Fidel Castro steps down as Cuba’s president
On February 19, 2008, Cuban leader Fidel Castro announced that he was stepping down as the president of Cuba, ending his nearly 50-year reign. Castro had led the island nation through a revolution, a U.S. embargo, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, but his policies had become increasingly unpopular in recent years. Castro’s younger brother, Raúl, took over as president, and many hoped that he would usher in a new era of reform.

The “Mir” Space Station is launched
The Soviet Union launched the “Mir” space station, the first modular space station in history. The station was made up of several modules that were launched separately and then assembled in space. It was continuously inhabited by cosmonauts for nearly 15 years, and it hosted more than 100 crew members from 12 different countries.

Iberia Airlines Flight 610 crashes
Iberia Airlines Flight 610 crashed into the Los Llanos mountains in Spain, killing all 148 people on board. The plane, a Boeing 727, was en route from Madrid to Bilbao when it flew into a snowstorm and lost its bearings. The plane was off course by over 200 miles when it crashed into the mountains, killing everyone on board, including a number of Spanish dignitaries.

Thomas Edison patents the phonograph
Thomas Edison was awarded a patent for his invention of the phonograph, a device that could record and play back sound. The invention was a huge breakthrough, making it possible to record and listen to voices and music. Edison made several improvements to the phonograph, including a device that could reproduce multiple copies of a recording.