Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty when he renamed his Mongol Empire “Yuan.”
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Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, was launched into orbit.
Nevada became the first US state with a female-majority legislature, with new appointments taking it to 51%.
Astronomer Richard Walker discovered Saturn's moon, Epimetheus.
The Pink Panther film premiered, directed by Blake Edwards with a theme by Henry Mancini.
James Cameron's 'Avatar' was released in the US. It became the highest-grossing film of all time at the time.
