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On February 18, 1930, American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona while searching for the hypothetical Planet X. Pluto was considered the ninth planet of the solar system for 76 years, until in 2006 the International Astronomical Union reclassified it as a dwarf planet. The decision generated a controversy that continues to this day.

On February 18, 1564, painter, sculptor and architect Michelangelo Buonarroti died in Rome at age 88, while still working on the Basilica of St Peter's. Creator of the Sistine Chapel, David, the Pietà and the dome of St Peter's, he is considered the greatest artist of the Renaissance and one of the most complete geniuses in the history of Western art.

On February 18, 1965, Gambia became the last country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from the British Empire. The small nation, encircled by Senegal, is the smallest country in mainland Africa. Its first president was Dawda Jawara, who governed for 29 years until he was overthrown in 1994 by Yahya Jammeh's military coup.