Timeline August 1996

Events in August 1996 6

• 1907 – 1996 Frank Whittle (1907-1996) Died 9 August 1996, aged 89 Frank Whittle was a British Royal Air Force engineer who independently invented and patented the turbojet engine in the 1930s, laying the foundation for the jet age. His engine designs powered Britain's first jet aircraft during the Second World War. He later emigrated to the United States and taught at the US Naval Academy.
• 1996 1996 Summer Olympics XXVI Olympiad - Atlanta Centennial Summer Games. Winner: USA.
• 1996 US Open 1996 Men: Pete Sampras · Women: Steffi Graf Graf's 5th US Open title.
• 1996 NASA Announces Possible Fossil Life in Mars Meteorite ALH84001 sparks debate over ancient Martian microbes NASA scientists announced that the Allan Hills 84001 meteorite, found in Antarctica and believed to originate from Mars, contained structures resembling fossilized microorganisms. The claim triggered intense scientific debate and briefly renewed public fascination with the search for extraterrestrial life. Subsequent research cast doubt on a biological origin for the structures.
• 1996 Charles and Diana's Divorce Finalized Prince and Princess of Wales officially end their marriage The divorce of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, was finalized after years of separation and public scandal. Diana retained the title Princess of Wales but lost the style "Her Royal Highness." The divorce closed one of the most heavily scrutinized royal marriages of the twentieth century, a year before Diana's death.
• 1996 Khasavyurt Accord Ends First Chechen War Ceasefire agreement halts fighting between Russia and Chechen separatists Russian and Chechen representatives signed the Khasavyurt Accord, ending the First Chechen War with a ceasefire and a deferral of the question of Chechnya's political status. The nearly two-year conflict had killed tens of thousands of people and left Grozny devastated. The unresolved status of Chechnya contributed to the outbreak of a second war in 1999.