Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The World Health Organization certified global eradication of smallpox in 1980. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a history fact?

Yes. It sits on the History shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Smallpox became the first human disease officially eradicated

The World Health Organization certified global eradication of smallpox in 1980

Following a global ring-vaccination campaign led by the World Health Organization starting in 1967, the last naturally occurring case of variola major smallpox was diagnosed in 1977. In May 1980, the World Health Assembly formally declared smallpox eradicated worldwide, marking a triumph of global public health.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

History trivia Science trivia

More facts like this

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in his London laboratoryAccidental mould contamination in 1928 led to the world's first true antibiotic Nitrous oxide acts as a mild inhalation anestheticLaughing gas alters neurochemical signaling to relieve pain and induce euphoria The first modern Olympic Games were hosted in Athens in 1896Athletes from fourteen nations gathered in Greece to revive the ancient tradition The Code of Hammurabi established early written lawKing Hammurabi of Babylon carved nearly three hundred legal judgments onto a tall basalt stele The Rosetta Stone unlocked ancient Egyptian hieroglyphsA decree carved in three scripts enabled scholars to decipher Egyptian writing The Great Pyramid of Giza was built for Pharaoh KhufuOver two million limestone blocks were assembled to form the tallest structure for millennia

Tags: smallpox, who, medicine

Smallpox became the first human disease officially eradicated: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The World Health Organization certified global eradication of smallpox in 1980. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a history fact?: Yes. It sits on the History shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.