Date in year · 1996 · The 1990s

February 17, 1996

On February 17, 1996, in Philadelphia, world champion Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match. The year's #1 song was "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" by Los del Río. Sophia Hutchins, Andreas Christensen, Dele Alli would arrive in the same year.

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1996

1990s

Featured · February 17, 1996

In Philadelphia, world champion Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match.

S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. 33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area.

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Around 1996

The year in brief

1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1996th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 996th year of the 2nd millennium, the 96th year of the 20th century, and the 7th year of the 1990s decade.

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What happened

On February 17, 1996

1996 In Philadelphia, world champion Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match.

Most populous city in Pennsylvania, US

S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. 33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area.
1996 NASA's Discovery Program begins as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft lifts off on the first mission ever to orbit and land on an asteroid, 433 Eros.

American space and aeronautics agency

S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space. S.
1996 The 8.2 Mw  Biak earthquake shakes the Papua province of eastern Indonesia with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A large tsunami followed, leaving 166 people dead or missing and 423 injured.

Earthquake and tsunami in eastern Indonesia

The 1996 Biak earthquake, or the Irian Jaya earthquake, occurred on 17 February at 14:59:30 local time near Biak Island, Indonesia. 2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). 7 m (25 ft).