August 8 is World Cat Day. There are many legends and stories about cats, as there is perhaps no more mysterious animal living alongside humans. In fairy tales and legends, folk beliefs and superstitions, the cat holds a special place. It is believed that cats have nine lives, sense the ill intentions of guests, and can heal ailments. There is even a notion that cats can sense danger in advance. There are numerous stories of cats that, becoming restless, warned their owners about earthquakes. During World War II, the British noticed that a cat's intuition was far more reliable than the bomb warning system: when danger threatened from the sky, a sleeping cat would suddenly wake up and become agitated, and only later would the technology give a signal. In China, cats are protected by law, and in Austria, cats that guarded food warehouses are provided with food for life. Temples have been built in their honor (for example, in Japan) and museums opened (in Germany, Russia, etc.). This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.

Additionally, today is World Mountaineering Day. There are people in the world who cannot live without risking their lives and feeling adrenaline. They engage in extreme sports or find such jobs, and even try to spend their leisure time actively. Mountaineering is among the most dangerous professions or hobbies. Safety in the mountains and the well-being of expedition members depend on the training and skill of each climber. To climb a high peak, one must not only train physically for a long time but also be psychologically prepared. Harsh climatic conditions, temperature fluctuations, wind, and mountain air quickly exhaust an unprepared person. In honor of climbers who have conquered high peaks, a world holiday is celebrated. Although climbing as a sport has existed for a long time, the holiday has been officially celebrated since 1786. In 1949, the first climbing competition was held in the Soviet Union, at that time considered a type of mountaineering. Now this direction is developing as a separate branch of tourism. International Mountaineering Day is celebrated by professional athletes, amateur climbers, and those who have turned their favorite activity into a profession – high-rise workers and industrial climbers. This day was chosen in honor of the conquest of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, on August 8, 1786.

Also, today is the birthday of the refrigerator. On August 8, 1899, in the American city of Minnesota, inventor Albert Marshall first patented a refrigerator, but its modern form appeared on the US market in 1910. The public was presented with a home unit with a cooling device, produced by General Electric. The Soviet Union first produced a refrigerator in 1938, and people began to buy them en masse only from 1960. The most powerful and expensive refrigerator in the world is the Northland refrigerator 60 SS. Its door is made of glass, the body is cast from stainless steel and decorated with carved parts made of expensive woods. Talented engineers and brilliant inventors present these and other models to consumers on this holiday.

Historical events on August 8 worldwide

  • 011786 – Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard first conquered Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe;
  • 021929 – the airship "Graf Zeppelin" set off on a round-the-world flight;
  • 031966 – the Cultural Revolution was announced in China;
  • 041967 – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded in Bangkok;
  • 051968 – the Institute of Culture was opened in Kiev;
  • 062000 – scientists from the UK, USA, and Italy officially announced the start of human cloning experiments;
  • 072008 – the opening of the XXIX Olympic Games took place in Beijing;
  • 082014 – the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa an international emergency.

Historical events on August 8 in Kazakhstan

  • 011992 – the Medpolymer enterprise in Pavlodar began producing disposable syringes;
  • 021998 – a monument to Shokan Ualikhanov was unveiled in Kokshetau;
  • 032002 – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the law "On the Rights of the Child in the Republic of Kazakhstan";
  • 042012 – the first heart transplant operation in Kazakhstan was performed on Zhanibek Ospanov, a resident of Kostanay region;
  • 052013 – the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund was established on the basis of the State Accumulative Pension Fund;
  • 062017 – Kazakhstan received an ICAO Council award for achievements in aviation safety;
  • 072023 – International Mountaineering Day was celebrated in Kazakhstan.

Famous people born on August 8

  • 011876 – Matthias Sindelar, legend of Austrian football, famous footballer;
  • 021901 – American physicist Ernest Lawrence, inventor of the cyclotron, Nobel Prize laureate;
  • 031921 – Hollywood actress, swimming star Esther Williams;
  • 041937 – American film actor Dustin Hoffman, twice winner of the Oscar;
  • 051943 – Soviet and Russian theater and film director, TV presenter, actor Yuli Gusman;
  • 061949 – Italian theater and film actress, model Antonia Santilli, who played the role of Olga in the film "Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia";
  • 071953 – Russian theater and film actor Viktor Avilov;
  • 081961 – British actor Martin Freeman, known for his roles in "Sherlock" and "The Hobbit";
  • 091967 – Kyrgyz actress Zhanyl Asanbekova, who played the role of Ainura in the Russian TV series "Kitchen";
  • 101981 – Swiss professional tennis player Roger Federer;
  • 111998 – Canadian singer Shawn Mendes.

Who was born on August 8 in Kazakhstan

  • 011948 – film actor, Honored Artist of Kazakhstan Dinmukhamed Akimov;
  • 021961 – chess player, grandmaster and master of sports of the USSR Serikbay Temirbayev;
  • 031980 – master of sports, absolute champion of Kazakhstan in tennis Alexey Kerdiuk.