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💥This Week In History - The 3 Mile Island Partial Meltdown

💥This Week In History - The 3 Mile Island Partial Meltdown

The week of March. 23 - March. 29 throughout history.

March 25, 2025

Welcome back History Nerds,

Huge surprise, this week’s history was pretty brutal. There was two massive meltdowns that went down this week, one nuclear and one oil.. But on the bright side, we wrote about the legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky and this cool viking named Ragnar. It was quite a doozy to write, so we really hope you enjoy this week’s edition of LOL History!

Did You Know? On January 25, 1971, a man hijacked a plane from Los Angeles to San Francisco armed with nothing but a bottle of wine and a sword. He demanded airtime on national TV to warn the public about the dangers of pollution. The FBI talked him down, but honestly, it’s hard to ignore a guy waving a sword and sipping cabernet at 30,000 feet.

During Your History Lesson You’ll Learn About:

Exxon Valdez’s $2 Billion Oil Spill
Three Mile Island: From Nuclear Scare to Tech Powerhouse
Ragnar The Viking Attacks Paris
Wayne Gretzky Scores One Last Time

Black Tide Rising: Exxon’s $2 Billion Oil Spill

On March 24, 1989, in the frigid waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground, unleashing approximately 11 million gallons of crude oil into an ecosystem that wasn’t ready for it—a disaster that would go down as one of the worst environmental messes in U.S. history. It happened fast: just after midnight, the ship struck Bligh Reef, ripping open its hull and spilling thick, black oil across a pristine stretch of sea, home to otters, seals, whales, and a web of life that didn’t sign up for this. The spill wasn’t just a spill—it was a gut punch to nature, a wake-up call about oil, ships, and what happens when they go wrong.

The trouble didn’t start out of nowhere. The Exxon Valdez, loaded with over 53 million gallons of crude from Alaska’s North Slope, was chugging along a route it knew well—until it didn’t. Captain Joseph Hazelwood wasn’t at the helm; a third mate was steering, and reports later pointed to fatigue, a tricky autopilot, and maybe a few too many drinks in Hazelwood’s system (though that’s still debated). Whatever the mix, the tanker missed its lane, and by 12:04 AM, oil was gushing—260,000 barrels of it—spreading across 1,300 miles of coastline. Cleanup crews scrambled, but the damage was instant: birds coated in oil, fish choking, and beaches turned into tar pits. Exxon threw $2 billion at the effort, but you can’t mop up a sea that easily.

The fallout was a mess—both literal and legal. Wildlife took a hit: 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 otters, 300 seals, 250 bald eagles, and countless fish gone, with ripples still felt years later. Locals—fishermen, Native communities—saw livelihoods vanish as salmon and herring stocks tanked. Exxon paid out $1 billion in settlements, but the court battles dragged on, with fines whittled down over decades. People were mad—some at Exxon, some at lax rules, others at a world hooked on oil. The disaster led to stricter shipping regulations and the adoption of double-hulled tankers, though the impact on Alaska’s environment and communities remained a heavy burden for years to come.

Three Mile Island: From Nuclear Scare to Tech Powerhouse

On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, suffered a near-catastrophe. A malfunctioning valve caused a cooling system failure, which led to a partial meltdown in Reactor 2 and a leak of radioactive gas. It was the most serious accident in U.S. nuclear history, and although no one died, it shattered public trust in nuclear power overnight. Panic spread, politicians scrambled, and “Three Mile Island” became shorthand for “nuclear disaster.” For years, it halted the growth of the nuclear energy industry and served as a cautionary tale about what can go wrong when atoms misbehave.

Fast forward to today, and Three Mile Island is back in the spotlight—but this time, it’s all about high-tech optimism. In a surprising twist, Microsoft has teamed up with Constellation Energy to bring the site back online by 2028. The idea? Use the revived Unit 1 reactor to provide 835 megawatts of clean, carbon-free power to Microsoft’s growing fleet of AI-powered data centers.

It’s a big bet on the future of both nuclear energy and tech infrastructure, with Microsoft locking in a 20-year deal to power its digital empire. For the region, it means new jobs, economic investment, and a second chance for a site once defined by crisis. What was once a symbol of nuclear failure may soon stand as proof that even the darkest chapters in history can be rewritten into something brighter.

Trivia Time

In every issue of LOL History, we take a break from sharing historical events to bring you a quirky trivia section. Get ready to challenge your brain and impress your friends with some seriously weird knowledge

Which historical figure was so bad at cooking that they nearly burned down their house?

Ragnar’s River Rampage: Paris Falls to the Vikings

On March 28, 845, along the Seine River, a Viking fleet led by the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok descended upon Paris, unleashing a storm of chaos on a city that wasn’t ready for it—a raid that would go down as one of the boldest hits of the Viking Age. It happened extremely fast, as 120 longships hit the shore, spilling Norse warriors onto a panicked riverside.

The trouble didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. Ragnar’s crew, tough guys from Scandinavia’s fjords, had plans to plunder its wealth, exploit the Frankish kingdom’s weak defenses, and boost their own fame and fortune. Ragnar—real or half-story—led them, though some say it might’ve been his brother or someone else; old tales get messy, mixing smarts, guts, and maybe a beef with the Franks (nobody’s sure). Anyway, Paris didn’t see it coming, and by dusk, the Vikings were grabbing gold, silver, and people, tearing through the city. The locals tried to fight back, but it was too late—churches got smashed, houses burned, streets turned ugly. The Franks threw ransom money at them to leave, but that didn’t stop the damage quick.

The fallout was a mess—both bloody and political. Paris took a hit: monks slain, citizens hauled off as slaves, and a shaken kingdom left counting its losses, with echoes of fear rippling through the Carolingian realm. Locals—farmers, priests—saw their world upended as trade stalled and faith faltered. King Charles the Bald paid out 7,000 pounds of silver to make the Vikings leave, but the damage lingered, pride bruised and borders exposed. People were rattled—some at Ragnar, some at weak defenses, others at a world ripe for plunder.

Wayne Gretzky Scores One Last Time

On March 29, 1999, Wayne Gretzky, also known as “The Great One,” scored the final goal of his legendary NHL career while playing for the New York Rangers. It was goal number 894, a number so high it still towers over the rest of the league. That last goal may not have made the highlight reel, but it marked the end of a career that redefined what was possible on the ice.

When he retired at the end of that season, the NHL didn’t just say goodbye to a player—they closed the book on an era. Gretzky’s records remain untouched not just because of his talent, but because of how far ahead of his time he really was. His exit wasn’t just the end of a career—it was the moment hockey lost its greatest artist.

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