Which event does this 1883 photograph show?

Krakatoa erupts with a blast heard 3,000 miles away (1883). Krakatoa’s fourth and final eruption blew apart most of the island in the Sunda Strait. The explosion ruptured eardrums 40 miles off, was heard as far as Mauritius - nearly 3,000 miles away - and the tsunamis it triggered killed an estimated 36,000 people.

Which event does this 1896 photograph show?

The shortest war ever recorded ends in 38 minutes (1896). British warships bombarded the Sultan’s palace in Zanzibar after a disputed succession. The Sultan surrendered 38 minutes after the first shell landed - the shortest war in recorded history.

Which event does this 1991 photograph show?

Pearl Jam release their debut album, Ten (1991). Ten, powered by “Alive,” “Even Flow” and “Jeremy,” became one of the best-selling rock albums ever and helped launch grunge into the mainstream. (This photo is Eddie Vedder fronting the band on a club stage that same year, six weeks before release.)

Which event does this 2003 photograph show?

Mars swings closer to Earth than it has in 60,000 years (2003). Mars and Earth aligned at just 34.6 million miles apart - the closest the two planets had been in an estimated 60,000 years. The Hubble Space Telescope caught this view of the planet within minutes of the exact moment.

Which event does this 2015 photograph show?

Usain Bolt wins his fourth straight 200m world title (2015). At the World Championships in Beijing, Usain Bolt held off Justin Gatlin to win 200m gold in 19.55 seconds - his fourth consecutive world title in the event and his tenth World Championship gold overall.

What happened on August 27? Krakatoa, the shortest war ever and 3 more

What happened on August 27

All 5 specimens from this file, spanning 1883 to 2015, with the story behind each photograph.

Reveal the full answer key

Disaster · 1883

Krakatoa erupts with a blast heard 3,000 miles away

Krakatoa’s fourth and final eruption blew apart most of the island in the Sunda Strait. The explosion ruptured eardrums 40 miles off, was heard as far as Mauritius - nearly 3,000 miles away - and the tsunamis it triggered killed an estimated 36,000 people.
Conflict · 1896

The shortest war ever recorded ends in 38 minutes

British warships bombarded the Sultan’s palace in Zanzibar after a disputed succession. The Sultan surrendered 38 minutes after the first shell landed - the shortest war in recorded history.
Music · 1991

Pearl Jam release their debut album, Ten

Ten, powered by “Alive,” “Even Flow” and “Jeremy,” became one of the best-selling rock albums ever and helped launch grunge into the mainstream. (This photo is Eddie Vedder fronting the band on a club stage that same year, six weeks before release.)
Astronomy · 2003

Mars swings closer to Earth than it has in 60,000 years

Mars and Earth aligned at just 34.6 million miles apart - the closest the two planets had been in an estimated 60,000 years. The Hubble Space Telescope caught this view of the planet within minutes of the exact moment.
Sports · 2015

Usain Bolt wins his fourth straight 200m world title

At the World Championships in Beijing, Usain Bolt held off Justin Gatlin to win 200m gold in 19.55 seconds - his fourth consecutive world title in the event and his tenth World Championship gold overall.