1986
Chernobyl meltdown
During a safety test gone wrong, Reactor Four at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Soviet Ukraine blew its roof.
Challenger explodes
Seventy-three seconds after lifting off from Cape Canaveral on a cold January morning, the space shuttle Challenger disintegrated in a clear Florida sky.
Marcos flees Manila
After a rigged election and four days of People Power demonstrations in the streets of Manila, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos boarded an American helicopter…
Olof Palme shot in Stockholm
Walking home from a movie with his wife, the Swedish prime minister was shot in the back on a central Stockholm street.
MLK Day first observed
The United States observed the first federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a holiday signed into law by Ronald Reagan after a fifteen-year congressional fight.
Duvalier flees Haiti
After months of protests, Baby Doc Duvalier boarded an American cargo plane with his family and millions of dollars and flew into French exile…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1986?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1986. The most significant is Chernobyl meltdown: During a safety test gone wrong, Reactor Four at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Soviet Ukraine blew its roof. A radioactive plume drifted across Europe.
What era was 1986 part of?
1986 falls within the Modern Era (1901-2000). World wars, cold war, and the splitting of the atom.
Which regions saw notable events in 1986?
The events from 1986 span Europe, North America and Southeast Asia.