Fait mathématique: 1279 is the exponent of a Mersenne prime.
Culture générale: 1279 is a number for which we're missing a fact (submit one to numbersapi at google mail!).
Date historique: July 2nd is the day in 1853 that the Russian Army crossed the Pruth river into the Danubian Principalities, Moldavia and Wallachia—providing the spark that set off the Crimean War.