May 25
NASA
NASA's Phoenix lander touches down in the Green Valley region of Mars to search for environments suitable for water and microbial life.
- May 26
2008 South China floods
Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.
- May 28
Nepal
The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal formally declares Nepal a republic, ending the 240-year reign of the Shah dynasty.
- May 29
2008 Iceland earthquake
A doublet earthquake, of combined magnitude 6.1, strikes Iceland near the town of Selfoss, injuring 30 people.
- May 30
Convention on Cluster Munitions
The Convention on Cluster Munitions, prohibiting the use, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster bombs, was adopted.
- May 30
TACA Flight 390
TACA Flight 390 overshoots the runway at Toncontín International Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and crashes, killing five people.
- May 31
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-124 carrying the second portion of the Japanese Kibō module to the International Space Station.
- May 31
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt breaks the world record in the 100m sprint, with a wind-legal (+1.7 m/s) 9.72 seconds.
June
- June 1
2008 Universal Studios fire
A fire on the back lot of Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed the King Kong Encounter and a large archive of music and film master recordings.
- June 1
Tommy Lapid
Tommy Lapid, Israeli journalist and politician, 17th Justice Minister of Israel (born 1931)
- June 2
Tim Buckley (comics)
Artist Tim Buckley published "Loss" as part of his webcomic Ctrl+Alt+Del.
- June 2
Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1928)
- June 2
Mel Ferrer
Mel Ferrer, American actor (born 1917)
- June 8
Akihabara massacre
Seven people were killed and 10 others were injured in a vehicle and knife attack in Tokyo, Japan.
- June 9
2008 Beni Amrane bombings
Two bombs explode at a train station near Algiers, Algeria, killing at least 13 people.
- June 10
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
War in Afghanistan: A U.S. airstrike resulted in the reported deaths of eleven paramilitary members of the Pakistani Frontier Corps and eight Taliban fighters in Pakistan's tribal areas.
- June 10
Sudan Airways Flight 109
Sudan Airways Flight 109 crashed on landing at Khartoum International Airport, killing 30 of the 214 occupants on board.
- June 11
Prime Minister of Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes a historic official apology to Canada's First Nations in regard to abuses at a Canadian Indian residential school.
- June 11
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is launched into orbit.
- June 11
Stephen Harper
Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper apologised to the First Nations for past governments' policies of forced assimilation.
- June 15
Ray Getliffe
Ray Getliffe, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1914)
- June 19
Barun Sengupta
Barun Sengupta, Bengali journalist, founded Bartaman (born 1934)
- June 20
New's Divine nightclub tragedy
Twelve people are killed, including nine clubgoers and three police officers, during a crowd crush in Mexico City.
- June 22
George Carlin
George Carlin, American comedian, actor, and author (born 1937)
- June 22
Dody Goodman
Dody Goodman, American actress and dancer (born 1914)
- June 22
Natalia Bekhtereva
Natalia Bekhtereva, Russian neuroscientist and psychologist (born 1924)
- June 23
Lilliana Ketchman
Lilliana Ketchman, American dancer and YouTuber
- June 24
Mathis Jangéal
Mathis Jangéal, French footballer
- June 26
2008 Karmah bombing
A suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi policeman detonates an explosive vest, killing 25 people.
- June 27
Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe was re-elected as President of Zimbabwe with an overwhelming majority after his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew, citing violence against his party's supporters.
- June 27
2008 Zimbabwean general election
In a highly scrutinized election, President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe is re-elected in a landslide after his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai had withdrawn a week earlier, citing violence against his party's supporters.
July
- July 1
2008 riot in Mongolia
Rioting erupted in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, over allegations of fraud surrounding the recent legislative election.
- July 4
2008 Minsk bombing
A bomb explodes at a concert in Minsk's Independence Square, injuring 50 people.
- July 5
Hasan Doğan
Hasan Doğan, Turkish businessman (born 1956)
- July 9
Nuclear program of Iran
Under the belief that Israel and the United States were planning to attack its nuclear program, Iran conducted the Great Prophet III missile test and war games.
- July 10
Ljube Boškoski
Former Macedonian Interior Minister Ljube Boškoski is acquitted of all war-crimes charges by a United Nations tribunal.
- July 12
Coati
An edit on the page of the coati nicknamed it the Brazilian aardvark, in which multiple news channels followed in pursuit.
- July 13
Battle of Wanat
Battle of Wanat begins when Taliban and al-Qaeda guerrillas attack US Army and Afghan National Army troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. deaths were, at that time, the most in a single battle since the beginning of operations in 2001.
- July 15
Iain Armitage
Iain Armitage, American actor
- July 16
2008 Chinese milk scandal
A tainted milk powder scandal broke in China which ultimately involved an estimated 300,000 victims, the vast majority infants, with 54,000 hospitalized with kidney problems and six deaths.
- July 21
Ram Baran Yadav
Ram Baran Yadav is declared the first President of Nepal.
- July 26
2008 Ahmedabad bombings
Fifty-six people are killed and over 200 people are injured, in the Ahmedabad bombings in India.
- July 31
East Coast Jets Flight 81
East Coast Jets Flight 81 crashes near Owatonna Degner Regional Airport in Owatonna, Minnesota, killing all eight people on board.
August
- August 1
2008 K2 disaster
Eleven mountaineers from international expeditions die on K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, in the worst single accident in the history of K2 mountaineering.
- August 1
Beijing–Tianjin intercity railway
The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway begins operation as the fastest commuter rail system in the world.
- August 2
Murder of Khuan Phokaeng
A taxi driver is murdered in Bangkok by a teenager addicted to video games leading to the Thai government banning the sale of Grand Theft Auto.
- August 5
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution win the 2008 North American SuperLiga final against the Houston Dynamo.
- August 5
Hudson Meek
Hudson Meek, American actor (died 2024)
- August 6
Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
Mauritanian president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was ousted from power by a group of high-ranking generals that he had dismissed from office several hours earlier.
- August 6
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
A military junta led by Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz stages a coup d'état in Mauritania, overthrowing president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.
- August 7
Russo-Georgian War
The start of the Russo-Georgian War over the territory of South Ossetia.
- August 8
EuroCity
A EuroCity train en route to Prague struck a part of a motorway bridge that had fallen onto the track near Studénka station and derailed, killing 8 people and injuring 64 others.
- August 8
2008 Summer Olympics
The 29th modern summer Olympic Games take place in Beijing, China until August 24.
- August 13
Russo-Georgian War
Russo-Georgian War: Russian units occupy the Georgian city of Gori.
- August 15
Jerry Wexler
Jerry Wexler, American journalist and producer (born 1917)
- August 15
Vic Toweel
Vic Toweel, South African-Australian boxer (born 1929)
- August 16
Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago)
The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is topped off at 1,389 feet (423 m), at the time becoming the world's highest residence above ground-level.
- August 17
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal of the Summer Olympics in Beijing, setting the record for the most gold medals won by an athlete at a single games.
- August 18
Uzbin Valley ambush
War of Afghanistan: The Uzbin Valley ambush occurs.
- August 18
Pervez Musharraf
Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf resigned under pressure from a movement to impeach him.
- August 19
Levy Mwanawasa
Levy Mwanawasa, Zambian lawyer and politician, 3rd President of Zambia (born 1948)
- August 20
Spanair Flight 5022
Spanair Flight 5022 crashed just after take-off from Madrid's Barajas Airport, killing 154 people.
- August 24
Cessna 208 Caravan
A Cessna 208 Caravan crashes in Cabañas, Zacapa, Guatemala, killing 11 people.
- August 24
Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 6895
Sixty-five passengers are killed when Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 6895 crashes during an emergency landing at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
- August 26
Russo-Georgian War
After a ceasefire was reached in the Russo-Georgian War, Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
- August 29
Rio Ngumoha
Rio Ngumoha, English footballer
- August 30
Conviasa
A Conviasa Boeing 737 crashes into Illiniza Volcano in Ecuador, killing all three people on board.
September
- September 1
Iraq War
Iraq War: The United States Armed Forces transfers control of Anbar Province to the Iraqi Armed Forces.
- September 2
Google
Google launches its Google Chrome web browser.
- September 7
Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
The United States government takes control of the two largest mortgage financing companies in the US, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
- September 10
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, described as the biggest scientific experiment in history, is powered up in Geneva, Switzerland.
- September 11
2008 Channel Tunnel fire
A major Channel Tunnel fire breaks out on a freight train, resulting in the closure of part of the tunnel for six months.
- September 12
2008 Chatsworth train collision
The 2008 Chatsworth train collision in Los Angeles between a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train kills 25 people.
- September 12
Metrolink (California)
A Metrolink train collided head-on with a freight train in Los Angeles, California, resulting in 25 deaths and 135 injuries; the Metrolink driver had passed through a red signal, having likely been distracted by text messaging.
- September 13
Delhi
Delhi, India, is hit by a series of bomb blasts, resulting in 30 deaths and 130 injuries.
- September 13
13 September 2008 Delhi bombings
Five bomb blasts took place in Delhi, India, killing at least 20 people as part of a series of attacks perpetrated by the Indian Mujahideen.
- September 14
Aeroflot Flight 821
Aeroflot Flight 821, a Boeing 737-500, crashes into a section of the Trans-Siberian Railway while on approach to Perm International Airport, in Perm, Russia, killing all 88 people on board.
- September 15
2008 financial crisis
Financial crisis of 2007–2008: The global financial services firm Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy while holding over $600 billion in assets, the largest such filing in U.S. history.
- September 15
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history.
- September 17
Al-Qaeda in Yemen
Seven al-Qaeda fighters attack the embassy of the United States in Sanaa, Yemen, leaving 20 people dead.
- September 18
Jackson Robert Scott
Jackson Robert Scott, American actor
- September 19
Learjet 60
A Learjet 60 carrying musicians Travis Barker and Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein crashes during a rejected takeoff from Colombia Metropolitan Airport in West Columbia, South Carolina, killing four of the six people on board. Barker and Goldstein both survive.
- September 20
Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing
An explosive-laden truck detonated in front of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing 54 people and injuring 266 others.
- September 23
Kauhajoki school shooting
A gunman shot and killed ten students at the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in Kauhajoki, Finland, before committing suicide.
- September 24
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki resigns as president of South Africa.
- September 26
Yves Rossy
Swiss pilot and inventor Yves Rossy (pictured) flew a wingpack powered by jet engines across the English Channel.
- September 27
Zhai Zhigang
CNSA astronaut Zhai Zhigang becomes the first Chinese person to perform a spacewalk.
- September 28
2008 Singapore Grand Prix
The Singapore Grand Prix is held as Formula One's inaugural night race, with Fernando Alonso winning the event. Almost a year later it was revealed that Alonso's team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr. had been ordered to crash his car to help bring out the safety car and give Alonso the adv
- September 28
Falcon 1
Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid-fuel ground-launched vehicle to put a payload into orbit by the RatSat mission.
- September 29
Stock market crash
The stock market crashes with the Dow Jones dropping a then record 778 points after the United States House of Representatives vote on the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act fails during the beginning stages of the Great Recession.
October
- October 3
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, establishing the Troubled Asset Relief Program, commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, was enacted.
- October 6
MESSENGER
The MESSENGER probe discovered Mercury's Rembrandt (pictured) – the second largest impact crater on the planet.
- October 7
2008 TC3
2008 TC3 exploded above the Nubian Desert in Sudan, in the first time that an asteroid impact had been predicted prior to atmospheric entry.
- October 7
Qantas Flight 72
Qantas Flight 72 experiences an in-flight upset near Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia, injuring 112.
- October 11
Jörg Haider
Jörg Haider, Austrian lawyer and politician, Governor of Carinthia (born 1950)
- October 11
Marjorie Fletcher
Marjorie Fletcher, English Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service (born 1932)
- October 15
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes down 733.08 points, or 7.87%, the second worst percentage drop in the Dow's history.
- October 15
Jack Narz
Jack Narz, American game show host and announcer (born 1922)
- October 15
Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca
Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca, Turkish soldier and poet (born 1914)
- October 15
Edie Adams
Edie Adams, American actress and singer (born 1927)
- October 22
Exploration of the Moon
India launches its first uncrewed lunar probe mission Chandrayaan-1.
- October 24
Stock market crash
"Bloody Friday" saw many of the world's stock exchanges experience the worst declines in their history, with drops of around 10% in most indices.
- October 29
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines merges with Northwest Airlines, creating the world's largest airline and reducing the number of US legacy carriers to five.
- October 29
2008 Ziarat earthquakes
A pair of deadly earthquakes hits Baluchistan, Pakistan, killing 215.
November
- November 2
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton (pictured) overtook Timo Glock in the final corners of the Brazilian Grand Prix to win the Formula One championship by one point.
- November 3
Jean Fournet
Jean Fournet, French conductor (born 1913)
- November 4
Barack Obama
Barack Obama (pictured) became the first person of biracial or African-American descent to be elected President of the United States.
- November 10
Mars
Over five months after landing on Mars, NASA declares the Phoenix mission concluded after communications with the lander were lost.
- November 11
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
After 30 years in power, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was succeeded by Mohamed Nasheed as president of the Maldives.
- November 14
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-126 to continue assembly of the International Space Station.
- November 14
2008 G20 Washington summit
The first G-20 economic summit opens in Washington, D.C.
- November 25
Cyclone Nisha (2008)
Cyclone Nisha strikes northern Sri Lanka, killing 15 people and displacing 90,000 others while dealing the region the highest rainfall in nine decades.
- November 26
Queen Elizabeth 2
The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2, now out of service, docks in Dubai.
- November 26
2008 Mumbai attacks
A coordinated group of shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai began, ultimately killing 175 people and wounding more than 300 others.
- November 27
XL Airways Germany Flight 888T
XL Airways Germany Flight 888T: An Airbus A320 performing a flight test crashes near the French commune of Canet-en-Roussillon, killing all seven people on board.
December
- December 1
Ella Gross
Ella Gross, American singer, model and actress
- December 3
Robert Zajonc
Robert Zajonc, Polish-American psychologist and author (born 1923)
- December 5
Ediz Gürel
Ediz Gürel, Turkish chess grandmaster
- December 9
Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich, the governor of Illinois, was arrested on corruption charges, including for attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by president-elect Barack Obama.
- December 9
Governor of Illinois
Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich is arrested by federal officials for crimes including attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
- December 11
Bernie Madoff
American stockbroker Bernie Madoff was arrested and charged with securities fraud in a $64.8 billion Ponzi scheme, the largest in history.
- December 14
Baghdad
During a press conference in Baghdad, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw his shoes at U.S. president George W. Bush and Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, yelling "This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq".
- December 20
Adrian Mitchell
Adrian Mitchell, English author, poet, and playwright (born 1932)
- December 20
Igor Troubetzkoy
Igor Troubetzkoy, Russian aristocrat and racing driver (born 1912)
- December 20
Robert Mulligan
Robert Mulligan, American director and producer (born 1925)
- December 22
Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill
A dike ruptured at a waste containment area for a coal-fired power plant in Kingston, Tennessee, releasing 1.1 billion gallons (4.2 million m3) of coal fly ash slurry in the largest industrial spill in US history.
- December 23
Republic of Guinea Armed Forces
The Guinean military engineered a coup d'état, announcing that it planned to rule the country for two years prior to a new presidential election.
- December 23
2008 Guinean coup d'état
A coup d'état occurs in Guinea hours after the death of President Lansana Conté.
- December 24
Lord's Resistance Army
The Lord's Resistance Army, a Ugandan rebel group, began attacks on several villages in the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing hundreds and committing numerous atrocities.
- December 27
Gaza War (2008–2009)
Operation Cast Lead: Israel launches three-week operation on Gaza.
Questions about 2008
What happened in 2008?
This site records 219 entries for 2008, including Raegan Revord on January 3. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 2008?
18 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 2008 turns 18 this year.
Which century is 2008 in?
2008 falls in the 21st century, in the 2000s.
Which generation was born in 2008?
Generation Z (1997–2012). First generation raised with smartphones and social media.
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