On this day, September 10 - Know what happened today in history

Today In History, September 10

September 10 has witnessed several significant events that have shaped history across various fields. From the launch of an inspiring global athletic event to groundbreaking scientific achievements and notable political milestones, this date remains etched in the annals of time. Here’s a look at some of the pivotal moments that have occurred on this day.

On this day in 2014, the world saw the first-ever Invictus Games, a unique sporting event that brings together wounded armed forces personnel and veterans from around the globe. The games, held at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, aimed to inspire recovery and support rehabilitation through sports. With 300 competitors from 13 different nations, the event set the stage for future games, with the next one scheduled for 2016.

September 10, 2008, marked a monumental day for the scientific community with the activation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Constructed by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the LHC is the world’s largest and most powerful particle collider, stretching 18 miles (27km) across the French-Swiss border. Its primary goal was to discover the elusive Higgs Boson particle, a fundamental component in understanding the universe's structure.

In a somber moment of history, Hamida Djandoubi became the last person to be executed in France, and the last to meet their fate via the guillotine. Djandoubi, convicted of murdering 21-year-old Elisabeth Bousquet, was sentenced to death, marking the end of an era in France's judicial history.

On September 10, 1960, representatives from five oil-rich nations convened in Baghdad, Iraq, for a pivotal conference that led to the creation of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela were the founding members. Today, OPEC consists of 13 member countries and plays a critical role in coordinating and unifying petroleum policies globally.

Elias Howe, an innovative American inventor from Spencer, Massachusetts, was awarded a patent on September 10, 1846, for the first sewing machine that used a lockstitch design. Although Howe initially struggled to market his invention in the United States, his design gained popularity, particularly among women. The similarity between Howe's machine and those sold by Isaac Singer eventually led to a legal battle, which Howe won, solidifying his place in history.

• 1976: Matt Morgan, charismatic American wrestler, actor.
• 1960: Colin Firth, acclaimed English actor.
• 1941: Stephen Jay Gould, influential  American paleontologist.
• 1872: Ranjitsinhji, legendary  Indian cricketer.
• 1839: Charles Sanders Peirce, renowned  American philosopher, mathematician, scientist.

• 1985: Jock Stein, respected Scottish footballer, manager.
• 1935: Huey Long, controversial  American politician.
• 1898: Tragic Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
• 1797: Mary Wollstonecraft, pioneering  English author, philosopher.
• 1669: Royal Henrietta Maria of France.