November 17

On November 17, 1894, Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, later dubbed one of America’s first modern serial killers, was arrested in Boston. Holmes had eluded authorities for months following suspicions of fraud and multiple disappearances linked to his Chicago ‘Murder Castle.’ His arrest in Massachusetts began a sensational investigation that uncovered a trail of victims and shocking crime scenes. Detectives gathered evidence that revealed Holmes’s elaborate scheme to lure, exploit, and murder unsuspecting guests. The case captivated the public and media, setting new precedents in forensic investigation and criminal profiling. Holmes’s trial and execution in 1896 left an indelible mark on American criminal jurisprudence and popular culture.

In November 1986, the pilots of JAL Flight 1628 encountered unidentified flying objects while crossing the Alaskan wilderness. The crew described multiple large, bright objects maneuvering unusually and nearly matching the plane’s altitude. Radar data from both the aircraft and ground stations seemed to corroborate the sighting, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. Witness reports and cockpit voice recordings fueled speculation about extraterrestrial visitors. Skeptics suggested explanations ranging from ice fog to military aircraft, but no definitive conclusion was reached. The incident remains one of the most well-documented and debated UFO encounters in aviation history.