Today is Thursday, November 24, the 328th day of 2011. There are 37 days left in the year.
1639 ― First observation of transit of Venus occurred (only two, record event)
1759 ― Destructive eruption of Vesuvius
1859 ― Charles Darwin publishes ``On the Origin of Species"
1944 ― U.S. bombers based on Saipan, first attack Tokyo
1947 ― Un-American Activities Committee finds ``Hollywood 10" in contempt because of their refusal to reveal whether they were communists
1949 ― Britain nationalizes its steel and iron industry
1952 ― Agatha Christie's ``The Mousetrap" opens in London
1960 ― Wilt Chamberlain pulls down 55 rebounds in a game (NBA record)
1983 ― PLO exchanges six Israeli prisoners for 4,500 Palestinians and Lebanese
1989 ― Communist Party resigns in Czechoslovakia