1. On December 28, 1906, the first officially recorded temperature inversion in Alaska was observed in Fairbanks. A temperature inversion is a meteorological phenomenon where warm air, usually at higher altitudes, traps cold air and pollutants close to the ground, causing smog and poor air quality.

2. On December 28, 1912, the first airplane in Alaska flew from the Tanana River near Fairbanks. The plane, a Curtiss Type D, was piloted by James V. Martin, who also designed the aircraft. This event marked the beginning of Alaska's aviation industry.

3. On December 28, 1964, the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America and the second-largest in world history occurred in Alaska. The magnitude 9.2 earthquake caused widespread damage and triggered a tsunami that devastated coastal communities, killing more than 100 people.

4. On December 28, 1981, the Exxon Valdez oil spill containment barge was launched in response to new regulations requiring oil tankers to have a plan in place to contain and clean up spills. Less than three years later, in March 1989, the Exxon Valdez tanker spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound, causing one of the worst environmental disasters in history.

5. On December 28, 2003, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) reached a milestone of pumping its 15 billionth barrel of oil since it began operating in 1977. The pipeline transports crude oil from the North Slope to the port of Valdez for shipment to refineries in the lower 48 states.