Today

Pingcognito is a research system that tracks the people in Xanadu, the oldest blockchain in the world. It was discovered by Marie-Lynn, an OSINT and Information Security Researcher from Montreal.

This website tracks over 20,000 performers who move along our narrative. The information shared on this website is not secret. It is simply never promoted to the general public. It’s part of the Great Easter Eggs Hunt of History.

Featured Content | Doppelgängers (10) | Birthdays (6) | The Firsts (1) | Events (3) | Passed (3)

January 8, 2026

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Featured Content

These events are now published, you can click through!

There’s Nothing New Under the Wig: A Letter to the Editor from 1790

January 8, 1790 was

Transcendental Meditation is not just a relaxation technique. It's a technique for diving within and experiencing the infinite reservoir of energy, intelligence, and happiness that lies deep within everyone.
- David Lynch


10 Doppelgängers Today

Why are public figures always born within a few days of another public figure who looks just like them? Why does our storyline require two of each?

Born within 4 days in 1902


Born on January 04, 1902
(1902 - 1991)

John A. McCone

American businessman and government official who served as Director of Central Intelligence from 1961 to 1965, during the height of the Cold War.

Born on January 08, 1902
(1902 - 1988)

Georgy Malenkov

Soviet politician who succeeded Joseph Stalin as Premier and the overall leader of the Soviet Union in March 1953

Born within 3 days in 1942


Born on January 05, 1942

Jan Leeming

English television presenter and newsreader

Born on January 08, 1942
(1942 - 2022)

Yvette Mimieux

American film and television actress who was a major star of the 1960s and 1970s

Born within 7 days in 1923


Born on January 01, 1923
(1923 - 1979)

Itzhak Bentov

Slovakian scientist, inventor, mystic and author

Born on January 08, 1923
(1923 - 2004)

Bryce DeWitt

American theoretical physicist noted for his work in gravitation and quantum field theory

Born within 2 days in 1908


Born on January 10, 1908

Bernard Lee

English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven Eon-produced James Bond films

Born on January 08, 1908
(1908 - 1975)

William Hartnell

English actor known as the first incarnation of The Doctor on Dr. Who

Born within 2 days in 1836


Born on January 10, 1836
(1836 - 1902)

Charles Ingalls

American pioneer, farmer, government official, musician, and carpenter who father of Laura Ingalls Wilder, known for her Little House series of books

Born on January 08, 1836
(1836 - 1912)

Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Dutch painter who later settled in the United Kingdom, becoming the last officially recognised denizen in 1873

Born within 6 days in 1949


Born on January 14, 1949

Lawrence Kasdan

American filmmaker

Born on January 08, 1949

John Podesta

American political consultant who served as Chief of Staff of President Clinton and Senior Advisor to President Obama

Born within 4 days in 1979


Born on January 04, 1979

Samantha Sloyan

American actress

Born on January 08, 1979

Sarah Polley

Writer, director, producer and political activist

Born within 7 days in 1912


Born on January 15, 1912
(1912 - 1996)

Michel Debré

First Prime Minister of the French Fifth Republic. He is considered the "father" of the current Constitution of France.

Born on January 08, 1912
(1912 - 1992)

José Ferrer

Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television

Born within 1 day in 1830


Born on January 09, 1830
(1830 - 1897)

Mayer Lehman

American businessman, banker, and philanthropist

Born on January 08, 1830
(1830 - 1894)

Hans von Bülow

German conductor, virtuoso pianist, and composer of the Romantic era

Born within 2 days in 1942


Born on January 10, 1942

Aleksandr Yakovlevich Petrushenko

Soviet cosmonaut

Born on January 08, 1942

Vyacheslav Dmitriyevich Zudov

Soviet cosmonaut

6 Birthdays Today

XANADU BLOCK 1942-4.0108  

Stephen Hawking   (1942 — 2018)

Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, widely viewed as one of the most prestigious academic posts in the world.

XANADU BLOCK 1891-4.0108  

Storm Jameson   (1891 — 1986)

English journalist and author, known for her novels and reviews and for her work as President of English PEN between 1938 and 1944.

XANADU BLOCK 1947-3.0108  

David Bowie   (1947 — 2016)

English singer, songwriter and actor

XANADU BLOCK 1686-2.0108  

William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach   (1686 — 1723)

Margrave of the Principality of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1703 until his death in 1723

XANADU BLOCK 1935-2.0108  

Elvis Presley   (1935 — 1977)

American singer and actor

XANADU BLOCK 1821-1.0108  

James Longstreet   (1821 — 1904)

One of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E

1 FIRSTS
On This Day

They did it first!

XANADU BLOCK 1790-5.0108  

George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address in New York City

It happened on January 8, 1790


Featuring: George Washington.


3 Events
On This Day

XANADU BLOCK 1297-2.0108  

François Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, leads his men to capture the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco, establishing his family as the rulers of Monaco

It happened on January 8, 1297

XANADU BLOCK 1656-6.0108  

Oldest surviving commercial newspaper begins (Haarlem, Netherlands)

It happened on January 8, 1656

XANADU BLOCK 1878-2.0108  

Umberto I becomes King of Italy.

It happened on January 8, 1878


Featuring: Umberto I of Italy.

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3 People Who
Passed On This Day

XANADU BLOCK 1823-2.0401  

Simon Bolivar Buckner   (1823 — 1914)

American soldier, Confederate combatant, and politician.

XANADU BLOCK 1564-6.0215  

Galileo Galilei   (1564 — 1642)

Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath,

XANADU BLOCK 1857-0.0222  

Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell   (1857 — 1941)

British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the world-wide Scout Movement, and founder, with his sister Agnes, of the world-wide Girl Guide / Girl Scout Movement

The Stage now has its own page!

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Be patient. Your future will come to you and lie down at your feet like a dog who knows and loves you no matter what you are.
- Kurt Vonnegut