2003
Invasion of Iraq
American and British forces crossed into Iraq from Kuwait, chasing weapons of mass destruction that no inspector could find and that did not, in fact, exist.
Human Genome Project completed
Thirteen years and three billion dollars after it began, the international consortium declared the human genome essentially finished, with 99.99% accuracy…
Europe's deadly heat wave
An August of unprecedented temperatures killed more than 70,000 people across Europe, half of them in France, where elderly Parisians died alone in airless…
Saddam Hussein captured
American soldiers from the Fourth Infantry Division pulled the former Iraqi dictator out of a spider hole on a farm near his hometown of Tikrit.
Columbia disintegrates over Texas
The shuttle broke apart sixteen minutes from home, leaving white contrails across the Texas sky and pieces of seven astronauts scattered across two states.
Georgia's Rose Revolution
Crowds carrying long-stemmed roses stormed the Tbilisi parliament during a session and Eduard Shevardnadze…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 2003?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 2003. The most significant is Invasion of Iraq: American and British forces crossed into Iraq from Kuwait, chasing weapons of mass destruction that no inspector could find and that did not, in fact, exist.
What era was 2003 part of?
2003 falls within the Contemporary (2001-2026). Networks, climate, and the new uncertainty.
Which regions saw notable events in 2003?
The events from 2003 span Middle East, North America and Europe.