Today in History: September 26, Biosphere 2 stay begins in Arizona

"Today is Friday, Sept. 26, the 269th day of 2025. There are 96 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 26, 1991, four men and four women began a two-year stay inside a sealed-off structure in Oracle, Arizona, called Biosphere 2; they emerged from Biosphere 2 on this date in 1993. Also on this date: In 1777, British troops occupied Philadelphia during the American Revolution. In 1954, the Japanese commercial ferry Toya Maru sank during a typhoon in the Tsugaru Strait."

"In 1960, the first nationally televised debate between presidential candidates took place as Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon faced off in Chicago. In 1986, William H. Rehnquist was sworn in as the 16th chief justice of the United States, while Antonin Scalia joined the Supreme Court as its 103rd member. Rehnquist died in 2005 and Scalia in 2016. In 1990, the Motion Picture Association of America announced it had created a new rating, NC-17, to replace the X rating."

"In 2000, thousands of anti-globalization protesters clashed with police in demonstrations during a summit of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Prague. In 2005, Army Pfc. Lynndie England was convicted by a military jury in Fort Hood, Texas, on six of seven counts stemming from the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal. In 2020, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg."

Sept. 26 has seen diverse historical events. On Sept. 26, 1991, four men and four women entered Biosphere 2 in Oracle, Arizona, and they emerged in 1993. In 1777, British troops occupied Philadelphia. In 1954, the Japanese ferry Toya Maru sank in the Tsugaru Strait. In 1960, John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon held the first nationally televised presidential debate. In 1986, William H. Rehnquist became chief justice and Antonin Scalia joined the Supreme Court. The MPAA introduced the NC-17 rating in 1990. Later entries include 2000 anti-globalization protests, the 2005 conviction of Lynndie England, the 2020 nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, NASA’s 2022 DART impact, and 2024’s Hurricane Helene, which caused extensive damage and deaths.

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