Waffle Day
National Waffle Day is celebrated on August 24th in the United States. This day honors the delicious and versatile waffle, a breakfast favorite known for its crispy exterior and soft, fluffy interior. Waffles come in many varieties, from classic Belgian waffles to American-style waffles, and can be topped with a wide range of options including syrup, fruit, whipped cream, or even savory toppings like fried chicken. National Waffle Day is a great opportunity to enjoy waffles in all their forms, whether you’re dining out at a favorite breakfast spot or making them at home with your favorite recipes.
Pluto Demoted Day
Pluto Demoted Day is observed on August 24th, marking the anniversary of the International Astronomical Union’s decision in 2006 to reclassify Pluto from a planet to a “dwarf planet.” This decision was made during the IAU General Assembly in Prague, where the definition of what constitutes a planet was refined. Pluto, once considered the ninth planet in our solar system, did not meet all the criteria under the new definition, leading to its reclassification. Pluto Demoted Day is an opportunity to reflect on this significant change in our understanding of the solar system and to celebrate Pluto’s continued role in space exploration and science.
August 24th has been a significant date throughout history with a variety of notable events:
Historical Events
1814 The British Burn Down Washington
British troops under the leadership of Major General Robert Ross occupied Washington D.C. and burnt down the city, including the Presidential Mansion and the Capitol building. President Madison and members of his government fled the city and took refuge in Brookeville, Maryland. The British had occupied the city for only 24 hours when a massive storm forced the troops to retreat, following which the Americans regained control of the capital.
1869 The Waffle Iron is Patented in the United States
Cornelius Swartwout, a Troy, New York resident invented and received the patent for the waffle iron, a device used to cook waffles. His design for the waffle iron included two plates of iron connected together with hinges. Users could pour waffle batter on one plate and place the other plate on top and cook the batter over an open fire or on a wood-burning oven. This day is often celebrated as National Waffle Day in the United States.
1949 NATO is Established
The North Atlantic Treaty, which established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an intergovernmental military alliance, came into effect on this day. The Treaty, which was signed on April 4, 1949 in Washington DC, created a collective defense system, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all the other signatories. Initially, the treaty was signed by 12 countries – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, and United States. Today, membership has increased from the original 12 to 28.
1991 Ukraine gains its independence
The Eastern European country gained independence from the Soviet Union after a failed coup to remove Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev. The country’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine and put the decision out to the public as a referendum. August 24 is celebrated each year as Independence Day in Ukraine.
2006 Pluto is Declassified as a Planet
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) declassified Pluto as a planet and classified it as a dwarf planet. According to the IAU definition, a dwarf planet is neither a planet or a natural satellite. It is ‘a celestial object orbiting a star that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity but has not cleared its orbit of space debris’. Discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto is the largest but second-most massive dwarf planet in our solar system. The most massive dwarf planet orbiting our sun is Eris.
